Change of circumstance for Farm Household Allowance (FHA) 002-02080000

FHCO’s will review the FFA when completed to ensure the information in the FFA supports the decision to grant. Where the FFA indicates a customer may not be eligible for FHA they will refer the file via FHCO FHA eligibility check request Fast Note to the processing team, including information that needs to be reviewed.

Review the contents of the referral from the FHCO. Eligibility cannot be confirmed verbally and will require supporting documents. Request all required documents to review entitlement to FHA. This may include:

• additional years of tax returns
• business plan
• advice on the commercial scale and suitability of land
• other expert advice for the farm enterprise
• details of labour contributions
• details of capital contributions

See Mutual obligations, failures and exemptions from the activity test for Farm Household Allowance (FHA) customers.

Check and update contact details.

A change of address could affect the customer's eligibility for FHA as they may no longer be farming, or they (or their partner) may no longer meet the definition of a farmer for FHA.

Go to Step 4.

Changes relating to the customer's farm or farming business. Example, ownership, business structure, farm size or level of farm involvement farm may affect the customer's eligibility for FHA.

• If the customer wants more information about the possible effect of the change on their FHA payments, transfer to Farmer Assistance hotline 13 23 16
• If the customer and partner are no longer farming, example, due to the sale of the farm. See Suspending, cancelling and restoring Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• For all other farm related changes:
• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Rural > FHCO > Notification in change of circumstance
• the additional keyword ACTFHA will be automatically added and transferred to region code FHH

Key relevant changes. Example:

• Update the Farmer Specific Data, see Eligibility and payability for Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• Update the details of farm business using Process Direct FHA workflow
• Customer changes that affect the customer's entitlement will generate a follow-up Social Service Plan (SSP). Check and approve SSP. See Table 2, Step 3

If a follow-up SSP does not generate, see Table 2, Step 1.

Record the details on a DOC.

For income and asset related changes, go to Step 5.

FHA customer can update their income and assets details and view existing business details through the Manage Income and Assets option online. A work item is created as a Change of Circumstance (CoC) interaction activity and allocated to staff with FHA skills tags to process.

If a work item is allocated, a Service Officer must process the activity in Process Direct using the FHA workflow.

If extra information is required, see Requesting information (CLK).

Is the change to business assets and requires an aggregation assessment referral before processing the update?

• Yes, follow the required process to complete a referral to:
• Primary production aggregation assessments:
  - Check the customer has lodged all required documents for the reassessment before completing the referral
  - Refer the reassessment of assets/liabilities, use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Rural > Claims > FHA Aggregation and complete all fields
  - Place work item on hold
• For coding help, see:
  Assessing assets for Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
  Assessing income for Farm Household Allowance (FHA)
• No, go to Step 6

The Social Service Plan (SSP) will generate as part of the activity. Finalising the activity will complete and approve the SSP.

See Business income estimates for Farm Household Allowance (FHA).

See Farm Household Allowance (FHA) customers going overseas.

If the farmer enters permanent care:

• they are unable to farm and so are no longer eligible for FHA because they cannot contribute significant labour. FHA is to be cancelled, reason BLA (not a farmer)

If the partner of the farmer enters permanent care:

• FHA is to be cancelled, reason NSL (Significant labour not contributed to farm). Use the FHA cancelled Fast Note to clearly document the cancellation reason. See Suspending, cancelling and restoring Farm Household Allowance (FHA)

For partnered customers:

• Illness separated rates are applicable to FHA customers. See Assessment of circumstances for a couple separated due to illness

If the partner of a farmer:

• has taken over the farming responsibilities, they can continue to receive FHA as a farmer. Go to Step 11
• has not taken over farming responsibilities, they will no longer be eligible for FHA. Cancel FHA using reason NPF (Not a partner of a farmer). See Suspending, cancelling and restoring Farm Household Allowance (FHA)

If the farmer and/or partner are no longer farming, they may wish to test their eligibility for another payment. Discuss alternate payment options with the customer and/or partner. Record details of discussion on a DOC.

