DATE OF ISSUE: 1 March 1996
1996 INCOME LIMITS FOR A STUDENT CHILD AND EARNINGS LIMIT FOR AN EMPLOYED CHILD
INTRODUCTION
This Departmental Instruction advises the income limits for student children and employed children for 1996.
STUDENT CHILDREN
2.A service pensioner may receive additional benefits in respect of a dependent child by way of:
.guardian allowance;
.dependent child add-on;
.an additional income free area for pension assessment purposes;
.an additional amount of rent assistance;
.an additional free area for rent assistance assessment purposes; and
.an additional amount of remote area allowance.
3.For the purposes of determining eligibility for these benefits, a child may be regarded as wholly or substantially dependent on a person where the child's gross income within the 1996 calendar year does not generally exceed:
.$6,346.60 — living at home; or
.$6,793.80 — living away from home.
EMPLOYED CHILDREN
4.Section 5F of the VEA defines 'dependent child'. Subsection 5F(3) of the VEA says that a child under 16 cannot be a dependent child - and therefore cannot attract the benefits listed in paragraph one above - if the child is an "employed child".
5.An "employed child" is defined as someone who is:
.not receiving full-time education;
.receiving income from employment; and
.receiving income that exceeds a specified amount.
That specified amount is indexed annually and has increased with effect from 1 January 1996, from $116.80 gross per week ($233.60 per fortnight) to $122.05 gross per week ($244.10 per fortnight).
GOSP
6.The relevant section in the General Orders will be amended and included in the next release of The General.
MURRAY HARRISON
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
INCOME SUPPORT
February 1996