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Departmental Instructions
2000
- C26/2000 2001 ISSUE OF PENSIONER CONCESSION CARDS (PCCs)
DATE OF ISSUE: 11 SEPTEMBER 2000
2001 ISSUE OF PENSIONER CONCESSION CARDS (PCCs)
Purpose of Instruction |
This Departmental Instruction provides information on The format and issuing of the 2001 Pensioner Concession Cards (PCCs); Procedures for applying for replacement travel vouchers;and Arrangements for the ongoing daily issuing of PCCs; |
J RICKETTS
ACTING BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
Overview of this year's exercise
Background |
The PCC is issued by the Commonwealth Government to all income support recipients to prove eligibility for a range of Commonwealth, State/Territory and Local Government benefits and concessions. DVA is responsible for issuing the PCC to DVA clients (including Centrelink Age Pensioners being paid by DVA). The PCC is issued annually either through a bulk issue or through individual issue to clients who become eligible – to all recipients for the calendar year. The following table provides a summary timetable of key dates in this year's PCC process. |
This Event |
Is scheduled to occur |
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Issue of blank stock to State Offices |
27 August 2000 |
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Data Extract and Download |
9-10 September 2000 |
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Production of PCCs |
18 September – 27 October 2000 |
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Lodgement with Australia Post |
From 2 October |
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Concession Information Sheet |
A State specific “Concessions Information” sheet will be provided for couples for some States where this information is unable to fit onto the A4 couples carrier because of the number of vouchers these States require. The States that require the “Concessions Information” sheet are Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland. |
Cross Reference Cases |
Where there is a cross reference for a person, the 2001 PCC bulk issue will be issued in the payment (ie cross referenced) number. |
Partner's on PCCs |
The PCC program has been amended this year to include the following in order to follow current DFACs policy regarding the issue of Centrelink PCC's and to simplify the current rules for partner's: Where both members of a couple are in receipt of an income support payment, they will be cross-listed as dependants on one another's cards. If spouse/defacto of a veteran is not eligible or payable, but is present in the assessment then spouse/defacto is added as a dependant to the veterans card (blind veteran's included). Veterans who are not in payment (and therefore will not receive a PCC), will appear as a dependant on the PCC of their blinded service pension partner. This change affects the number of children that can be listed on the PCC. With the introduction of cross-listing of partners on cards, the number of children that will be listed on a PCC is six (previously seven). If there are more than six dependant children in the assessment, a separate card will be issued listing the veteran and remaining children. |
What remains the same |
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Production of PCCs
Card Production |
Processing of the bulk issue of approximately 379,000 2001 PCCs will commence on Monday 18 September 2000, following the extract of client data on the weekend of 9-10 September 2000. The 2001 PCC will be personalised, enveloped and despatched by the mailing house – Security Mailing Services in Sydney. Lodgement with Australia Post will commence on 2 October and is expected to be completed by Friday 27 October 2000. |
Card Numbers |
The approximate numbers for each State/Territory for the bulk issue in September 2000 are as follows: |
State/Territory |
No. of PCCs |
New South Wales |
123,789 |
Victoria |
86,787 |
Queensland |
79,560 |
South Australia |
36,103 |
Western Australia |
34,663 |
Tasmania |
14,278 |
NT |
625 |
ACT |
3,000 |
TOTAL |
378,805 |
2001 PCC Stock |
For the 2001 bulk PCC issue, there will be 2 different carriers – one for couples (to be used in the bulk issue only) and one for single pensioners. The pre-printed format of the rear of the card for both singles and couples cards will be:
The 2001 PCC stock for single pensioners and daily re-issues/new grants is a pale blue plastic card with heading and logos in deep purple. Generally, the travel vouchers will be pale blue with black lettering and the expiry date is 31/12/2001 for all 2001 PCCs. The Victorian Pensioner Free Travel Voucher has been divided into 2 parts (vouchers). The change does not affect pensioner's entitlements however the new Voucher Exchange Coupon has been printed in blue italics text to make it easier for pensioners to recognise that it is a different voucher. The State Office contact phone number(s), street location and postal addresses will be included on the carrier. |
Carrier Layout |
