Assessing, coding and reviewing weekly payments 103-05010010

Has the staff member completed the training module?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No:
• Is it a phone request? Transfer the call using Services Australia Workspace to:
  - Urgent Payment option, based on the customer's current income support payment, or
  - Urgent Payment - Income Management Line, if the customer is income managed
  - Procedure ends here
• Is it a Workload Manager item?
  - where there are no appropriately skilled staff available, Team Leaders can unassign the work item(s) using reason User Unavailable. For more information, see Work Item Unassign/Reassign Reasons in Resources in Workload Management
  - See Work Optimiser for staff

If the customer:

• completed a jobseeker claim and accepted a weekly payment offer, no assessment is needed outside the claim process. Procedure ends here
• wants to start weekly payments, go to Step 3
• wants to change to fortnightly payments, go to Step 7

Consider weekly payments as part of a broader service offer. This is to help the customer manage their finances.

Discuss other options with the customer such as:

• referrals to financial support
• referrals to specialists like social workers
• offsetting Family Tax Benefit (FTB), Double Orphan Pension (DOP) and Carer Allowance (CA)
• Centrepay deductions to help pay bills
• Rent Deduction Scheme to help pay for government housing
• Income Management. Note: Income managed customers getting weekly payments must be paid under the new model

To get weekly payments, customers must:

• get an eligible payment
• live in Australia
• be financially vulnerable
• not get a hardship advance or urgent payment in the current instalment period
• not get payments through a nominee or group payment schedule
• agree they can no longer get urgent payments

Note: to remain eligible for weekly payments under the legacy model, the customer (and their partner) must also not have income that reduces their payment.

Customers cannot get weekly payments if they get the Home Equity Access Scheme payments with their income support payment.

Are weekly payments appropriate?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 6

Advise the customer if they get weekly payments they can no longer get an urgent payment.

Does the customer agree to this?

• Yes, they can get weekly payments. To record the decision to grant weekly payments:
• in Process Direct, see Table 2
• in Customer First, see Table 4
• No, go to Step 6

Advise the customer why they cannot get their payment weekly. They will get fortnightly payments.

Give the customer the chance to provide further evidence to reassess the decision.

Advise the customer their review and appeal rights.

To record the decision not to grant weekly payments:

• in Process Direct, see Table 2
• in Customer First, see Table 4

Customers cannot be compelled to continue on weekly payments. They can ask to return to fortnightly payments at any time.

Changing to fortnightly payments may have unintended results. It may put the customer under financial stress.

When weekly payments stop, customers paid under the:

• legacy model
• will get one weekly payment to last them 14 days
• may lose their grandfathered status. If they return to weekly payments, after a period of greater than 8 weeks, they will be paid under the new model
• will be paid under the new model when a new claim is granted
• new model will get a full fortnight payment

For more information, see Calculating weekly payments.

Before stopping weekly payments:

• consider why weekly payments started, and the customer's situation at the time
• make sure the customer knows what will happen when weekly payments stop
• engage other services if required, for example, social work services
• help the customer decide what is best for them

Does the customer still want to change to fortnightly payments?

• Yes, bring forward and finalise the next review. See Table 5
• No, procedure ends here

• Key START in the Super Key field
• Select Weekly Payments from the Task Selector
• Select Start

The Weekly payments overview screen displays.

'Customer on Legacy weekly payments’ message will display for customers on the legacy model.

From Related workflows select:

• Apply for weekly payments, or
• Apply for weekly payments - Legacy model if the customer is not on weekly payments but was on Legacy weekly payments in the last 8 weeks

Select Add.

Read the Customer acknowledgement to the customer.

Is the customer starting weekly payments?

• Yes, select Accept. Go to Step 3
• No, select Cancel. DOC the record, noting why the customer will not be paid weekly payments. Procedure ends here

On the Create Weekly Payments Assessment Overview screen.

