13.6.4.6 Payment Errors
The Schoolkids Bonus ceased December 2016; with the last payment being July 2016.
DVA was paying the Schoolkids Bonus under family assistance law and the social security law and thus were agents of DSS. As a result, it was not VEA or MRCA legislative provisions that applied to the Schoolkids Bonus.
If the Schoolkids Bonus was paid in error, for example, the primary rate was paid instead of the secondary rate, the correct amount was to be paid to the person. If a student or parent/guardian received an education allowance fraudulently and therefore received a Schoolkids Bonus, DVA would recover both the fraudulent education allowance and the Schoolkids Bonus.
If a client wished to request a review they must have done so within 52 weeks of receiving the initial letter. An internal review was then conducted by a staff member who was not involved in the first decision. If a review was submitted after the 52 weeks and the decision could be changed, the client may only have received their entitlement from the date they requested the review.
If the original decision was affirmed by the reviewing officer, the client could go to the Social Security Tribunal (SSAT). If the previous decision was again affirmed by the SSAT, the client could then go to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal if they wished. Staff would need to have liaised with DHS if a client wished to appeal to the SSAT.
DHS also paid the Schoolkids Bonus to recipients such as those in receipt of FTB A. For mutual clients eligible to receive an education allowance and FTB A, DVA paid the Schoolkids Bonus. An automated clearance process occurs with DHS to ensure that two payments are not made to the same person for the same period. If, however, this does occur, one of the payments would need to have been recovered following liaison with DHS.