Streaming and processing a new claim for Farm Household Allowance (FHA) 002-17040300

Item

Description

1

Progress of claim script

Your claim is currently being processed. A Service Officer will contact you if they require any further information to progress your claim. Currently we hope to have your claim finalised within the next few weeks.

or

Services Australia is currently in a peak period for Farm Household Allowance Claims, which has led to a delay in processing claims. We are processing claims as quickly as possible. Once your claim is processed, if eligible, you will be paid for the period you are entitled to, including back-payments. We will notify you of the outcome of your claim in writing once it has been finalised. Thank you for your patience.

You will receive an SMS/email prior to our contact advising Centrelink will call you today to discuss your payment. Calls from us will display as blocked. Please answer this call.

2

Request for documents scripts

Your claim is currently being processed. We require further information to progress your claim.

We still need you to provide [variable A, B and C]. Please provide this within the next [variable] business days. You can lodge your forms and/or documents via Upload documents or at a service centre. Identity Documents must be confirmed at your local Service Centre only. If you can please provide this information as early as possible, so your claim can be considered without further delay.

You will receive an SMS/email prior to our contact advising Centrelink will call you today to discuss your payment. Calls from us will display as blocked. Please answer this call.

3

Financial Hardship Assessment

What is your current cash on hand? Do you have readily available liquid assets? What are the current balances of all accounts, including shares, managed investments? Has there been any unexpected expenses? Will there be any funds coming in over the next few weeks? This will assist us in prioritising your claim.

If the customer meets Financial Hardship definition:

Your claim has been referred for urgent processing. A Service Officer will contact you when finalising your claim to advise of the outcome.

You will receive an SMS/email prior to our contact advising Centrelink will call you today to discuss your payment. Calls from us will display as a private number. Please answer this call.

ACTDOC for record - this is for inbound Farm Household Allowance Telephony staff to place on record:

Determination has been made the farmer is experiencing financial hardship and requires urgent processing of their new claim. The farmer has stated the total value of cash, and on call deposits, together with actual fortnightly income is less than the fortnightly amount at the maximum rate of NSS payable if their claim was granted. They do not have access to readily available funds. The farmer is aware claim may not be assessed immediately. A request for expedited processing has been sent to the Region Office Code (ROC) 'FHH'.

4

Reject Script

Your Farm Household Allowance claim was rejected due to (reason).

All eligibility requirements for Farm Household Allowance are set in legislation and policy guidelines. To be granted Farm Household Allowance a person must meet all relevant eligibility criteria for their circumstances.

To be granted Farm Household Allowance a person must, in addition to meeting other eligibility criteria:

• they are a farmer who contributes a significant part of their labour and capital to a farm enterprise (or is unable to do so due to a temporary illness or injury)
• the farm enterprise has significant commercial purpose or character, and is in Australia
• they are aged 16 years or over (partnered customers must be over the age of consent in their State or Territory)
• they meet Australian residence requirements for payment
• they meet the income and asset tests
• they are willing to enter into and comply with a Financial Improvement Agreement (FIA), or they have an existing FIA
• they have received FHA for a cumulative period of less than 4 years

You also have the right to appeal any decision Services Australia has made. If you believe the decision is incorrect you can lodge an appeal by calling the Farmers Assistance line on 132 316.

5

Reject FSD Script

Your Farm Household Allowance claim was rejected as we have not received the documentation that we requested (in the online claim or/via request for information letter).

If you supply these documents within 13 weeks of today’s date, you may have your claim reassessed.

The documents that need to be returned to reassess your claim are:

Additional documents required to assess your claim are:

6

Grant Script

Your Farm Household Allowance claim has been granted from [date] and an arrears payment of [amount] will be delivered within the next few working days to your nominated bank account.

You are now required to report (2 or 6 weekly). This can be done via online self-service channels or calling the reporting line on 136 240 and your next reporting date is [date]. If you do not report on time, payments will not be delivered.

A Farm Household Case Officer will be in contact with you within the next few days to discuss your participation requirements.

7

Appeal Script

A Subject Matter Expert (SME) has performed/will perform a quality check on the decision to reject your Farm Household Allowance claim and it will be referred for appeal to an Authorised Review Officer (ARO).

8

Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) Script

Do you know about the Rural Financial Counselling Service? This is another service you can access, regardless of the outcome of your Farm Household Allowance claim. The Rural Financial Counselling Service can provide you with free, independent, and confidential assistance with your current and long term financial planning for your farming business.

They can also help with short term assistance to access government and industry programmes, referrals to professional services and negotiating with creditors, debt mediation and succession planning. A real bonus is that a Rural Financial Counsellor can travel to you.

I would like to get your consent to arrange for the Rural Financial Counsellor nearest to you to contact you by giving them your name, your phone number and your address. They may also be able to provide some assistance if there are further details required for your Farm Household Allowance claim.

Letter

Codes

A-Z

AS2, ASS, CLR, CMP, COM, CPP, DVA, E6F, E6P, FFA, FNA, FOL, FOR, FSD, INC, INE, NFB, NIA, NPF, NPU, NRI, NRQ, NSC, NSL, NSP, NWF, O4Y, OTH, POI, U16

Rejection code

Description

Manual

Background Process Auto

AS2

Farm assets over limit

Yes

Yes

ASS

Non-farm assets over limit

Yes

Yes

CLR

Customer request - claim withdrawn/voluntary surrender

Yes

Yes

CMP

Precluded due to periodic compensation

Yes

COM

Compensation preclusion period

Yes

CPP

Customer receiving precluding payment

Yes

Yes

DVA

Precluding DVA payment

Yes

Yes

E6F

Customer's employment income precludes for 6 consecutive fortnights

Yes

Yes

E6P

Partner's earnings preclude for 6 consecutive fortnights

Yes

Yes

FFA

No Farm Financial Assessment

Yes

Yes

FNA

Farm not located in Australia

Yes

Yes

FOL

FHA Assets over limit

Yes

Yes

FOR

Must apply for a foreign payment

Yes

Yes

FSD

Failed to supply documents

Yes

Yes

INC

Income too high

Yes

Yes

INE

Partner excess income

Yes

Yes

NFB

Business activities not defined as farming

Yes

Yes

NIA

Customer not in Australia at time of lodgement

Yes

Yes

NPF

Not a partner of a farmer

Yes

Yes

NPU

Failed to supply tax returns

Yes

NRI

No right or interest in land used for farm enterprise

Yes

Yes

NRQ

Not residentially qualified

Yes

Yes

NSC

Significant capital not contributed to farm

Yes

Yes

NSL

Significant labour not contributed to farm

Yes

Yes

NSP

Farm no significant commercial purpose or character

Yes

Yes

NWF

Not willing to enter into Farm Improvement Agreement

Yes

Yes

OTH

Other reasons

Yes

Yes

O4Y

Already paid 4 years of FHA

Yes

Yes

POI

Proof of identity not provided

Yes

Yes

U16

Farmer under 16 years of age

Yes

Yes