Reviewing, reconsidering and ending Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient (VWPR) Notices assessed by social workers 103-01180030

If a customer is assessed by a social worker for VWPR, they will have a VWPR Notice applied and only a social worker can end, continue or review the Notice.

A social worker can review a Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient (VWPR) Notice at any time. This review may be as a result of contact with the customer, or an indication that circumstances have changed significantly.

The VWPR Notice is reviewed by a social worker at the following times:

• a Manual Follow Up (MFU) will be generated 35 days before the VWPR Notice end date (unless changed by the social worker), for the social worker to conduct a review. This is a mandatory review prior to the Notice expiring
• on a date/s specified by the social worker at the time the VWPR Notice commences (this may be scheduled at 3 months, 6 months, or any other date)

Social workers will attempt to contact the customer to complete the review, but can also complete the review by file assessment, on the basis of relevant documents and information available.

See Outcome of Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient (VWPR) reviews below.

Customers are able to have a social worker reconsider the VWPR Notice once every 90 days.

If a customer requests a reconsideration, the social worker is required to undertake a new assessment of the customer's current circumstances, with the customer given the opportunity to provide evidence to support the reconsideration.

A history of reconsideration requests made by the customer can be viewed on the Vulnerable Notice screen. The history of reconsiderations include:

• date of the reconsideration request
• reason for reconsideration, and
• outcome of reconsideration request

See Outcome of Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient (VWPR) reviews below.

A customer can appeal the original VWPR Notice by a social worker that declares the customer is a Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient, at any time.

The restrictions on the customer requesting a reconsideration of their VWPR Notice does not impact appealing the original decision.

Under the appeal process, a social worker (not the decision maker) is required to undertake a review of the original decision and determine if the Notice assessment of the customer is correct.

A new Social Worker Information System (SWIS) Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient (VWPR) report is required if new information is provided and the original decision is to be overturned.

When undertaking any form of review of the VWPR Notice a social worker must consider:

• Whether the customer is experiencing an indicator of vulnerability, or if they are likely to experience an indicator if VWPR is not continued, including:
• financial hardship
• financial exploitation
• failure to undertake reasonable self care
• homelessness or risk of homelessness
• Whether the customer is not meeting their essential needs, or it is likely they would not meet their essential needs if VWPR is not continued
• Whether welfare quarantining is an appropriate support for the customer to meet their responsibilities, build and maintain self care and manage their money

Under the hierarchy of measures, social workers cannot consider Voluntary IM or Voluntary enhanced IM unless the customer no longer meets the decision making principles to determine a customer a Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient.

A review of the VWPR Notice requires the completion of a Social Worker Information System (SWIS) Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient (VWPR) review report and the outcome of the review to be recorded in the VWPR Notice workflow.

Income Management

After undertaking a review of the VWPR Notice, the social worker must record the outcome of the review in the Vulnerable Notice workflow.

Enhanced Income Management

After undertaking a review of the VWPR Notice, the social worker must record the outcome of the review in Customer First.

If the review of the VWPR Notice is at the customer's request, either a review of the determination or a reconsideration of circumstances, a Social Work Information System (SWIS) Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient (VWPR) review report must also be completed.

Updates to the Vulnerable Welfare Payment Recipient (VWPR) Notice can only be made by a social worker with delegation.

The social worker has a number of options to consider:

• Continue the Notice: There is no change to the period of the current Notice
• Vary the Notice: The social worker can decide to reduce or extend the period of the VWPR Notice, e.g. reduce the Notice from 12 months to 9 months, or extend the Notice from 3 months to 6 months
• Cease or Revoke the Notice: The social worker can decide to end the VWPR Notice. IM or enhanced IM stops once the customer's VWPR Notice is ended. However if a customer is eligible for a lower compulsory measure, the customer will continue to be welfare quarantined under that measure

The IM program closed to new entrants on 4 September 2023, customers who move between measures on the hierarchy and otherwise meet the eligibility criteria to participate, must commence enhanced IM.

Income Management

Customers who are not eligible for welfare quarantining under another compulsory measure and are exiting Income Management can choose to attend a Disbursement interview to discuss how they can continue meeting their ongoing expenses and how any residual funds will be disbursed.

Customers can also choose to commence Voluntary enhanced IM (if eligible).

If a customer does not make contact to discuss the disbursement of their residual funds, the Auto Disbursement rules will apply.

Enhanced Income Management

Customers who are not eligible for welfare quarantining under another compulsory measure will end enhanced IM.

Customers can choose to commence Voluntary enhanced IM (if eligible).