Determining who can be the applicant for the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme 010-03020020

To be eligible for AIC, the applicant must satisfy all of the following:

• be an approved applicant
• meet residence requirements
• not be receiving certain other Australian Government assistance

An approved applicant must be the person with primary or joint responsibility for the student's care and will be one of the following:

• the natural or adoptive parent
• the legal guardian of the student
• the person with whom the student normally lives
• in some cases, a non-government organisation or institution may be the applicant

While there may be more than one approved applicant for a student, only one claim may be accepted for a student for a particular period. Where the person who is an approved applicant for a student has changed, a new claim must be lodged.

When a person contacts to advise the death, the death must be confirmed. Where the student lives with more than one possible applicant (for example, with both parents) and the one who applied for benefits dies, the surviving parent/guardian may be eligible to receive the remaining entitlements for the year. However, a new claim for AIC will need to be lodged, and eligibility criteria met to be payable. See Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme.

Generally, the death of the applicant's partner will not have an impact on the payment of AIC to the applicant, unless they are in receipt of Additional Boarding Allowance (ABA).

Where the applicant is receiving ABA, the death of the applicant's partner will impact the application of the Parental Income Test (PIT). See Changes which may affect the Parental Income Test (PIT).

If the student lives with only one applicant (for example, a sole parent) and the applicant dies, the continuing eligibility of the student and the payment of benefits for the rest of the year will depend on who has responsibility for the student and what is now the principal family home. The continuity of schooling concession may apply in such cases. Once this is determined, a new claim will need to be lodged by the new applicant. See Claiming Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme and/or Eligibility for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Scheme allowances.