C15/1998 BRING 'EM BACK LETTERS MAILOUT

DATE OF ISSUE:  27 FEBRUARY 1998

BRING ‘EM BACK LETTERS MAILOUT

Purpose of instruction

This Departmental Instruction is to provide information about processing information for the Bring ‘em Back letters mailout.

BOB HAY

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT

Background

Introduction

Payments to age pensioners under the Bring ‘em Back exercise will commence on payday 26 March 1998.  To coincide with this first payment all Bring ‘em Back pensioners will be issued a ‘welcome' letter which will provide information regarding their new situation.

CPI/MTAWE Increases

As the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figure for the most recent reference period was negative there will be no increase to pension or allowance rates, thresholds or limits on this basis. Rates of income support pension may be increased in line with movements in Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).  The final MTAWE figure will not be available until 5 March 1998.  Early indications are that service and age pension rates will be increased and the attached mock-up has been prepared on this basis.  If necessary these will be amended once the final figure is available, using the non-increase paragraph contained in this instruction.  Movements in MTAWE do not affect rates of allowances, disability or war widow pension.

Target Audience

A letter will be produced for: all Bring ‘em Back age pensioners (i.e. married couples will receive a letter each).

Obligations

All letters will contain full details of obligations to notify the Department of changes in circumstances.

Income and Asset listings

Full Income - Asset listings are to be produced for all clients.  The data provided by Centrelink will be converted to a form compatible with the production of these listings.

GIS	A General Information Sheet (GIS) will be produced for all clients.

Production

The processing run and letter production will be conducted on the weekend of 14-15 March 1998, one week after the quarterly AL run.

Rules for processing

Letters

System support and letters contact officers in each State Office have been provided with copies of the ‘welcome' letter mock up.  A copy is also contained in this instruction.

Payment processing

The payment processing is scheduled to run from Saturday 14 March until Sunday 15 March 1998.

Pensioners for whom a letter will be generated

Affected clients

Letters will be sent to all age pensioners being paid through this Department as a result of the Bring ‘em Back exercise (i.e. each client will get an individual letter).

Client numbers

The estimated number of letters for this run is approximately 9,000.

Letter printing

All letters will be printed and enveloped at Security Mailing Services in Kingsgrove, Sydney.  Data cartridges will be supplied to Security Mailing Services on 16 March 1998.

Special register & overseas cases

Special Register and overseas letters will be supplied to the mailing houses on separate cartridges and forwarded to the relevant State Offices for enveloping and dispatch.

Components of the mailout

Welcome Letters

As mentioned earlier, a ‘welcome' letter will be produced for all age pensioners being paid by this Department as an agent of Centrelink. A sample of the letter has previously been circulated and is also contained in this DI.

Insert

The Australian War Memorial Foundation is including a one page A4 insert with this mailout.  The insert is asking the veteran community to “Keep the Spirit Alive” by becoming a Friend of the Memorial and making a donation or leaving a bequest in their will.  The insert includes a coupon to be completed and returned to the Australian War Memorial Foundation by those wishing to contribute. A sample of this insert will be sent to all State Offices as soon as it is available.

Dispatch of quarterly letters

Letter lodgement

The Bring ‘em Back letters will be held at the mailing houses for lodgement with Australia Post on 18 to 19 March.

Reprint of selected letters

Any requests for reprints of individual letters should be referred to State Office System Support Officers.

Contacts

Any queries regarding production of letters, mailing house printing and letter lodgement should be referred to: Matthew Willis (02) 6289 6446  (or by e-mail) Queries regarding wording of letters or policy matters related to the Bring ‘em Back exercise should be directed to: Fiona Thompson (07) 3223 8766 (or by e-mail)

Letter Mockups

Letter mockups

Attached are mock ups and examples of paragraphs for the Bring ‘em Back letters: Example 1:   Bring ‘em Back ‘welcome' letter Example 2:  Saved rent assistance paragraphs Example 3:  Generic indexation paragraph - no increase

Letter variables

Please note, in the following samples: letterhead, DC name and signature block will change according to State; the words “income test” represent a variable; “assets test” will appear where applicable (these variables appear in the income and asset attachment which is not included with the samples).

Contact: T-CONTACT-OFFICER STATE OFFICE

Telephone: T-CONTACT-TELEPHONE

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Postal Address:

GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

Telephone:

Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333

Country Residents: 1800 113304

Interstate Residents: 1800 777634

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS T-FILE-NUMBER

T-ADVICE-SALUTATION,

I am pleased that you have chosen to receive your age pension from Veterans' Affairs.  This is a welcome change for many veterans and their partners, who prefer to deal with one Department for all pension matters.

This letter gives details of your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP from Veterans' Affairs.

This change to your payments is effective from T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE-DATE.

INSERT PAYBOX DETAILS HERE

The above amount will be credited each fortnight to account number T-CLNT-ACCOUNT-NUMBER, in the name of T-CLNT-ACCOUNT-TITLE at the T-CLNT-FIN-INST.

Indexation of pensions

Each year in March and September the Department reviews the rates of pensions and certain allowances.  These rates may be increased in line with changes in the cost of living and average earnings.

T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP rates have been increased in line with changes in these figures.  The new rates will apply from T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE-DATE.  Other rates and thresholds have not changed.

