Last updated 12 January 2007
Persons who pay rent on a regular basis, may be eligible to receive rent assistance [2]. This also applies to persons who do not pay rent on a regular basis, provided they pay or are liable to pay rent at least annually.
More ? [3]
The following are examples of rent that is not paid on a regular basis to reside in that premises:
Where a pensioner couple are residing in rented accommodation, and one member of the couple enters care, for assessment purposes, the amount of rent the partner [2] pays should be adjusted.
More ? [5]
VEA ? [6]
If a person pays for board and lodging and the component paid for accommodation cannot be identified, two thirds of the total amount paid is considered to be rent. For automatic assessment purposes, 67% of the total amount paid is calculated.
The following residential situations may include a component for board in the rent amount:
VEA ? [7]
If a person leaves their principal home [2] to provide or receive community based care in another residence and they are paying rent in respect of both residences, rent is assessed in respect of the residence that generates the higher amount of rent assistance.
More ? [8]
Situations may occur where the amount of rent payable is actually higher than the amount of rent paid. In such situations, rent assistance is to be calculated using the higher amount. However, details as to why rent is being paid at a lower level than the payable amount should be obtained and verified with the landlord.
An example of this situation is where a landlord has increased the rent payable on a property but the tenant is in dispute with the landlord and is still paying at the lower rate.
Rent Assistance is an allowance which may be paid to a service pensioner, income support supplement (ISS) or veteran payment recipient to assist in meeting the cost of rental accommodation.
To receive rent assistance a pensioner must be paying rent (other than Government rent) for accommodation in Australia, and the amount paid must exceed a certain threshold.
According to subsection 5M(3) of the VEA [19], premises constitute a retirement village if:
According to subsection 5MB(2) of the VEA [19] an agreement is a sale leaseback agreement, in relation to a person, if:
A person's 'partner' is someone who is a member of a couple with that person.
According to subsection 5M(3) of the VEA [19], premises constitute a retirement village if:
The principal home has the meaning given by subsection 5LA(1) [19] of the VEA and subsection 5LA(2) [19] of the VEA. The principal home of a person is generally the place in which they reside. In certain circumstances, however, the principal home of a person can be the place in which they formerly resided. The following property is regarded as part of the principal home.
Links
[1] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/16141%23comment-form
[2] https://clik.dva.gov.au/%23
[3] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#tgt-cspol_part9_ftn136
[4] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-9-principles-determining-pension-rate/92-residential-situation/923-additional-assessment-rules-certain-types-residences/mobile-home
[5] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#tgt-cspol_part9_ftn137
[6] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#tgt-cspol_part9_ftn138
[7] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#tgt-cspol_part9_ftn139
[8] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#tgt-cspol_part9_ftn140
[9] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-5-income-support-allowances-and-benefits/51-rent-assistance/512-eligibility-criteria-rent-assistance
[10] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#ref-cspol_part9_ftn136
[11] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-9-principles-determining-pension-rate/92-residential-situation/922-basic-principles-assessment/married-couples-living-apart
[12] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#ref-cspol_part9_ftn137
[13] https://clik.dva.gov.au/service-eligibility-assistant-updates/all-determinations-order-date-signed-oldest-most-recent/determinations-under-vea
[14] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#ref-cspol_part9_ftn138
[15] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#ref-cspol_part9_ftn139
[16] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-9-principles-determining-pension-rate/92-residential-situation/922-basic-principles-assessment/principal-home
[17] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-5-income-support-allowances-and-benefits/51-rent-assistance/513-payment-rent-assistance/calculating-rate-rent-assistance-payable
[18] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16141#ref-cspol_part9_ftn140
[19] http://clik.dva.gov.au/legislation-library