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Initial contact with customers and completing a claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) 010-03010010

This document outlines the steps to take when a customer initiallly contacts about claiming AIC and needs help completing the Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) form (SY040).

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AIC initial contact

Completing the SY040

AIC initial contact

Table 1

Step	Action
1	Applicant for AIC The person applying for AIC on behalf of the student is known as the applicant. A student cannot claim their own AIC. See Determining who can be the applicant for the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC). Does the applicant want help completing the Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) (SY040) form? Yes, see Table 2 No, go to Step 2
2	Initial contact Do not give applicants verbal advice about individual eligibility for AIC, as the rules and conditions for AIC are complex. General AIC eligibility advice can be given, and applicants should be encouraged to submit a new claim to test eligibility. Difficult or complex cases may be referred to AIC Smart Centre Processing staff. If the AIC enquiry is from: an individual, go to Step 3 an organisation, go to Step 4
3	Providing eligibility information to an applicant If an individual is seeking advice as an applicant for AIC: tell them of general AIC eligibility, and refer the applicant to the Services Australia website See Identifying the most beneficial payment for students or Australian Apprentices and tell the applicant of all possible payment options, including but not limited to: Youth Allowance (YA) ABSTUDY Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Does the applicant want to apply for AIC? Yes, go to Step 5 No, record details of the contact on a DOC. Procedure ends here
4	Organisation AIC enquiry Only non-government organisations with full responsibility for the upkeep of the student can be approved as an applicant for AIC. See Determining who can be the applicant for the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC). Tell organisations applying on the student's behalf to complete the: Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) form (SY040), and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) - Organisation details form (SY067) Does the applicant want to apply for AIC? Yes, go to Step 5 No, record details of the contact on a DOC. Procedure ends here
5	Issue a claim form AIC can only be claimed through the Claim for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) form (SY040). Applicants must complete an SY040 form for each student and calendar year they are claiming for. Issue the correct forms using the Mail Forms guided procedure on the applicant's record. If the applicant is an: individual, issue an SY040 for each potentially eligible student within the family organisation, issue an: SY040 form for each potentially eligible student within the organisation, and Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) - Organisation details form (SY067) Note: if the applicant has contacted by phone, tell them they can also find the forms on the Services Australia website. Go to Step 6.
6	Claim lodgement information Tell the applicant to: lodge the claim(s) as soon as possible. Claims must be lodged by the closing date (1 March in the year following that for which assistance is sought) provide the required supporting documents as listed in the Notes section of the SY040 form notify of any changes in circumstances within 14 days Applicants can lodge the form and any supporting documents: Online - using the upload documents service By post - using the reply paid address shown on the form In person - at a service centre, or in remote areas, with a Centrelink field officer or Agent More details about these options are provided on the form. AIC Smart Centre Processing staff will process the claim. Record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here.

