Last amended: 12 August 2014

Closure of registrations

Applications for registration as a member of the pension bonus scheme (PBS) cannot be accepted unless lodged before 1 July 2014. 

The following table summarises the provisions for late registration in relation to the 1 July 2014 closure of registrations in the PBS.

Written application essential for registration for the scheme

Registration for the pension bonus scheme is compulsory in order to be able accrue bonus periods and claim a bonus. Applications must be in writing and in accordance with DVA's Application for Registration as a Member of the Pension Bonus Scheme form. An application for service pension or income support supplement that was received before 1 July 2014 can also be considered to be an application for registration for the scheme.

Proof of identity not required for registration

Proof of identity is not required at time of registration for the scheme, but the delegate must have sufficient information to determine the person's eligibility for the designated pension.    

Pension payability is not relevant when registering

At the time of registration, the designated pension does not have to be payable, and no assessment of pension payability is required. It is assumed that the person is registering prior to their retirement.

Note: This should not be confused with a person who will not qualify for payment of a pension bonus, for example, a person who is within one year of the upper age limit by the date of their registration and cannot accrue the minimum one full year bonus period. The person may still register as a member of the scheme to assist their partner with the work test.    

Registration for PBS can be rejected

A person seeking to register for the scheme can have their application rejected if they:

• are not eligible for a designated pension,
• apply to register outside the registration time frames and the delegate elects not to allow late registration, or
• fail to provide relevant information or supporting evidence.

The decision to reject must be advised in writing and is an appealable decision.

Time frame to register

If a person registers for the scheme in the period 13 weeks before reaching the person's special date of eligibility, and up to 13 weeks after that date, their registration automatically takes effect from the date of eligibility for the designated pension.

Conditions for late registrations

Late registrations may only be accepted for people who were eligible for the PBS before 20 September 2009. Assuming the person had been a member of the scheme during that period prior to application, they must have either:

• been a non-accruing member for the whole period, or
• passed the work test for each applicable test period.

for the Commission to exercise the discretion to accept the late registration.  Deliberate late claims in order to receive a larger bonus are not acceptable.      

Note: The term “test period” in this context is similar in meaning to bonus period. These periods are called test periods in cases where backdated registration is allowed and the bonus periods are being worked out retrospectively.    

Passing the work test for each test period

The record keeping requirements are relaxed for the purpose of determining whether the person has passed the work test for each test period before registration. For example, group certificates may suffice as evidence of employment. However, usual record keeping requirements apply to the period following registration and if the late registration is backdated due to special circumstances, the person must provide evidence that they have passed the work test for each bonus period.     

How to work out the test period

The test period is worked out as follows:

During the period that the person would have been an accruing member of the scheme:

• if that period is 365 days or less, the test period is the whole of that period,
• if that period is longer than 365 days, the test period is:

• the full year, starting from the date the person would have begun being an accruing member, and
• any subsequent full year period, and
• any remaining period.