The 2001 carrier layout for single pensioners remains the same as the layout for the 2000 carrier, with the vouchers printed at the bottom of the carrier. In addition, the Victorian carrier has been revised to include an additional voucher. The 2001 carrier layout for couples will incorporate 2 cards positioned at the bottom edge of an A4 carrier and the appropriate number of vouchers positioned where they best fit on the carrier and depending on which State the PCC is issued. For couples PCC units, the left card and left column of vouchers will be personalised with the client's details (the right side card and vouchers being used for the person's partner details). Prior to commencement of bulk issue production, each State will receive a sample couples PCC unit for reference purposes. |
Blind Pensioners – Special PCCs |
The word 'BLIND' will be printed in 14 point lettering on the top centre of the 2001 PCC for blind pensioners. The PCC for blind pensioners issued during the bulk exercise will have a hole punched in the top right hand corner of the card. |
Special Register PCCs |
Special Register and Special Register Blind clients PCCs will be enveloped and forwarded directly to each State Office for checking prior to dispatch to the Special Register addresses. |
Fridge Magnet Calendar Inserts |
A State specific 2001 magnetic refrigerator calendar will be included with the bulk issue of PCCs. |
Vouchers |
The number of vouchers attached to the carriers will vary with each State/Territory and will be separated from the carrier with perforations. The vouchers will include the pensioner's name and entitlement numbers, and in the case of Tasmania will also contain the pensioner's address and Date of Grant. The vouchers provide fields for personal details to be lasered. The information required to be lasered onto vouchers are as follows: |
For this State |
And this Card/Carrier |
This information will be inserted onto the Voucher |
NSW |
NIL (Single & Couples) |
NIL |
ACT |
NIL (Single & Couples) |
NIL |
NT |
NIL (Single & Couples) |
NIL |
VIC |
Single (2 vouchers) |
Name Entitlement Number |
VIC |
Couple (4 vouchers) |
Names Entitlement Numbers |
QLD |
Single (4 vouchers) |
Name Entitlement Number |
QLD |
Couple (8 vouchers) |
Names Entitlement Numbers |
SA |
Single (4 vouchers) |
Name Entitlement Number |
SA |
Couples (8 vouchers) |
Names Entitlement Numbers |
WA |
Single (1 voucher) |
Name Entitlement Number |
WA |
Couples (2 vouchers) |
Names Entitlement Numbers |
TAS |
Single (4 vouchers) |
Name Address Date of Grant Entitlement Number No. of Dependants |
TAS |
Couple (8 vouchers) |
Names Addresses Date of Grant Entitlement Numbers No. of Dependants |
Bulk Issue Reports
Reports |
State offices will be provided with the following listings of cases following the bulk extract:
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Where the Reports will be printed |
The above reports will be addressed to the State Office PCC contact officers. You should expect the reports to be printed in your respective State Office printers identified as: NSWBO, VICBO1, QLDPAY, SABO, WABO, and TASBO on Monday 11 September 2000, following the data extraction processing on the weekend of 9-10 September 2000. |
CD-ROM |
At the completion of the exercise the mailing house will provide each State office with a summary report on CD-ROM that lists the Department's PCC recipients from the 2001 bulk issue. The CD-ROM is scheduled to be dispatched to the nominated State contact officers by the end of October. The CD-ROM files (*.pdf format) can be accessed via Acrobat Reader 3.0 which can be found on the DVA LAN. From the Start up menu select Departmental/Applications/Internet Tools/Acrobat Reader 3.0. |
Daily Issuing of PCC Cards and Vouchers
New and replacement PCC's |
The procedures for the ongoing issuing of new and replacement 2001 PCCs remain the same as in other years i.e., new and replacement issues of PCCs are to be extracted by batch processing each night for printing daily on the local printers located in each State Office. The last automatic daily extract for any issue/reissue of the 2000 PCCs will be on Friday, 8 September 2000 for all. Formatting and any re-alignment of local printers to accommodate the 2001 PCC will be addressed by the PCC National Office, IMU programmers. Please advise Robert Krajina on 02 6289 6044 as soon as possible if you experience any difficulties in printing replacement or new grant PCCs. |
Manual Voucher Issue |
From Monday, 11 September 2000, all new grant and card replacement transactions will generate a 2001 PCC record on the client data base with an expiry date of 31/12/2001 for all States. The 2000 PCC stock must not be used for daily issues, from and including Monday, 11 September 2000. However, any new grant or transfer-in between 11 September and 31 December 2000 still requires manually issued 2000-travel voucher/s and 2000 stock is to be used. |
Replacement PCC's – voided Vouchers |
Voucher personalisation should be suppressed for all replacement or re-issued cards for clients. The card will be personalised and issued on the carrier, however, the vouchers will remain attached to the carrier but will be voided with XXXX's. This includes clients who:
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Voucher Replacement |