Half Payment of Pension

Because Social Security and Veterans' Affairs pay pension on different weeks, your first payment of T-DSS-XFER-IN-HALFPAY-TYPE on T-DATE-OF-PAYMENT will be T-HALF-PAYMENT-AMNT.  This amount is half of your regular payment, as explained below.

Social Security made their last payment to you on T-DATE-LAST-PAID-DSS.  This is for two weeks ending T-DSS-DATE-COVERED-TO.  On T-DATE-OF-PAYMENT you will receive ONE week of your regular payment.  This is NOT a bonus.  It is the pension payment for the week  T-DVA-DATE-COVERED-FROM to T-DVA-DATE-COVERED-TO.

On T-NEXT-AVAIL-PAYDAY you will receive your usual fortnightly amount of pension.  From then on regular payments will be made each fortnight.

Any pharmaceutical allowance, remote area allowance, disability or war widow/er pension you receive will not be affected by the above half pay but will be paid in full on all pay-days.

Pensioner Concession Card

As an age pensioner you are eligible for a Pensioner Concession Card.  This card entitles you to various fringe benefits, including a range of Commonwealth, State and local government concessions.

Your Pensioner Concession Card will be forwarded separately in the near future.  Instructions on the use of the card together with further information on the range of benefits are included with the Pensioner Concession Card.  When you receive your new Veterans' Affairs card, please destroy your Centrelink one.

Concession Providers

When you start using your Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Concession Card, tell your concession providers.  They should replace the Centrelink Customer Reference Number on their records with your Veterans' Affairs Number.  If the concession provider is unsure of what to do, ask them to ring Veterans' Affairs for assistance on the phone number shown at the front of this letter.

Free Rail Travel & Additional Benefits

You can also get free rail travel as detailed on the vouchers that came with your old Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card.  Your Centrelink issued vouchers are still valid and you can continue to use them.

Telephone Allowance

Your quarterly telephone allowance will be paid on T-DATE-OF-PAYMENT, together with your fortnightly rate of pension.  The current telephone allowance rates are:

• World War 1 - $42.50

• General Rate (single pensioners, war widow(er)s and recipients of certain rates of disability pension) - $15.60

• Married Rate - $7.80 each for pensioner couples.

Your Income and Assets

Your T-PENSION-TYPE pension has been calculated using you and your partner's combined income and assets as shown in the attached income and assets list.  Your T-PENSION-TYPE pension has been granted under the T-INCOME-ASSET-TEST test.

Events You Must Tell Us About

Details of your obligations to notify us of changes to your circumstances are included in the attachment ‘Important Information You Should Retain'.

Release and Use of Personal Information

The Department of Veterans' Affairs treats personal information about its age pensioners as confidential.  The personal information the Department holds can only be accessed, used or released in limited circumstances.  If you want your personal information released to your partner, a relative, or any other person or organisation (such as your solicitor or accountant), we will only do so with your consent.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this decision, you may apply to have it reviewed by the Original Decision Maker.  If you decide to apply you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  You may either telephone or write to this office.

If you have any questions about any of the above matters, please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute

Gary Collins

Deputy Commissioner as Delegate of the Secretary

ATTACHMENTS

Full Income/Assets Listing

Full Obligations

General Information Sheet

Paragraphs for Saved Rent Assistance cases

NOTE: Anyone affected by the Saved Rent Provisions will have one of the paragraphs below inserted into their advice letter

1. To be used for less than max rate age/service pensioners with saved RA, or less than ceiling rate ISS with saved RA, where the value of the indexation or adjustment is less than the amount of saved RA.  This means that AP/SP/ISS is increased by the indexation/adjustment amount, saved RA is reduced by the indexation/adjustment amount, and some saved RA remains.

2. To be used for less than max rate age/service pensioners with saved RA, or less than ceiling rate ISS with saved RA, where the value of the indexation or adjustment is equal to the difference between the saved RA amount and the correct rate of RA.  Therefore, AP/SP/ISS is increased by the indexation/adjustment amount, saved RA is reduced by the indexation/adjustment amount to the correct rate of RA (where RA remains payable).

3. To be used for less than max rate age/service pensioners with saved RA, or less than ceiling rate ISS with saved RA, where the value of the indexation or adjustment is greater than the difference between the amount of saved RA and the correct rate of RA.  This means that AP/SP/ISS is increased by the indexation/adjustment amount, saved RA is reduced to the correct rate of RA (and RA remains payable), and a partial increase is applied.

4. To be used for less than max rate age/service pensioners with saved RA, or less than ceiling rate ISS with saved RA, where the value of the indexation or adjustment is equal to the difference between the saved RA amount, and the correct rate of RA, where the RA is cancelled.  This means that AP/SP/ISS is increased by the indexation/adjustment amount, saved RA is reduced by the indexation/adjustment amount, and no RA remains payable.

5. To be used for less than max rate age/service pensioners with saved RA, or less than ceiling rate ISS with saved RA, where the value of the indexation or adjustment is greater than the difference between the amount of saved RA and the correct rate of RA, where the RA is cancelled.  This means that AP/SP/ISS is increased by the indexation/adjustment amount, saved RA is reduced to the correct rate of RA, which is $0.00, and a partial increase is applied.

If an increase in MTAWE does not occur the following para will be substituted.

“During the most recent period there has not been a large enough increase in the cost of living or average earnings to provide for an increase in pension and allowance rates.”