C11/2000 GENERAL INCREASE TO BRITISH PENSIONS PAID IN AUSTRALIA

DATE OF ISSUE:  31 MARCH 2000

GENERAL INCREASE TO  BRITISH PENSIONS PAID IN AUSTRALIA

1.The British Department of Social Security (BDSS) has advised that the British pensions paid in Australia will rise by 1.1%, in line with their Retail Price Index, and will come into effect from the payday in the week commencing 10 April 2000.

2.These changes will affect the EATS/Composite cases and any case where service pension is also in payment.  Age pension (BeB) cases will also be affected.  The new rates should be applied to EATS, Composite, all service pension and age pension cases where British disability pension is in payment.

EFFECTIVE DATES

3.This exercise is a manual process and arrears are to be paid to EATS/Composite cases, so the timetable is at your discretion.  However, the variation should be put into effect on payday 20 April 2000.  In service pension rent assistance, age pension cases overpayments should not be raised.

RATES CHARTS

4. A selection of rates converted to $A at both old and new rates are attached.

MANUAL CASES

5.The manual cases will be divided into those that are to be processed either through the Pension Payment System or through PIPS/PC.

6.The cases requiring manual examination will be identified by AL02 listings and the program $PPBBSPR which will list all service pension cases where British disability pension is in payment.  Action schedules (in the following groups) of cases requiring manual examination and variation by examiners will be produced on 3 April 2000.

Group ContentsReference Number

• Composite Cases

(with or without SP)100

• EATS Cases

(with or without SP)200

• Other Overseas pensions

(that may be affected)300

• Miscellaneous and joint cases — 900

Group 300 is to be processed via the PMF update transactions.  Groups 100 and 200 are to be processed via PIPS/PC.

7.The program ($PPBBSPR) will report on all those service pensioners who have British DP maintained in their assessment.  This report is to be actioned by amending the British DP amount recorded in each assessment.  Those cases are also to be processed through PIPS/PC.

MISCELLANEOUS AND JOINT CODES

8. Any case listed in group 900 will require action to remove the joint payment and/or miscellaneous pension code, in addition to the British pension adjustment.

CONTROL CARDS AND COMPUTER RUNS

9.The parameter cards for the computer runs are at Attachment A.  Would you please check the parameter cards to ensure that they are correct before processing commences.  Any changes should be reported to Kevin Chapman on (02) 6289 6749 to ensure that the appropriate amendments are made.  The computer processing will be performed by the Mainframe Support Unit (MSU).  A listing of all relevant cases will be forwarded to Benefits System Support Officers.

DATA ENTRY OF TRANSACTIONS FROM AL02 ACTION SCHEDULES EATS AND COMPOSITE CASES

PAY PERIOD CODES

10.The pay period number 48 (effective date 20 April 2000) should be entered.  The day within the pay period field may be left blank.

KEYFAST BATCH DESCRIPTION

11.The manual transactions for EATS/Composite cases should be entered using Keyfast batch description $PENSIO in normal daily production by cut-off for the next available payday.  Arrears may need to be manually calculated and entered as a one time amount.

CASES WITH SERVICE PENSION AND OR AN AUSTRALIAN

DP COMPONENT TO BE PROCESSED VIA PIPS/PC  (Groups 100, 200)

12. For all cases involving EATS, COMPOSITE or SERVICE PENSION, whether automatic or manual method of assessment, the new rate of British pension must be updated on the CDB via PIPS/PC.  Due to the change in the British rate, these cases will be MS.

ADVICES

13.There will only be two circumstances where an advice is required and that will be in a limited number of cases.  The circumstances are when the British component is greater than the Australian and in cases where the increased British DP reduces the amount of Rent Assistance payable (ie. in both situations, a payment variation is effected).  All reduced rate age pension cases will also be affected.

14.For variation cases requiring PIPS/PC action, a reason for variation should be entered on the Advices screen, and an advice indicator of 'Y' coded on action schedules.  For non-PIPS/PC actions, a variation advice indicator of 'A' should be coded on action schedules.

CONTACT OFFICER

15.The contact officer for this exercise is Lucy Berger on telephone: (02) 6289 6013.

RJ HAY

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT

    March 2000

ATTACHMENT A

CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE:$A2.55

OTHER RANKS - DISABILITY PENSION-EFFECTIVE 10 APRIL 2000
		OLD	NEW
CLASS	%	RATE	RATE
		P.F.	P.F.
V, IV, III, II, I, WO1
	20%	116.99	118.32
	30%	175.49	177.48
	40%	233.99	236.64
	50%	292.49	295.80
	60%	350.98	354.96
	70%	409.48	414.12
	80%	467.98	473.28
	90%	526.47	532.44
	100%	584.97	591.60

OFFICER - DISABILITY PENSION - EFFECTIVE 10 APRIL 2000
Exchange Rate $A2.55
RANK
1 Midshipman or Comm Off Navy
2 Lt. Army
3 Capt. Army		OLD	NEW
4 Major Army		RATE	RATE
5 Lt. Col Army	%	P.F.	P.F.
	20%	117.08	118.45
	30%	175.66	177.62
	40%	234.15	236.79
	50%	292.74	296.07
	60%	351.23	355.24
	70%	409.82	414.41
	80%	468.31	473.59
	90%	526.89	532.86
	100%	585.38	592.03

