Commencement, cessation and coding of the away from home rate of Youth Allowance (YA) 010-06040140

Check the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Summary (NIHS) screen in Customer First for the customer's current status.

Enter 'S' in any line to go to the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen for details of each assessment.

A ? in the reason box gives a list of codes to check.

If the YA customer is:

• dependent, a reject code or AFH reason grant code shows in the Start/Reject reason field. See Step 1 in Table 2
• independent, a current grant code for reasons IND and HOM shows in the Start/Reject reason box. Go to Step 2

Independent customers who live away from the parental home automatically receive the away from home rate of YA, regardless of the reason they live away from home.

Independent customers who live in the parental home are considered to be accommodated independents and will receive the at home rate of YA, unless an exemption applies. Customers who are exempt from the accommodated independent status will receive the away from home rate regardless of where they live.

Where an independent customer has had a change of address, update the Address Details (AD) and Accommodation Details (AC) screens.

Run the Change in Contact Details workflow in Customer First.

These workflows are used to verify rent details from a rent certificate or rent verification form and ensure the customer receives the correct rate. No additional coding is required on the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen.

Go to Step 3.

Independent YA customers can be paid the away from home rate only for the period they:

• retain their independent status, and
• are living away from the parental home

Note: if the customer returns to the parental home for a limited time (for example, for holidays or the weekend) they remain eligible for the away from home rate, as long as they are maintaining their normal residence. See Scenario 2 on the Resources page.

For independent customers, the start and end date of the away from home rate will be determined by the Sharer Status coded on the AC screen, and the independent coding on the NIH screen. The system will automatically pay the away from home rate from the later of the:

• Start Date field on the NIH screen, or
• Event Date field on the AC screen

If the Sharer Status field shows something other than 'LWP' (living with parents) the system will pay the customer at the away from home rate.

If a customer ceases to be independent or moves home (or both), the away from home rate will cease from the earlier of the date:

• independence is end dated on the NIH screen, or
• the AC screen is coded as 'LWP'

For customers who have returned to the parental home, see Returning to the parental home when independent or qualified for the away from home (AFH) rate of Youth Allowance (YA).

For customers who cease to qualify for independence, see Reviews of independence for Youth Allowance. See Step 1 in Table 3.

Go to Step 4.

Independent students who are disadvantaged by personal circumstances may be eligible for the Relocation Scholarship (RS).

Is the customer a disadvantage student?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 3
• No, procedure ends here

Note: YA students who temporarily resided with their parent(s) as they were asked to leave their on campus accommodation due to COVID-19 remain eligible for the AFH rate providing they:

• remain enrolled in their course of study, and
• intend to return, or did return to their campus accommodation as soon as the education provider allows them to return

Is the dependent YA customer eligible for the away from home rate?

• Yes, and the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Details (NIH) screen has:
• current away from home details coded, go to Step 2
• no away from home details coded, go to Step 3
• No, and the NIH screen has:
• current away from home details coded, go to Step 2
• no away from home details coded, record details of the decision on a DOC. Where the customer has requested to be assessed for the away from home rate in their online claim and they are not eligible, ensure the provisional entry on the NIH table is deleted. Procedure ends here

If the information, (for example, term details or a new address) is not available and the customer is:

• payable at the at home rate, finalise the claim/reassessment at this rate
• not payable at the at home rate, do not reject. Place the claim/reassessment on hold for 14 days to allow the customer time to respond to the request, and provide their address, and/or accommodation details

For more information see, Requesting information (CLK).

Youth Allowance dependent secondary students who were eligible for the away from home rate and move home permanently can remain on YA at home rate. These students do not have to re-apply for Family Tax Benefit unless they choose too. See Identifying the most beneficial payment for students or Australian Apprentices.

End date the current away from home rate when away from home details are coded on the NIH screen and:

• the customer is no longer eligible for the away from home rate
• there was a break in entitlement for YA, or
• an extension for the away from home rate is not applied

Update the NIH screen as follows:

• End Reason field, enter 'NLE' (No longer eligible)
• End Date field, the earlier of either:
• the last day of the approved activity, if not given further approval for another activity, or
• the day before the customer returned to the parental home

Note: do not use end date 31.12.9999. Using the end date on the NIH screen with any end reason code (for example NLE) prevents AFH rate from paying and pays the at home rate only.

If the customer has moved back into the parental home, update the address and accommodation details to reflect they now live with their parents. See Returning to the parental home when independent or qualified for the away from home (AFH) rate of Youth Allowance (YA).

Is the customer entitled to the away from home rate for another approved reason or is an extension required?

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, record details of the decision on a Fast Note. Select Auto Text option > Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Updates > YAL AFH Rate GRA/REJ. Procedure ends here

The start date for the away from home rate would be the later of the date the customer:

• left the parental home for an approved reason
• first started the activity for which they have been approved to live away from the parental home
• is granted as part of a new claim, or
• notified Services Australia of a change. See Change of circumstance for Youth Allowance (YA)

For approved reasons to live away from home, see The away from home rate for Youth Allowance (YA) customers.

Note: a customer is considered to have already started an activity where they are an Australian Apprentice or they are continuing/returning to a course of study they have already started, and they have previously been granted/qualified for the away from home rate for the activity they are returning to.

If the customer will start receiving the away from home rate, open a new NIH screen by keying 'NIH' on the Independent/Homeless/Away From Home Summary (NIHS) screen. Code the new NIH screen as follows:

• Action field, enter 'AFH' (Away from Home)
• Start/Rejection Reason field, enter the appropriate reason code based on the reason the customer has been approved to live away from home
• Start Date field, enter the date the away from home rate is to start
• Source and DOR fields, enter relevant dates
• Action field, enter 'I'

If the away from home coding is being extended for the same reason, code the NIH screen as follows:

• End Date field, enter the new end date
• Source and DOR fields, enter the relevant dates
• Action field, enter 'C'

Note: do not use end date 31.12.9999. Using the end date on the NIH screen with any end reason code (for example NLE) prevents AFH rate from paying and pays the at home rate only.

Is the customer studying an approved scholarship course?

• Yes, select Continue [Enter] to apply updates on the NIH screen before coding 'Y' in the To update regional classification details go to RLD field and see Step 1 in Table 3
• No, see Step 2 in Table 3

If the customer is studying an approved scholarship course, an assessment of their eligibility for the RS is to occur.

See Relocation Scholarship (RS) eligibility and Relocation Scholarship (RS) payment and coding.

Go to Step 2.

Ensure the AC screen is up to date, see Completing the Accommodation Details (AC) screen and assessing Rent Assistance (RA).

Note: a term address is not required for job seekers.

Record details of the decision on a Fast Note. Select Auto Text option > Students, ABSTUDY & Apprentices > Updates > YAL AFH Rate GRA/REJ.

Note: If a customer received a Crisis Payment in the period the change is applied, a manual reassessment of Crisis Payment may be required. For more information, see Reviewing and reassessing Crisis Payment (CrP).