Completing the SY040

Table 2

Item	Description
1	Applicant requirements Question 1 If the applicant: is an organisation, they also need to complete an Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) - Organisation details form (SY067) is a person other than the student's parent/guardian, the applicant should attach a statement: describing their relationship to the student, and explaining why the student's parent(s) cannot apply does not have primary care and responsibility for the student, the applicant should attach a statement explaining why the person with primary care for the student cannot apply
2	About you - the parent or guardian Questions 2-24 The applicant needs to provide their personal details (such as name, date of birth, and country of citizenship) to: allow identification, and check Australian residence qualification Proof of residence Applicants who are not Australian citizens are required to provide evidence of Australian permanent residence status. New Zealand citizens are required to provide evidence of their last date of arrival. See Residence requirements for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC).
3	About the student Questions 25-42 Applicants need to provide student details (such as name, date of birth, and country of citizenship). Applicants must complete an SY040 form for each student and calendar year they are claiming for. See Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) eligibility. Other documents may be required, to support this section of the claim. Proof of age is required if: it is the first time AIC is being claimed for this student, and family assistance has not previously been claimed for this child This evidence must show the students date of birth, for example: their birth certificate or extract a valid Australian passport official citizenship or residency papers their registration of birth receipt Evidence of permanent residency is required if the student is not an Australian citizen, such as: a passport or visa showing permanent resident status a New Zealand passport showing all Australian arrival and departure stamps over the past year a statement from the Department of Home Affairs Question 42 Students who receive Disability Support Pension (DSP) or Parenting Payment Single (PPS) may qualify for an AIC Pensioner Education Supplement (PES).
4	Education details Questions 43-46 Applicants need to provide the student's education details for the year they are claiming and the date they commenced. Applicants must complete an SY040 form for each student and calendar year they are claiming for. Other documents may be required to support this section of the claim. The applicant must provide a current registration certificate from the State or Territory education authority for approved home school arrangements.
5	Student's living arrangements Question 47 This question directs the applicant to complete further questions relevant to the student's circumstances to determine which AIC allowance is being claimed. See Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) allowances. Distance education or Homeland Centre education Questions 48-50 Applicants complete this question set if the student is living at home and studying by distance education or other approved education. See Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Distance Education Allowance (DED). Second Home Questions 51-61 Applicants complete this question set if the student is living in a second home maintained by the family. See Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Second Home Allowance (SHA). Students boarding away from home Questions 62-70 Applicants complete this question set if the student is boarding at a: school private residence, or hostel See Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Boarding Allowance (BA/ABA). Additional Boarding Allowance Questions 71-82 Applicants complete this question set if the student is boarding away from home and want to claim Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) in addition to BA. Steps 6 and 7 provide more assistance with specific questions to be completed by parents/guardians only.
6	Parental income Question 76 For parents/guardians only. Applicants complete this question if they are applying for Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) as this payment is subject to parental income and actual boarding costs. The Parental Income Test (PIT) is applied to the parents/guardians of the student (usually the applicant and/or their partner) unless there is a circumstance when the PIT does not apply. Applicants need to provide the following evidence of their combined parental income for the base tax year for each parent/guardian: their Tax Notice of Assessment (NOA) issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) the amount of employer provided fringe benefits received as shown on their Payment Summary (formerly known as Group Certificate) Tell the applicant to attach an Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) - Current Tax Year Assessment form (SY042) if in the current tax year, there has been: a substantial decrease in parental income, or an increase of more than 25% in parental income
7	Dependent children(s) details Questions 77-82 For parents/guardians only. Applicants complete these questions only if they are applying for Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) for the student. Details of other dependent children in the family (siblings of the student) are needed to determine who should be included in the Parental Income Test (PIT) family pool. The inclusion of siblings receiving various student payments or Family Tax Benefit (FTB), along with the student, in the family pool maximises their entitlement to ABA.
8	Isolation conditions Questions 83-96 Applicants must complete this section to provide details of the student's circumstances that requires them to board away from home, live in a second home or study by distance education or other approved education. The student may be claiming AIC because they: are geographically isolated are unable to access school daily have a disability or other health related condition or has special education needs, which requires a special school program or special facilities have a parent/guardian whose work requires frequent moves Other documents and/or evidence needed to support the reason the student is considered isolated may include, but is not limited to: details of the distance from the principal family home to the nearest appropriate state school, and any available transport services independent supporting evidence such as a statement from the operator of the local school bus service or shire/council statement from an employer about frequent moves for work documents confirming parent(s)/guardian(s) are unable to transport children to and from school statement/documents confirming special weather conditions regularly make road or waterways impassable Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Marginal Distance Confirmation form (SY069) Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) medical statement - Student special needs form (SY099) See: Isolation conditions for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC), and Completing and Assessing the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Marginal Distance Confirmation (SY069) form Completing and assessing the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Medical Statement - Student Special Needs (SY099) form
9	Payment details Questions 97-98 Applicants must complete this section to provide details of who and where to make the payment to. Payments may be directed to: the applicant the boarding institution the school, or another agent specified by the applicant
10	Tax File Number Questions 99-100 For parents/guardians only. The applicant is required to provide their Tax File Number (TFN). The applicant's partner is only required to provide their TFN if Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA) is being claimed. If the applicant/partner does not have a TFN, they will need to apply to the ATO or a Services Australia Service Centre by completing the Tax file number - application or enquiry for individuals. If the TFN application form is attached to the SY040, payment can commence before the TFN has been received. The applicant may be exempt from providing a TFN. Exemptions are also listed in the Notes section of the SY040.
11	Checklist and Declaration Questions 101-103 All applicants should complete the checklist and provide the requested documents with the completed form. The applicant (parent/guardian or organisation) must accept the declaration by: ticking the digital declaration, or printing and signing the form by hand, and dating the declaration
12	Return the form Tell the applicant the SY040 form and any supporting documents can be returned: Online - using the upload documents service By post - using the reply paid address shown on the form In person - at a service centre, or in remote areas, with a Centrelink field officer or Agent