Mobility Allowance (MOB) customer going overseas 008-05060000

If the customer advises they are leaving Australia to live in another country, qualification for MOB ceases from the date of departure. However, the existing period of grace provision of one further payment will apply.

If cancelled customer returns to Australia they would need to prove they are an Australian resident in order to be re-granted, especially if they had been cancelled as they have ceased residing in Australia.

MOB is payable for temporary absences for up to 6 weeks providing they remain qualified - for example, during holidays from work/training.

No period of grace extension can be applied at the end of the maximum portability period. For detailed information about the period of grace, see Cancellation and Period of Grace for Mobility Allowance (MOB).

The person's qualification may continue for less than the maximum portability period - for example, if their period of leave is only 4 weeks; or their portability for JobSeeker Payment (JSP) is for 2 weeks then MOB portability is restricted to that period of time.

To continue receiving MOB, a person with a disability must maintain their base qualification for MOB and be continuing to be involved in a qualifying activity such as:

• training
• employment
• a combination of gainful employment and training
• voluntary work
• receiving JSP, Youth Allowance (YA) or Austudy, while satisfying the relevant mutual obligations requirements or Activity Test requirements
• receiving JSP, YA (job seeker) or Disability Support Pension (DSP) and satisfying the requirements for the higher rate of MOB
• be looking for work as part of a CETP program
• they must also satisfy the need to travel for this activity and be unable to use public transport without assistance, this being the Mobility Allowance travel test

Note: if the customer is paid at the higher rate, then the higher rate is payable during the portability period.

There are also annual qualification reviews and continuing qualification for MOB must be established at pre-departure interviews.

Australian resident status would be in question if the pattern of travel suggested the person is actually residing overseas. Continuing qualification for continuing employment or training would also be in question if the person had a pattern of long absences with continual short returns. The person may no longer qualify for payment.

The Portability Script - Departures and Returns will correctly assess the customer's entitlement to payment while overseas and record details on the customer's record. If the customer advises in advance, the departure will still be recorded but the absence will not be assessed until the customer actually leaves Australia. If the script is available coding the absence from Australia should be done using the script.

A customer's portability period starts on the day they leave Australia. For portability purposes, a customer is not considered to be inside Australia for any part of the day they departed Australia, regardless of the time of departure. If the customer is travelling outside Australia on a cruise the date of departure is the date the ship leaves the last Australian port.

The day a customer returns to Australia is not included as part of their absence as they are considered to be inside Australia on that day (regardless of the time of return) and therefore no longer affected by portability. If they leave and return on the same day (for example, airline crew) this is not considered a departure from Australia for portability purposes.

The Department of Home Affairs generally advises when a customer or child leaves or returns to Australia. The Centrelink system uses the information to assesses the portability of payments and concession cards. The assessment will happen regardless of whether the customer has told Services Australia their travel details. Note: do not cancel Department of Home Affairs datalink activities.

Where the customer gives evidence they travelled on different dates, the agency should consider using those different dates, if both the following apply:

• the new dates are logical
• the results will be a better outcome for the customer

This most often happens if a customer passes through Australian customs on one day but the flight leaves the next day.

In many cases, customers do not have to tell the agency if they are leaving Australia temporarily for less than 6 weeks, or when they have returned from a temporary absence.

When customers do need to tell us about a departure before leaving Australia or when they have returned to Australia they can use the Travelling outside of Australia service. This service is in their Centrelink online account. If the travel or portability assessment is complex the online service will ask them to contact the agency.

Services Australia website lists when customers must tell the agency they are leaving or returning to Australia. The Resources page has a link.