Completing the Claim for Youth Allowance (SY001) 010-06010040

Complete personal details including language, full name, previous names, date and country of birth, relationship status, address, contact details and identity confirmation.

Q13-14. It is optional to identify as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or South Sea Islander. However, doing so helps better target services for Indigenous customers. Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders may choose to claim ABSTUDY instead of YA.

Youth Disability Supplement/partial capacity to work Q15-16

Q15-16 ask if there is ongoing disability, medical illness, illness or addiction that makes it difficult to study, work or look for work. Optional to respond, but an answer may help in providing more appropriate services.

Youth Disability Supplement (YDS) is payable to full-time students and Australian Apprentices receiving YA who are:

• 21 years of age or under, and
• assessed via an Employment Services Assessment (ESAt) as having a partial capacity to work of less than 30 hours per week

Customers must provide evidence (medical certificate) of incapacity and will be referred to an ESAt or Job Capacity Assessment to determine eligibility.

YA job seekers assessed as having a partial capacity to work, may meet independent status for Youth Allowance for the period of the partial work capacity

Applicants must be an Australian resident to qualify for YA.

Recent migrants may be subject to a Newly Arrived Resident's Waiting Period (NARWP).

Applicants born outside Australia must provide documentation of arrival and current status (such as passport, visa, and proof of permanent residency). See Residence assessment for customers claiming Youth Allowance (YA) and/or Tertiary Access Payment (TAP).

The claimant must provide details of relationship status and partner details if they are currently or have previously been in a relationship.

Provide details if accommodation is shared with anyone other than an immediate family member.

Provide details regarding the sale of your home if you and/or your partner have sold your former home within the previous 24 months and intend to buy or build a new family home.

If paying rent, board, lodgings or fees, accommodation details are required so eligibility for Rent Assistance can be assessed.

The customer must advise:

• details of public housing they may live in
• how much rent is paid, to whom it is paid, type of rent, and any other fees that were paid for accommodation
• with whom they share accommodation

The customer must provide:

• a formal lease or tenancy agreement, or
• a completed Rent Certificate form

If a homeowner (Q43 and 45) advises their home is:

• on more than 2 hectares, complete Real Estate form (Mod R)
• used for income producing purposes, (but not rent from boarders or lodgers), complete the Business details form (Mod F) and the Real Estate form (Mod R)

If the customer has other accommodation arrangements, describe what kind of accommodation, whether or not it is free, or if the customer owns their own home but lives elsewhere.

Provide bank account details for the account they would like YA payment to be paid into. This includes the bank account balance.

Note: if under 18 years of age and dependent on parents, nominate parent's account.

Provide personal income and asset details. If dependent, parental income is assessed separately in Parent/Guardian details.

Current bank balances (Q67)

Provide details of all bank accounts in their name (including joint accounts, term deposits, money held in church or charitable development funds) and proof of current balance (savings slips, statements, passbooks). Account balance should be provided if YA will be paid into applicant's account.

Currently working (Q69)

Provide details of employer, hours/week worked and weekly income:

• Australian Apprentices provide details of employment as an Australian Apprentice under Job 1
• If applicants have a second part time job, details should be provided under Job 2

Leave entitlements received or expected to be received in the last year (Q71)

Provide details and documents that confirm this (for example, an Employment Separation Certificate).

Self-employed or sub-contractor within last 12 months (Q74)

Complete the Business details form (Mod F).

Private trusts (Q75-79)

If the customer is involved in a private trust, complete a Private Trust form (Mod PT).

Private company (Q80-83)

If the customer is involved in a private company, complete a Private Company form (Mod PC).

Claimed or entitled to claim compensation or damages (Q84-85)

Complete the Compensation form (Mod C).

Real estate (Q86)

If owned or jointly owned (includes paying it off), complete the Real Estate form (Mod R).

Household contents and personal effects (Q87)

Provide an estimate of current market value of personal items. Do not include parent's contents and effects.

Vehicles (Q88-89)

Estimate of current market value of cars, boats or caravans/motorhomes

Other assets (Q90-93, 95)

Advise details of other assets not covered in previous questions (for example, Insurance policy that can be cashed in, money received from loan against home, shares in a public company not listed on stock exchange).

Other income includes scholarships, bursaries or education assistance (Q94)

Provide details of any income received or expected to receive. May include scholarships, bursaries or education assistance, match or sporting payment, and other income not covered elsewhere.

Note: there are specific processing requirements for recipients of Commonwealth Scholarships including Commonwealth Education Cost Scholarship (CECS), Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship (CAS) and Indigenous Access Scholarship (IAS). See Assessing scholarship income.

Advise study or work details to determine if they satisfy the full time study requirements for YA:

• studying or intending to study, advise of current, future and previous study, including:
• current or intended study details
• previous highest level of education obtained
• if they are a full-time Australian Apprentice
• any post-secondary course attempted but not completed
• full-time or part-time status
• provide estimate of upfront study expenses over the next year at Q102 to determine if this reduces any liquid assets waiting period

If applicant has dependent children:

• provide details of each child
• indicate if they share care of dependent child/ren.
• if they have not already, advise if they want to apply for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) for dependent child/ren.

