B33/1994 CLARIFICATION OF POLICY IN RELATION TO RETIREMENT VILLAGE SAVINGS PROVISION

DATE OF ISSUE:  8 AUGUST 1994

CLARIFICATION OF POLICY IN RELATION TO RETIREMENT VILLAGE SAVINGS PROVISION

This departmental instruction is to clarify policy concerning pensioners who live in a retirement village and have their rent assistance eligibility saved under Section 31 of the Social Security and Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment Act 1988.

2 — Currently, the GOSP incorrectly indicates that pensioners whose rent assistance eligibility is saved in this way will lose their saved status if they move from the particular retirement village in which they were resident when the savings provision came into effect.   This incorrect advice is also contained in DI B15/89.

3 — The VEA does not require that a pensioner must remain in the particular retirement village they were in when the savings provision came into effect to retain their saved status.

4 — The correct policy is that pensioners can freely move from one retirement village to another without losing their saved status.  This is consistent with the DSS treatment of pensioners whose rent assistance eligibility is saved under similar provisions.  Suitable amendments will be made to the GOSP shortly.

KAY GRIMSLEY

ASSISTANT SECRETARY

INCOME SUPPORT