Select all appropriate boxes:

• Customer’s Circumstances
• Financial Hardship
• Housing Crisis
• Vulnerable
• Additional Services Offered
• Budgeting Assistance
• Centrepay/Rent Deduction Scheme
• External referral
• Internal referral
• Services not applicable
• Assessment Decision, select:
• Grant, or
• Reject and then the reason

Select Save.

From the drop down menu complete:

• Receipt date
• Channel

Select Save.

Check all information is correct,

The system sets a review date.

View payment breakdown. From the Entitlements (ELD) screen, go to the Payment Summary (PS) screen.

Once all details are correct, select Assess.

• Select Finish
• Add any extra comments in the Finalise screen
• Select Finalise
• Select OK when the confirmation message displays

For more information, see Calculating weekly payments.

A manual weekly payment review can be started at any time by the customer or Service Officer.

For certain payments, an annual review will be triggered every 11 months by the system.

The purpose of weekly payment reviews is to:

• make sure the customer is still suited to receive weekly payments
• follow up on events or milestones identified when weekly payments started. For example, making sure a customer engages with third party referrals
• decide if the service offer has stabilised the customer's circumstances
• identify if new support is needed

This review does not replace other reviews, for example, Service Updates. It may be completed as part of other reviews or contacts.

Has a manual review been started for the customer?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, if the customer is required to complete their 11 month review, go to Step 2

Does the customer have an online account?

• Yes, customers in receipt of a payment will have an online task allocated for them to review their weekly payment. Go to Step 3
• No, a task appears in Workload Manager on the due date. Go to Step 4

Customers with an online account will automatically have an online task to complete their weekly payments review. These reviews are self-managed.

If a customer attempted to complete their review via Required Tasks in online services and the review has not completed, the activity will allocate to staff for manual action.

This can occur if:

• customers have an existing activity on the Activity List (AL) screen
• another review is outstanding

Has the online review been finalised?

• Yes, system will automatically apply another review for 11 months’ time. Procedure ends here
• No, review will allocate to staff for manual action via Workload Manager. Go to Step 4

Consider the best method for contact:

• Face to face if the customer:
• does not use online services
• can attend the office
• needs more help, or has personal issues that are best discussed in person
• Phone if the customer:
• does not use online services
• lives in a rural or remote location, or cannot attend the office
• needs a review to check something happened, for example, the customer attended an interview with a third party
• File review if:
• it is the first weekly payment review
• there is enough evidence to make an informed decision. For example, the customer is 'well known' to the office and their situation has not changed and unlikely to change soon
• the customer recently attended an interview when they discussed weekly payments. For example, social worker, attended F2F interview

A customer's online task no longer displays if staff complete the review.

Is customer contact required?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 6

Make genuine attempts to contact the customer

Was contact successful?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, DOC the record with details of unsuccessful contact attempts. Customer will remain on weekly payments. Go to Step 7

Complete the Weekly Payments Review screen with the review findings.

Include:

• any changes of circumstances
• extra services needed to help
• the review method

If a decision has been made to cease weekly payments:

• advise the customer on changes to their future payment, including their next payment date and amount.
• identify and offer any additional support if appropriate, i.e. social worker referral

Do not exit customers from the legacy model onto the new model unless they are now income managed.

For a manual review, go to Step 7.

For an 11 month annual review, go to Step 8.

• Select Customer Summary
• Enter Customer Reference Number (CRN)
• Select Weekly Payments in the Task Selector
• Select Start

Continue weekly payments?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 10

Locate the review via Inbox.

Select the work item to view the Customer and Claim Information table on the Transaction Summary (TS) screen:

• Select Process
• Select Next

Continue weekly payments?