If the customer answers Yes to any questions in the section on dependent children, they may be considered independent. They do not need to complete the away from home rate or parent/guardian details sections:

• YA customer has, or has had, a dependent child, the birth certificate or other proof (for example, Adoption papers) must be attached
• Customer is an orphan or customer is in State care, they must be considered independent and may need to provide further details
• Parents cannot exercise responsibilities or YA customer is a refugee without parents in Australia
• Unreasonable to live at home
• for applicants under 18 years of age, book an appointment with a social worker
• for applicants 18 years and over, UTLAH statements from applicant, parents(s) and independent third party (if required) should be lodged
• tertiary students undertaking an approved scholarship course, who answered yes to any independence question, must provide their address 6 months prior to starting their course at (Q115). They may qualify for Relocation Scholarship. See Relocation Scholarship (RS) eligibility
• Member (or former member) of a YA couple, complete partner's details in Personal Details section. If currently in a relationship, customer and partner need to complete Partner Details (MOD P) form
• Self-supporting through paid employment, attach proof (payslips, group certificate(s), or letter from employer). Full-time students whose family home is located in an inner regional, outer regional, remote or very remote area and answered yes to Q122 or Q123:
• complete Parent(s)/Guardian(s) Additional Details form (A2115), and
• provide evidence of parental income
• Under self-supporting through paid employment independence rules, work is averaged over the periods when work has been 'full-time'. See Assessing independence when a customer is self-supporting through full-time paid employment

See Independence for Youth Allowance (YA) customers.

Customers may qualify for the away from home rate of YA if they live away from their permanent home because:

• travel time is excessive
• parents move frequently
• parental home is isolated
• parental home is unsuitable for study, working as an Australian Apprentice or undertaking job search activities
• the customer is disabled and parental home is isolated from required special facilities
• parents move out of area
• equivalent activity is not available locally
• compulsory residence is required at education provider
• tertiary student is studying overseas

This section is completed by applicant's parent(s)/guardian(s).

The parent/guardian is person with primary care and responsibility for applicant. If the applicant's parents are separated, only details of the parent the customer lives with are required (and their parent's partner if they are residing with one).

If the parent does not want the applicant to see their details, see Completing Parent(s)/Guardian(s) details for the Base Tax Year and Current Tax Year (MOD JY) for completing and lodging MOD JY.

Details are requested for the base tax year. If the parent requests an assessment based on current tax year, they must complete a MOD JY. See Completing Parent(s)/Guardian(s) details for the Base Tax Year and Current Tax Year (MOD JY).

Taxable income Q140

The parent must provide taxable income for the base tax year, and attach a tax Notice of Assessment (NOA) for that year. If they have not received a NOA, an estimate can be provided and the NOA should be supplied as soon as possible.

Exempt reportable fringe benefits Q142

Provide Group Certificate/Payment Summary for fringe benefits received from employers who are not for profit organisations that are eligible for a fringe benefits tax exemption under section 57A of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986. Fringe Benefits under $2,000 do not show on the payment summary and therefore do not need to be reported.

Other reportable fringe benefits Q142

Provide Group Certificate/Payment Summary if fringe benefits for base tax year exceed $1,000.

Maintenance paid Q143

Maintenance (including child support) paid out is deducted from the parental income test. Any amounts of maintenance paid out for the upkeep of a child are deducted, as is partner maintenance.

Maintenance received Q145-146

Details of voluntary maintenance (not including child support) are collected to calculate the Maintenance Income Test (MIT). Maintenance income received or assessed by Child Support is automatically included and does not need to be advised by the parent/guardian.

Dependent children Q147, 151-155

Details of other dependent children in the care of the parent or guardian (not including the applicant).

Rent amount Q148-150

Amount of rent paid by the parents/guardians.

Bank Details Q156

Provide bank details if payments are to be made to the parent.

Tax file number (TFN) Q157-158

Provide TFNs of parent/guardian (and partner). If previously provided, they can be used for this claim.

Declaration Q161

Parent(s)/guardian(s) to read the declaration, sign and date the form before it can be processed.

Tax file number (TFN):

• Provide their own (and partner's) TFN. If customer does not yet have a TFN, see Requesting a Tax File Number (TFN)
• If the applicant (and/or their partner) has already provided their TFN they:
• can authorise its use for the claim, and
• do not need to provide it again

Tax to be taken out:

• Customers can nominate an amount of tax to be taken out of YA. If advice is needed on how much tax is to be withheld, they must contact the ATO
• They may not have to pay tax if their only income for the tax year is YA
• They may have to pay tax if they receive other income during the tax year, such as salary

Advise whether the customer gives permission for another person or organisation to enquire or act on their behalf when dealing with the agency.

See Adding or rejecting a nominee request

The applicant should go through the checklist to ensure they have:

• completed all sections
• provided required documentation, and
• completed any additional forms or modules needed

They must read the declaration, sign and date the form before it can be processed.