For most States, neither Centrelink nor DVA will have the facility to issue replacement vouchers. The PCC carriers display a warning stating that DVA cannot issue replacement vouchers. Where State rail authorities have provided them, contacts and procedures for applying for replacement vouchers are listed at attachment A. All cardholders are entitled to only one issue of vouchers for their residential State each calendar year except where a cardholder transfers to another State. New grants of income support pension must not be provided with concession vouchers if they have received a PCC with vouchers in the same calendar year. |
Arrangements for replacement vouchers in South Australia |
As in previous years Great Southern Railways have given the South Australian State Office authority to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf. The South Australian carrier includes contact numbers for pensioners to contact for replacements. |
Arrangements for replacement vouchers in Victoria |
As in previous years the Victorian Rail Authority have given the Victorian State Office authority to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf. The Victorian carrier includes contact numbers for pensioners to contact for replacements. |
Enhancement to PIPS Reprint Facility |
The PP.RH screen has been updated to selectively reprint vouchers only, the PCC or PCC and vouchers. Where appropriate, edits have been added to this screen that block the user from reprinting vouchers outside their respective amnesty period or in the case of NSW/ACT where vouchers are no longer an option. |
Blind Pensioners |
When issuing a blind pensioner a PCC in the daily issue, the PCC stock provided and current issuing procedures should apply. The reprint program will enable the word 'BLIND' to be printed on the PCC. Note that Blind pensioners are not identified prior to generating the daily PCC re-issues and new grants – blind pensioners are identified after PCC's are issued and are identified by the word 'BLIND' which prints on their cards – everyday PCC stock should be used for blind pensioners. |
New PCC Stock |
Stocks of 2001 PCCs will be despatched to the State Offices from the mailing house on 28 August 2000. The fridge magnet calendar should also be included with new cards produced in the State Offices as part of the ongoing processing. Stocks will be supplied to the State Offices for this purpose during late September 2000. |
Other Issues
Report Problems to National Office |
Staff are reminded that it is important that they keep a log of problems identified following the bulk issue of PCCs. Every endeavour will be made to rectify any identified problems. |
Contact Officer |
The contact officer for this exercise is Robert Krajina on 02 6289 6044 or fax 02 6289 6553. |
ATTACHMENT A
Arrangements for providing replacement Travel Vouchers for Pensioner Concession Cardholders in 2001
VIC — The Victorian Rail Authority continue to give the DVA Victorian State Office authority to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf for an indefinite period. System changes were made in 1998 to allow vouchers to be issued.
QLD(07) 3235 2222
For a period after the bulk issue Queensland Rail have given authority to our QLD State Office to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf. System changes will enable QLD State Office to issue these vouchers until 30 November 2000 without the system automatically voiding the vouchers.
Queensland Rail (QR) have set up a Rail Concession Unit where people can apply for replacement vouchers and sign a Statutory Declaration in respect of lost/damaged vouchers. A photocopy of the pensioner's PCC is also required. QR do a computer check and only replace unused vouchers. The vouchers can only be replaced once in a calendar year.
For non-metropolitan clients, the unit has an arrangement with local rail stations to fax the Statutory Declaration to the RCU, and send the original letter. Alternatively, people can get a Statutory Declaration at the local police station, pay their half fare concession and apply for a refund to the voucher equivalent after their travel. This procedure should be confirmed by ringing the above number in the first instance.
SA — Great Southern Railways continue to give the DVA South Australian State Office authority to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf indefinitely. System changes were made in 1998 to allow the vouchers to be issued.
WA(08) 9326 2222 – Westrail Switch
For a period up until the 31 — st January 2001, Westrail have given authority to our WA State Office to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf. System changes will enable WA State Office to issue these vouchers until the 31 — st January 2001 without the system automatically voiding the vouchers.
After this date people can phone Westrail on (08) 9326 2222 – they will then be put through to the Refunds Officer who will advise of the necessary arrangements when applying for replacement vouchers. Westrail will not accept personal applications. Westrail check that the vouchers have not been presented before replacing them.
Note: Westrail charge $8.00 for replacement vouchers.