External
Policy

Amendment History

View source documents in TRIM

Version

Published

Changes

Comment

14.025

28/08/2014

2.2 Proof of Identity

Changes to align with the new Proof of Identity Policy that applies to current serving members and reservists.

14.024

27/08/2014

5.7 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC)

5.11 Seniors Supplement (SSup)

Topics updated in line with the portability changes from 1 July 2014.

14.023

22/08/2014

6.6 Loss of Earnings Allowance

Added a reference to the Commission Guideline CM7030 which provide guidelines for the Loss of Earnings Allowance assessments involving self employed persons, rest and recuperation, sick leave provisions, and the amount of lost earnings.

14.022

20/08/2014

5.5.8/Assessment of Non-Farm Income

5.10.8/Assessment of Non-Sugarcane Farm Income

5.9.1 Overview of DFISA

5.9.2 Administration of DFISA

5.9.6 Other DFISA Impacts

These policy changes reflect the Department of Agriculture's new Farm Household Allowance (FHA) and how this will impact DVA's compensation and income support assessments.

14.021

16/08/2014

5.6 Pension Bonus Scheme

Section 5.6.3 Registration as a Member of the Scheme reinserted into Chapter 5.6.

14.020

09/08/2014

5.1.2/Government Rent and Rent Assistance Eligibility

9.2.5/Supported Residential Services

9.2.7/Entering Care

9.2.7/Departure from Aged Care

10.1.6/Disposal/Deprivation of Rental Income

12.7.2 Specific Reviews

These changes cover the Australian Government's reforms to aged care.  The majority of the changes relate to how accommodation costs are assessed in certain situations.

14.019

01/08/2014

9.2.4 In Care – Assessment Rules

Changes to this chapter reflect the Australian Government's reforms to aged care with information about aged care means testing now located in the new Aged Care Means Testing Guide in the Reference Library.

14.018

10/07/2014

5.6.8/Top up of the pension bonus

This change confirms that PBS top up calculations are based on the highest rate of pension received during the 13 week period following grant, including pension increases not directly associated with the triggering income/asset reduction.

12.3.4 Exclusion/Exemption from Supplying Tax File Number

Minor clarification of policy.

14.017

04/07/2014

6.9 GST Exemption on Motor Cars and Spare Parts

6.11 Special Assistance

Updated the 'car depreciation limit' topics to include the 2014-15 financial year amount of the GST car depreciation limit.

14.016

01/07/2014

5.6 Pension Bonus Scheme

Policy updated advising that the scheme closed to new registrations from 1 July 2014. Existing members can remain in the scheme while they continue to meet the work requirements to accrue a pension bonus.

8.3.2/Other Funeral Benefit Grant for a Deceased Veteran or Member

This content explains the circumstances in which a veteran who is entitled to an automatic payment of Funeral Benefit may be paid an additional amount in respect of transportation costs.

14.015

18/06/2014

<a href="DEF Approved personal care support schemes">Glossary - Approved personal care support schemes

"NSW Lifetime Care and Support Scheme" has been re-named, and now covers a wider range of support and services for which direct payments are made.  Payments received under this Scheme are exempt income for DVA purposes.

14.014

28/05/2014

2.1.3/Lodgement of a Claim

This change outlines the circumstances in which electronic lodgement of claims, applications, requests and other documents may be made.

14.013

17/05/2014

11.6.4 Payment Summaries

This change confirms that a payment summary may be provided to a pensioner, on request, before the end of the financial year.

14.012

07/05/2014

11.5.6 Payment Method for Overseas Residents

This addition provides advice that pension payments can be paid to an overseas bank account in certain currencies.

14.011

01/04/2014

12.5.2/Review Relating to a Deceased Person

This amendment clarifies that the right of the executor for a deceased pensioner, to seek a review of a pension decision, is limited to those cases where a pension claim or request for a pension review was not finalised at the time of the pensioner's death.

5.8.2/Benefits Available to the Card Holders

Updated information about what concessions PCC holders are entitled to.

14.010

25/03/2014

9.6.2  General Provisions of Deprivation

This addition is to provide an example illustrating that forfeiting a payment to qualify for a higher payment, does not result in a finding of deprivation.

14.009

15/03/2014

10.1.3/Exempt Lump Sums

Class action payments approved by the Victorian Supreme Court on 7 February 2014 in respect of thalidomide-caused injuries have been approved as exempt lump sums.

14.008

08/03/2014

5.9.1 Overview of DFISA

5.9.3 Calculation of DFISA

This change confirms that the rate of DFISA payment, while primarily determined by the amount of adjusted disability pension held in a social security payment, may also be affected by changes in the pension assessment rules, such as indexation of the income free area.

14.007

06/03/2014

9.2.7/Entering Care

This change reflects recent advice from the Department of Social Services that a refundable entry contribution upon leaving a retirement village, must be assessed for Aged Care purposes irrespective of the circumstances.

14.006

01/03/2014

8.2.3 Calculation of Disability Pension Bereavement Payment

Clarification of the allowances that are excluded from the calculation of a disability bereavement payment.

14.005

22/02/2014

11.6.4 Payment Summaries

Clarification of existing policy regarding Medicare levy exemption certificates.

14.004

10/02/2014

<a href="hw-5.6.2/Basic Eligibility Requirements for Pension Bonus Scheme">5.6.2/Basic Eligibility Requirements for Pension Bonus Scheme

This change clarifies that a service pension claim which results in nil payment does not disqualify a person from continuing to participate in the PBS, as it is the receipt of pension, rather than making a claim, which disqualifies the person.

5.6.4/Record Keeping Requirements for Pension Bonus Scheme Members

This amendment clarifies the record keeping requirements for the PBS work test, including the signing of documents.

14.003

31/01/2014

10.1.4/Assessment of Salary Sacrifice Amounts

This change clarifies the reasons for assessing purchased leave at the time that the leave is taken, compared with the Centrelink position to assess the purchased leave amounts at the time they are received (but deferred) by the employee.

14.002

16/01/2014

3.3.2 Payment of Service Pension and Income Support Supplement

This change clarifies that the earlier ISS grant date (backdated to the date of grant of WWP) only requires that a social security pension or benefit was payable to the person, rather than being received.  In some circumstances, for example debt recovery, a payable pension or benefit may not be being received by the person.

14.001

08/01/2014

7.4.2/Eligibility for Clean Energy Supplement

Clarification of topic "Receiving more than one CES".

8.1.2 Administration of Bereavement Payment

Clean energy supplement payment added to the listing of included payments to an income support bereavement payment.

4.1.8 Veterans' Vocational Rehabilitation Scheme (VVRS) Safety Net Provisions for certain Disability Pensions

New section.

Amendment History Archive

View Amendment History 2013

<a href="HW-Changes History 2012">View Amendment History 2012

View Amendment History 2011

View Amendment History 2010

View Amendment History 2009