Purpose of Instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the Pounds Sterling exchange rate variation exercise.

Introduction

Following the recent variation in foreign exchange rates, it is appropriate for DVA to apply a new exchange rate for income support pension assessment purposes.

Effective Date 7 March 2000

Effective from 11 July 2000 the current exchange rate will change.  On pension payday 27 July 2000 pensioners will receive a full instalment at the new assessed rate.

New Rate

A$2.5595

The exchange rate will change from one Pound Sterling equals A$2.5595 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.4863 (ie $A1 = 0.4022 pounds). This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 23 June 2000.

Timetable

The DVA exercise is scheduled for processing on Tuesday evening, 11 July 2000.

Automatic

Superannuation processing

The amount recorded as BRI non-indexed or BRI indexed will be varied by applying the exchange rate to the amount recorded, to find the new rate of superannuation.  The pension amount will then be reassessed accordingly.

Manual cases and MS cases

Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed.  These cases will be listed on the manual listing for follow up action, and CMS/PIPS cases will be created automatically for State Office action.  Any cases processed through PIPS/PC should be reassessed from the beginning of the pension period for pension payday 27 July 2000 – ie 11 July 2000.

Advice Letters

The advice letters for this exercise will be joint advices.  The letter will advise the new exchange rate, the amount of income and a payment box.  An advice will only be produced for cases where a variation in payment results.  This includes pensioners who have been reduced to nil and are no longer in payment.  The date of effect shown in the advices will be 11 July 2000.

New Claims and Centrelink Transfers–In with an Existing OTA

Any New Claims or Centrelink Transfers-In with a date of effect between 12 July 2000 and 24 July 2000 where BRI is recorded will have to be identified and a manual adjustment made to the existing One Time Amount (OTA) on the PMF.

These cases can be identified through CMS by requesting specific classifications completed between the relevant dates.  The information should not be sought through AIS.

The OTA can be amended by using a General Purpose coding sheet.  To calculate the OTA remember to use the new assessed rate of pension.

BRI advices for these cases will display a date of effect of 11 July 2000, ignoring the fact that pension may have been granted from a later date.  You will not be able to intercept these advices because they are sent direct to Australia Post by Security Mailing.

IBM GSA Implications

IBM GSA will be producing the cartridge and will forward it to Security Mailing in Sydney.  Overseas, Special Register and cases where a change to treatment entitlement occurs will be separated by IBM GSA and despatched to the State Office for manual distribution.

Mail out of Bulk Advices

Security Mailing will print and prepare the advices for lodgement with Australia Post by Wednesday 19 July 2000.

British DP case paid Rent Assistance

Income Support pensioners who are in receipt of Rent Assistance (RA) and who also receive British Disability Pension direct from Britain (not EATS and Composite cases) should have that disability pension converted to $A using the BRI exchange rate.  The resulting reassessment of their income support pension could vary the RA paid.  A listing of affected cases can be obtained from Kevin Chapman, Systems Delivery Unit.

Contact Officer

The Income Support Branch contact officers for the exercise will be:

Nasreen Haque          Telephone:   (02) 6289 1125

Kevin Chapman         Telephone:   (02) 6289 6749

29 Jan 98

to

25 Feb 98

0.3972

2.5176

26 Feb 98

to

6 May 98

0.4125

2.4366

7 May 98

to

15 July 98

0.3997

2.5019

16 July 98

to

12 August 98

0.3663

2.7300

13 August 98

to

9 Sept 98

0.3817

2.6199

10 Sept 98

to

21 October 98

0.3690

2.7100

22 October 98

to

4 Nov 98

0.3505

2.8531

5 Nov 98

to

2 Dec 98

0.3676

2.7203

3 Dec 98

to

27 January 99

0.3834

2.6082

28 January 99

to

10 Feb 99

0.3719

2.6889

11 Feb 99

to

19 May 99

0.3905

2.5608

20 May 99

to

28 July 99

0.4079

2.4516

New Date of Effect Rules

13 July 99

to

9 August 99

0.4271

2.3414

10 August 99

to

1 Nov 99

0.4105

2.4361

2 Nov 99

to

10 Jan 00

0.3952

2.5304

11 Jan 00

to

6 March 00

0.4069

2.4576

7 March 00

to

1 May 00

0.3927

2.5465

2 May 00

to

29 May 00

0.3807

2.6267

30 May 00

to

10 July 00

0.3907

2.5595

11 July 00

0.4022

2.4863