C19/2013 Annual Bulk Issue - 2014 Pensioner Concession Card (PCC)

Replaces DI No.

N/A

Purpose

This Departmental Instruction provides information on the bulk issue of 2014 Pensioner Concession Card (PCC).

It also provides information on issuing daily PCCs and travel vouchers.

Overview

The PCC is issued by the Australian Government to all income support recipients to prove eligibility for a range of Commonwealth, State/Territory and local benefits and concessions.  DVA is responsible for issuing the PCC to DVA clients (including Age Pensioners being paid by DVA).

DVA issues the PCC annually in September/October to eligible pensioners.  The mailing house contracted to the Department is responsible for printing, enveloping and lodging the cards with Australia Post.

The PCC is also issued on a daily basis for new grants and reissues.

Dates

The 2014 bulk issue is scheduled to take place between 16 September and 2 October 2013.  The following are key dates for this exercise:

Task

Date

Production extract

15 September 2013

Commence using 2014 stock for daily issues

16 September 2013

Reports to contact officers

16 September 2013

Printing, enveloping and lodgment of cards

17 Sept – 2 October 2013

Final lodgment with Australia Post

2 October 2013

Numbers

The approximate number of carriers to be produced in the annual bulk run based on acceptance testing is 169,533 and the total number of cards to be produced is 212,715 (partnered carriers have two cards).  The breakdown of carriers to be produced for each state is:

State

Partnered

Single

Blind

Total

NSW

12,706

40,929

733

54,368

VIC

8,312

27,850

494

36,656

QLD

11,447

27,361

487

39,295

SA

3,913

11,466

155

15,534

WA

4,626

10,932

257

15,815

TAS

1,467

4,282

52

5,801

NT

118

294

3

415

ACT

593

1,030

26

1,649

Total

43,182

124,144

2,207

169,533

Order of Lodgement

The cards will be printed and lodged with Australia Post in the following order.

NSW — Thu 19/09 – Mon 23/09

VIC — Tue 24/09 – Wed 25/09

QLD — Thu 26/09 – Fri 27/09

SA & NT — Mon 30/09

WA — Tue 01/10

ACT & TAS — Wed 02/10

Regular updates will be provided to location contacts to advise of progress.  A list of the location contacts can be found on the back page of this instruction.

2014 PCC Stock

Minor text and date amendments have been made to the 2014 stock.

Daily single stock supplies have been sent to the location contacts and surplus single stock from the bulk issue will be sent on completion of the production run.

VIC, SA & WA Travel Vouchers

There are no amendments to the SA and WA travel vouchers.

VIC travel vouchers have been updated with the latest travel information.

PCC Information Insert

A PCC Information Insert will be included with VIC, SA and WA partnered carriers.  The insert contains information that cannot fit on the partnered carriers due to the vouchers.

Fridge Magnet Calendar Insert

A DVA fridge magnet calendar will be inserted with all PCCs.

To avoid duplicate and wastage, fridge magnet calendars should not be sent with daily PCCs.  Instead the calendar is to be included as part of a new grant package, together with the grant advice and You and Your Pension Booklet.

A supply of fridge magnet calendars have been sent to the location contacts and VAN representatives.

Blind Pensioners

The word 'BLIND' will be printed at the top right hand corner of the card, (just left of the State logo), except for ACT, where it will be printed on the next line down.  The card will also be hole-punched at the bottom right hand corner.

Group Destination – Public Trustee

Group destination cards will be sent directly to the Public Trustee from the mailing house.

Cross Reference

PCCs for cross reference cases will be issued under the active file number which may not always be the prime eligibility file number.

Listing Dependants on PCC

The rules for listing dependants on the PCC are outlined below.

• Member of a couple in receipt of an income support payment will be cross-listed as a dependant on veteran and partner PCC.  The file number of the eligible partner will not be shown on the veteran's card.
• Spouse/defacto of a veteran (including blind veterans) not eligible or payable but in the assessment, will be listed as a dependant on the veteran PCC.  The file number and suffix of an ineligible partner will be printed adjacent to the partner's name on the veteran's card.
• A veteran not in payment (and therefore not eligible for a PCC) will appear as a dependant if the partner is on blind service pension.  The file number of the ineligible veteran will be printed adjacent to the veteran's name on the partner's card.
• The maximum number of children that will be listed on a PCC is six.  If there are more than six dependent children in the assessment, an additional card will be issued listing the veteran and remaining children.

Eligibility for residents of Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island residents who are in receipt of SP / ISS are eligible to receive a PCC as part of the bulk run.

Age pensioners who are residents of Norfolk Island paid under SSA are not eligible to receive a PCC.  This group of clients should not be in payment with DVA.

Reports

On completion of the bulk extract, location contacts will be provided with production and error reports via email.  The officers should examine the reports and undertake any necessary action.

Deceased Clients

Clients who have a date of death recorded after the data extraction date of 15 September 2013 will be excluded from the card production run.  Where there is a surviving partner, the data will be reconfigured and a card will be issued on the single carrier.

2014 Daily Issues

The procedures for issuing daily PCCs (for new grants and replacements) remain unchanged.

The last batch extract for 2013 daily PCCs will be on Thursday night, 12 September 2013.  New grant and replacement issues for 2013 will need to be printed by 6.00 pm on Friday, 13 September 2013.

State offices can commence using the 2014 stock from Monday, 16 September 2013.

2013 Voucher Issues (if applicable)

Any new grants or transfer-ins between 16 September and 31 December 2013 will need to be manually issued with 2013 travel vouchers, if applicable.

2014 Voucher Issues (if applicable)

All cardholders are entitled to only one issue of travel 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.

Voucher personalisation should be suppressed for all replacement or re-issued cards.  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:

• have had a 2014 DVA PCC processed with vouchers, then lost and regained eligibility during the course of the year; or
• Centrelink Transfer-In cases, as they have already received their PCC and vouchers from Centrelink.

Travel Voucher Replacement

DVA does not have the authority to issue replacement travel vouchers.

Location Contacts

The Location Contacts are as follows:

Location

Contact

NSW / ACT

John Eden / Sao Lou

QLD

Sharon Golden / Katie Sutton

VIC

Daniel Luba / Bernadette Fernando

SA / NT

Bee Measham / Marion Colliver

WA

Michelle Pauly / Margarete Mumme

TAS

Daimeon Horne / Guy Siberry

Project

Coordinator

The project coordinator for the bulk issue of the 2014 PCC is:

Elis Lam

Cards & Advices

Income Support & Grants

Phone:02 9213 7244

Email:elis.lam@dva.gov.au