If the customer is at risk or is experiencing vulnerability, offer referral to available resources, external service providers or agency specialist staff if required.

An FHA customer, whether a farmer or the partner of a farmer, is not eligible for FHA while in prison or psychiatric confinement.

If a farmer is confined and they have a partner who receives FHA as:

• a farmer, the partner will continue to be eligible for FHA if no other circumstances have changed
• the partner of a farmer, the partner may continue to receive FHA for a grace period of 14 weeks starting from the date of confinement. If the partner advises they have taken over farming responsibilities, they may be eligible for FHA as a farmer in their own right

Action

Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Rural > Update > FHA Confirmation of prison admission. The processing team will follow up with Prison Servicing.

Assess and record details

Contact the relevant state/local Prison Servicing team for follow up with authorities about incarceration dates and actions to the record. For Prison Servicing team contacts, see Prison admission process and claims during incarceration.

FHA for the confined person must be manually cancelled, reason IMP (in prison) or PSY (psychiatric confinement). See Suspending, cancelling and restoring Farm Household Allowance (FHA).

Upon release from incarceration or psychiatric confinement, the customer must lodge a new claim for FHA, this is regardless of the length of time they were confined.

For partnered customers:

Go to Marital Status (MS) screen.

• In Event Date field, enter the date entered prison or psychiatric confinement
• Marital Status field will remain as MAR, REG, or DEF
• Enter/update partner permitted to enquire status (if required)
• In Qualifier Code field, key appropriate code:
• If the customer is confined, GAC (in gaol) or PSC (in psychiatric care)
• If their partner is confined, GAP (partner in gaol) or PSP (partner in psychiatric care)
• Enter Source and DOR fields and press [Enter]

The Social Service Plan (SSP) will generate as part of the activity. Finalising the activity will complete and approve the SSP. Where possible the activity should be finalised on the day it is started. If this is not possible, when staff can complete the activity, staff must select the transaction and go through all screens to get to the SSP, by selecting ‘assess’ on the SWE screen. Staff must not go directly to ELD/SSP via the Super Key after selecting the activity unless advised by ICT.

If their partner receives FHA as the partner of a farmer, the partner can continue to receive FHA for a grace period of up to 14 weeks:

• Create a manual follow up to review the customer's circumstance 14 weeks from the date of event
• After 14 weeks, FHA will be cancelled, reason PTG or PTP. The 14 weeks count towards the customer’s cumulative total of 1460 days on payment. Note: the grace period rules for imprisonment and psychiatric confinement do not overrule the 1460 day rule for FHA eligibility

If the partner advises they have taken over the farming responsibilities in the farmer’s absence, they can continue to receive FHA as a farmer, go to Step 11.

If a farmer and their partner cease to be a couple (including due to the death of the farmer), a customer receiving FHA as:

• a farmer may continue to receive FHA if they still meet the farmer eligibility criteria
• the partner of a farmer may continue to receive FHA for a grace period of 14 weeks starting from the date the relationship ends. They may be eligible to receive FHA as a farmer if they have taken over farm responsibilities

After verifying the separation, go to Marital status (MS) screen:

• In Event Date field, enter the date of separation
• If required, enter/update partner permitted to enquire status

The Social Service Plan (SSP) will generate as part of the activity. Finalising the activity will complete and approve the SSP. Where possible the activity should be finalised on the day it is started. If this is not possible, when staff can complete the activity, staff must select the transaction and go through all screens to get to the SSP, by selecting ‘assess’ on the SWE screen. Staff must not go directly to ELD/SSP via the Super Key after selecting the activity unless advised by ICT:

• Create a manual follow up to review the customer's circumstance 14 weeks from the date of separation
• After 14 weeks, manually cancel FHA, reason BLA or NPF. The 14 weeks count towards the customer’s cumulative total of 1460 days on payment.
  Note: the grace period rules for separation do not override the 1460 day rule for FHA eligibility
• If the customer is experiencing vulnerability as a result of the separation, offer referral to available resources, external service providers or agency specialist staff if required