• Yes, go to Step 9
• No, go to Step 10

On the Weekly Payments Overview screen:

• Select Add ('+') to add a new line
• From Review Weekly Payments, select all appropriate boxes:
• Customer’s Circumstances:
  Financial Hardship
  Housing Crisis
  Vulnerable
• Additional Services Offered:
  Budgeting Assistance
  Centrepay Rent Deduction Scheme
  External referral
  Internal referral
  Services not applicable
• Review Method - select face-to-face, phone or web
• Review Decision - select Continue
• Select Save
• Update Header Data to record the Receipt date and Channel
• Select Save
• Go to Step 11

On the Weekly Payments Overview screen:

• Select Add ('+') to add a new line
• Review Decision - Select CAN- Cancel
• Decision Reason - Select Reason
• Review method - select face-to-face, phone or web
• Select Save
• Update Header Data to record the Receipt date and Channel
• Select Save
• Go to Step 11

• Date of next review defaults to a future date. Do not change this unless there is a compelling reason to set the review date to a known event, for example, a future appointment. Do not set reviews more than 12 months apart

Note: this field will be blank if weekly payments have ended.

• Review to be conducted by defaults to Other
• Select Assess
• From the Entitlement screen:
• Select Finish
• Add any extra comments to the Finalise box
• Select Finalise
• Select OK when confirmation message displays

Run the Weekly payments workflow.

The Weekly Payments Assessment Summary screen displays.

The Weekly Payments Overview tab displays a message if the customer is paid under the Legacy Model.

From Related workflows select:

• Apply for weekly payments for the new model
• Apply for weekly payments - Legacy model if the customer received payments under the legacy model within the 8 weeks prior to weekly payments ending

Select Launch.

Complete these sections:

• why the customer needs weekly payments
• extra services put in place for the customer
• who has been involved in the decision to grant or reject weekly payments

If starting weekly payments, go to Step 3

If rejecting weekly payments, go to Step 4

If ending weekly payments, See Table 5

Complete the following fields:

• Commence weekly payments? Yes. More questions will display
• How was the customer advised?
• Auto Letter if the customer asks for a letter confirming the decision
• Only Verbally if telling the customer the decision and they do not want a letter
• Do not select Manual Letter
• Weekly Payment Review Date must be 11 months from weekly payment start date
• Review to be conducted by
• Select the type of specialist to consult or to conduct the next review. They do not have to conduct the review, but their skills may be needed
• Select Customer Service Officer if no specialist is identified
• Additional information to be displayed in the next review activity. Include comments or details to help the person completing the next review
• If starting weekly payments under the legacy model, record the reason:
• PRS - payment restored
• CRC - customer has reconnected
• SEI - short term employment income
• OTH - other

Select Continue.

This will start the Assessment Results (AR) workflow. Complete the coding to grant weekly payments, and finalise the activity.

The workflow will record details on a DOC.

Advise the customer when they will get payments. See Calculating weekly payments.

Procedure ends here.

Complete these fields:

• Commence weekly payments? No. More questions will display
• Reason
• Alternative Arrangements in Place if the customer was eligible but other options were more suitable, for example, referrals or Income Management
• Weekly Payments Not Appropriate if the customer was not eligible or does not agree to no urgent payments
• How was the customer advised?
• Auto Letter if the customer asks for a letter confirming the decision
• Only Verbally if telling the customer the decision and they do not want a letter
• Do not select Manual Letter

Select Continue.

This will start the Assessment Results (AR) workflow. Complete the coding to reject weekly payments, and finalise the activity.

The workflow will record details on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Periodic reviews are needed for customers on weekly payments.

A manual follow-up (MFU) activity matures 21 days before the review date. The MFU is set up when starting weekly payments or at the last review.

The review:

• makes sure the customer is still suited to weekly payments
• follows up on events or milestones identified when weekly payments started. For example, ensuring a customer has engaged with third party referrals
• checks if the service offer has helped the customer
• identifies new ways to support the customer

This review does not replace other reviews, for example, Service Updates. It may be completed as part of other reviews or contacts.

Does the customer have an online account?