OFFICERS
SERVICE RETIRED PAY OR SERVICE PENSION - EFFECTIVE 10 APRIL 2000
EXCHANGE RATE$A2.55
	OLD	NEW
	RATE	RATE
	P.F.	P.F.
20%	117.08	118.45
30%	175.66	177.62
40%	234.15	236.79
50%	292.74	296.07
60%	351.23	355.24
70%	409.82	414.41
80%	468.31	473.59
90%	526.89	532.86
100%	585.38	592.03

SUPPLEMENTARY  ALLOWANCES OFFICERS and OTHER RANKS - DISABLEMENT EXCHANGE RATE$A2.55
	Effective 10 April 2000		Effective 10 April 2000
UNEMPLOYABILITY SUPP.	OFFICERS		OTHER RANKS
	OLD RATE	NEW RATE	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.
Personal Allowance	361.60	365.70	361.34	365.42
Wife or Adult dependant	203.93	206.18	203.75	206.04
1st eligible child	50.57	50.27	50.49	50.24
2nd & subsequent child	57.90	57.90	57.89	57.89

CONSTANT ATTENDANT	OFFICERS		OTHER RANKS
ALLOWANCE	OLD RATE	NEW RATE	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.
1.Up to half-day attendance	110.52	111.79	110.42	111.69
2.Full day attendance - Basic	220.95	223.49	220.83	223.38
- Intermediate	331.47	335.29	331.25	335.07
- Exceptional	442.00	447.08	441.66	446.76

COMFORTS ALLOWANCE	OFFICERS		OTHER RANKS
	OLD RATE	NEW RATE	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.
Higher Rate	94.97	95.95	94.86	95.88
Lower Rate	47.44	47.93	47.43	47.94

CLOTHING ALLOWANCE	OFFICERS		OTHER RANKS
	OLD RATE	NEW RATE	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
	P.A.	P.A.	P.F.	P.F.
Higher Rate	374.85	379.95	14.38	14.57
Lower Rate	374.85	379.95	14.38	14.57

INVALIDITY ALLOWANCE	OFFICERS		OTHER RANKS
	OLD RATE	NEW RATE	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.
Age on       )         < 40 yrs	71.69	72.48	71.66	72.42
Qualifying  )       > 40 but < 50 yrs	45.38	45.97	45.39	45.90
Date           )         > 50 yrs	22.69	22.98	22.70	22.95

AGE ALLOWANCE	OFFICERS		OTHER RANKS
When the degree of pensioned	OLD RATE	NEW RATE	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
disablement is :	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.
a. 40% to 50% - inclusive	39.03	39.51	39.02	39.53
b. > 50% but not > 70%	60.25	61.03	60.18	60.95
c. > 70% but not > 90%	85.78	86.76	85.68	86.70
d. over 90%	120.40	121.97	120.36	121.89

MISCELLANEOUS
EXCHANGE RATE$A2.55
	Effective 10 April 2000		Effective 10 April 2000
RENT ALLOWANCE (Maximum)	OFFICERS		OTHER RANKS
	OLD RATE	NEW RATE	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.
	167.15	168.91	167.03	168.81

AGE ALLOWANCE		OFFICERS		OTHER RANKS
		OLD RATE	NEW RATE	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
		P.F.	P.F.	P.F.	P.F.
Widows - Age 65 but under 70		50.57	51.06	50.49	51.00
Age 70 and over		96.93	98.00	96.90	97.92
Age 80 and over		144.46	145.93	144.33	145.86

DEPENDANTS OF DECEASED MEMBERS
EXCHANGE RATE $A2.55
	Effective 10 April 2000
WIDOWS  ** HIGHER RATE **	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
******M.O.D.  Payment Included  ******	P.F.	P.F.
CLASS V	729.80	737.77
IV, III,  II,  I,  WO1	731.33	739.30
Lt Comdr,  Capt,  Major,  Sq Ldr	740.50	748.61
Lt,  Lt,  Capt, Fl Lt	738.74	746.85
Sub Lt,  Lt,  Flying Off   Pilot Off	737.08	745.09
Comms Off	734.24	742.25

WIDOWS  ** M.O.D. PAYMENT **	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
Special award for Widows whose husbands completed service	P.F.	P.F.
on or before 31 March 1973.	288.14	291.26

CHILDREN OF WIDOW OR REMARRIED WIDOW	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
	P.F.	P.F.
1st ELIGIBLE CHILD	73.26	73.26
2nd and SUBSEQUENT CHILD	80.59	80.89

TOTAL ORPHANS and MOTHERLESS CHILDREN	OLD RATE	NEW RATE
	P.F.	P.F.
TOTAL ORPHANS   1st CHILD	82.65	82.65
2nd and SUBSEQUENT ORPHANS	90.08	90.37
INFIRM & > 18 -	340.67	344.48