For help, see:

• Change in relationship status from partnered to single
• Death of a Farm Household Allowance (FHA) customer or partner

If a farmer becomes partnered:

• The farmer may continue to be eligible for FHA
• Their partner may be eligible for FHA as a farmer or as the partner of a farmer. Invite claim for FHA

Update customer details. See Change in relationship status from single to partnered

Before the grace period is applied for the partner of a farmer, their eligibility for FHA as a farmer in their own right must be assessed.

A customer receiving FHA as the partner of a farmer may be eligible for FHA as a farmer if they meet farmer eligibility criteria.

They do not need to submit a claim. A reassessment can be completed based on the customer's circumstances.

Note: the total cumulative period for FHA is 4 years in specified 10 year periods, regardless of the farmer/partner status of the customer. The clock will not reset if their status changes.

Record details:

• Use Fast Note - select Auto text, use Rural > Update> Reassess for Partner of farmer to farmer
• the additional keyword ACTFHA will be automatically added and transferred to region code FHH

Tell the customer they will receive a letter advising any changes to their FHA entitlement. Smart Centre Rural Processing staff will contact the customer if further information is required.

Assess eligibility for FHA as a farmer.

Using Process Direct > FHA workflow to update FHA Farmer Specific Data with the new details.

FHA is a payment for 4 years in each specific 10 year period:

• The first period is 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2024
• The second period is 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2034

Customers can choose to opt out or continue to receive payment from the start of the second 10 year period.

A letter is sent to customers 90 days before the end of the specific 10 year period. The letter gives the customer the option to continue to receive FHA or stop their payment. Customers can change their mind up until the 30 June of the specific 10 year period.

The customer or correspondence nominee can accept the opt out/in declaration.

If a customer wishes to opt out:

• they can do so via their online services account. See Accessing and using Centrelink self service, or
• staff can help customers to opt out via the FHA Opt Out workflow

If a customer chooses to opt out, and their payment is cancelled as of 1 July 2024, if they wish to receive FHA again, they will need to lodge a new claim.

Staff can view the customer’s choice via the Farm Opt Out (FOO) screen. This is a view only screen.

Search for CoC interaction activities, from the Transaction Icon.

Is there an incomplete CoC interaction activity?

• Yes, action the activity
• No, see Table 2

In the customer's record:

• key PD_SSP or Social Services Plan in the Super Key, or
• select the SSP Icon

Update the SSP type to Working Age Fortnightly and search for the latest approved SSP.

Check:

• Assessment Status is Approved, and
• Next Decision field is blank

Is the latest SSP approved:

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

To create a reassessment SSP:

• select the FHA Workflow from the Task Selector and select the FHA Benefit Action
• select the + Add button
• key the required fields on the Benefit Action details screen:
• Benefit Type code Farm Household Allowance
• Date of Effect (DD/MM/YYYY)
• Benefit action REA
• Reason Reassessment
• Select Current or Previous Approved SSP
• Select the relevant SSP ID
• Comment Free text to explain the updates made
• select Save
• add in receipt date and channel details

This will create a new SSP.

Go to Step 3.

Select the new SSP.

Note: where the SSP displays ‘PD SSP30000000000’ and has not been finalised, complete the activity in Process Direct. It cannot be finalised in Customer First.

On the Services Plan screen, check the Assessment Status is Determined and the Next Decision field is blank. Review and approve SSP.

If Document is in To Be Distributed, status error displays when approving an SPP:

• Select the Back button
• Go to the Search SSP screen. The SSP should update to Approved
• To show the updated status, clear out of the customer record then go back in

If the SSP result is incorrect, do not finalise the SSP, refer the record for further investigation.

Go to Step 4.

Record details of the reassessment on a DOC.