• Yes, customers in receipt of a payment will have an online task allocated for them to review their weekly payment. Go to Step 2
• No, a task appears in Workload Manager on the due date. Go to Step 3

Customers with online accounts will automatically have an online task to complete their weekly payment review. These online review will be self-managed.

Customer who do not have online accounts will still need to be contacted to have their weekly payment review conducted. These reviews will be allocated via Workload Manager.

If a customer attempted to complete their weekly payment reviews via Required Tasks in online services and the details do not finalise, the activity will allocate to staff for manual action.

This can occur if:

• customers have an existing activity on the Activity List (AL) Screen
• another review is outstanding

Has the online review been finalised?

• Yes, the system will automatically apply another review for 11 months’ time. Procedure ends here
• No, review will allocate to staff for manual action via Workload Manager. Go to Step 3

• Face to face if:
• the customer does not use online services
• the customer can attend the office
• it is a full review of the service offer or to follow up personal issues
• Phone if the customer:
• does not use online services
• lives in a rural or remote location, or cannot attend the office
• needs a review to check something happened, for example, the customer attended an interview with a third party
• File review if:
• it is the first weekly payment review
• there is enough evidence to make an informed decision. This includes:
  - the customer is 'well known' to the office and their situation has not changed and unlikely to change soon
  - the customer recently attended an interview when they discussed weekly payments. For example, social worker, or a Service Update contact

Make genuine attempts to contact the customer

Was contact successful?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, DOC the record with details of the 2 unsuccessful contact attempts. Customer will remain on weekly payments. Go to Step 5

Complete the Weekly Payments Review screen with the review findings.

Include details about:

• any changes to the customer's circumstances
• extra services put in place to help the customer
• how the review was conducted

If a decision has been made to cease weekly payments:

• advise the customer on changes to their future payment, including their next payment date and amount
• identify and offer any additional support if appropriate, i.e. social worker referral

Customers on the legacy model: do not put the customer onto the new model. Exception: Income Managed customers must get weekly payments under the new model.

Is the decision to continue weekly payments?

• Yes, go to Step 6
• No, go to Step 8

• Run the Weekly Payments workflow
• The Weekly Payments Assessment Summary screen displays
• The Weekly Payments Overview tab displays a message if the customer is paid under the Legacy Model
• From Related workflows select:
• Review Weekly Payment, and
• Launch
• On the Weekly Payments Review screen, review the original decision:
• why the customer would benefit from weekly payments
• what other services were recommended
• which specialists have been engaged

Continue customer on weekly payments. Go to Step 7.

Complete these fields:

• Continue customer on weekly payments? Yes. More questions will display
• Date of next review defaults. Do not change this date unless there is a compelling reason to align it to an event or appointment. The next review must be within 12 months
• Review to be conducted by defaults to Other
• Additional information to be displayed in the next review activity. Include comments or details to help the person completing the next review
• How was the customer advised?
• Auto Letter if the customer asks for a letter confirming the decision
• Only Verbally if telling the customer the decision and they do not want a letter
• Do not select Manual Letter

Select Continue.

The workflow will go to the Assessment Results (AR) screen Complete coding to grant weekly payments.

The workflow will record details on a DOC.

Procedure ends here.

Complete these fields:

• Continue recipient on weekly payments? No. More questions will display
• Reason
• Alternative Arrangements in Place if the customer was eligible but other options were more suitable, for example, referrals or Income Management
• Customer Circumstances Now Stabilised if the customer can now budget over a 14 day period
• Customer Request is the customers insists they no longer want to get weekly payments
• Weekly Payments Not Appropriate if the customer was not eligible or no longer agrees to no urgent payments
• How was the customer advised?
• Auto Letter if the customer asks for a letter confirming the decision
• Only Verbally if telling the customer the decision and they do not want a letter
• Do not select Manual Letter

Select Continue.

This will start the Assessment Results (AR) workflow. Complete coding to grant fortnightly payments and finalise the activity.

The workflow will record details on a DOC.