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Home > Compensation and Support Policy Library > Part 5 Income Support Allowances and Benefits > 5.2 Remote Area Allowance (RAA)

5.2 Remote Area Allowance (RAA)

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This chapter outlines the eligibility requirements and payment arrangements for Remote Area Allowance (RAA [2][glossary:):].

This chapter contains the following sections:

See Also

Remote Area Allowance

Chapter 9.7 Statutory Increases [3]


Remote area allowance is a supplementary payment added to the rate of income support pension where the pensioner's usual place of residence is situated in a remote area, and where the pensioner is physically present in the remote area.

5.2.1 Eligibility for Remote Area Allowance (RAA)

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Last amended: 5 January 2006

Eligibility criteria for RAA

    

VEA ? [5]

To be eligible to receive RAA [2], a person must:

  • be receiving a service pension or income support supplement at a rate greater than nil, and     More ? [6]
  • have their usual place of residence situated in a remote area [2], and     More ? [7]
  • be physically present in the remote area, or      More ? [8]
  • be temporarily absent from the remote area for less than 8 weeks.
Child eligibility

    

VEA ? [9]

The rate of RAA payable to a person is increased by the child rate per fortnight for each child a person has if:

  • the child meets the definition of a FTB child [2] under the Family Assistance Act 1999, and
  • the child is in Australia (not necessarily in the remote area), or
  • the child is temporarily absent from Australia and the absence has been less than 8 weeks

RAA remains payable to a person in respect of an FTB child for a period of 14 weeks after the death of the child.

Temporary absence from remote area

    

VEA ? [10]

A person who is receiving RAA and who is temporarily absent from an identified remote area, remains eligible for payment of RAA for the first eight weeks of the absence. If additional RAA is paid in respect of a child, Commission may extend eligibility for RAA beyond the normal 8 week period under special circumstances.

Your obligations if you receive the Remote Area Allowance

You need to tell us within 28 days of the event if:

  • your dependent child dies; or
  • you are absent from your permanent address for more than 8 weeks;
  • you move from your present address; or
  • you or your child go overseas.


SCH6-G1 [11] VEA

Section 5Q(1) [11] VEA

VEA ? (go back) [12]

Section 5.2.2 Payment of RAA [13]

More ? (go back) [14]

Section 5.2.4 Usual Place of Residence [15]

More ? (go back) [16]

Section 5.2.3 Determining if a Residence is in a Remote Area [17]

More ? (go back) [18]

SCH6-G2 [11] VEA - Rate of remote area allowance.

VEA ? (go back) [19]

Section 5Q(2) [11] VEA - Eligibility for RAA during a temporary absence

Section 5R(12) [11] VEA - Special circumstances where eligibility for RAA may be extended beyond 8 weeks absence from remote area.

VEA ? (go back) [20]

Remote area allowance is a supplementary payment added to the rate of income support pension where the pensioner's usual place of residence is situated in a remote area, and where the pensioner is physically present in the remote area.

A remote area is defined as one of the following:

  • Tax Zone A, including the following islands:

-Macquarie Island,

-Norfolk Island,

-The Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands,

-The Australian Antarctic Territory,

-The Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands,

-The Territory of Christmas Island, and

-Lord Howe Island,

  • Locations within Tax Zone B that are 250 kilometres distant from the nearest urban centre with 2,500 people (known as Special Tax Zone B); and
  • Those places in Australia that the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 treats as being either in Tax Zone A or Special Tax Zone B.

 

 

FTB child has the same definition as given in section 22 and 22A of the Family Assistance Act (i.e. A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999).

 

For more information, see also 9.4.3/Effect of Children on Remote Area Allowance (RAA) CS Policy Library [21].

 

 

5.2.2 Payment of RAA

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Last amended: 11 February 2010

Payment rates

    

VEA ? [23]

The RAA rate payable depends on the person's family situation. In partnered situations, it will be necessary to determine a rate for each member of the couple. Fact Sheet IS 30 accessed through the link at the end of this paragraph contains the current pension rates, limits and allowances summary including RAA.    

More ? [24]

Payment arrangements

RAA is added to a person's rate of pension after the application of the income and assets tests, and paid automatically with the pension instalment every fortnight.

Payments of RAA where pension rate is nil

    

VEA ? [25]

To be eligible to receive RAA, a person must be receiving a service pension or income support supplement at a rate greater than nil. The only exception is where a pension has been reduced to nil in order to recover a lump sum advance. In this case, RAA is still payable. .


SCH6-G2 [11] VEA - Rate of remote area allowance.

VEA ? (go back) [26]

IS30 Pension Rates, Limits and Allowances Summary

http://factsheets.dva.gov.au/factsheets/documents/IS30%20Pension%20Rates,%20Limits%20and%20Allowances%20Summary.pdf?ID=1076546597313 [27]

More ? (go back) [28]

SCH6-G1 [11] VEA

VEA ? (go back) [29]

5.2.3 Determining if a Residence is a Remote Area

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Last amended: 20 March 2013

Residence is in a remote area

For determining whether a person's usual place of residence is in a remote area, most cases should be resolved through reference to the database on the ATO web site.     

More ? [31]

Zone A and a special area in Zone B

    

VEA ? [32]

The specific areas which attract RAA consist of zones that are defined in tax legislation in geographic terms and references to remoteness. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) web site contains a database of points in all states and territories that fall within Zone A as well as details of points that are in a special area of Zone B. If a person lives in Zone A, they will satisfy paragraph 5Q(1)(a) of the definition. If the person lives in a special area of Zone B, they will satisfy paragraph 5Q(1)(aa) of the definition.  RAA is not payable to residents within ordinary Zone B.

The ATO database of accepted urban centres (for the purposes of determining whether a person resides within 250 kilometres of an urban centre of more than 2,500 people) is derived from the defined terms of urban centre and census population within section 79A of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, which are based on the results of the census undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 1981.

When the precise location is not listed

In some cases, the precise location of the person may not be listed on this database, for example properties etc. in these circumstances it may be appropriate to seek verification from the person whether the A — TO treats them as residing in Zone A or a special area within Zone B. We should also ask the person to clarify whether they have sought a decision of the Tax Commissioner in relation to the place they live under subsection 79A(3E) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936. Documentary evidence of the Tax Commissioner's decision should be obtained from the person. If the matter cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the delegate through consulting the ATO database or the person concerned, advice as to these matters can be sought from the A — TO.    

More ? [33]


http://www.ato.gov.au/content.asp?doc=/content/Professionals/rebate_zone.html [34]

More ? (go back) [35]

Remote Area

Section 5Q(1) [11] VEA

VEA ? (go back) [36]

http://www.ato.gov.au/content.asp?doc=/content/Professionals/rebate_zone.html [34]

More ? (go back) [37]

5.2.4 Usual Place of Residence

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Last amended: 5 January 2006

Definition

The VEA does not define usual place of residence. A person's usual place of residence is the area where they normally live, sleep and eat. To change their usual place of residence, a person has to completely abandon their former place of residence.

Determining usual place of residence

This table lists indicators that may assist in determining a person's usual place of residence.

Indicator

Example

Property arrangements

the person owns or rents the home in which they are living

Mailing arrangements

the person has Departmental correspondence sent to this address

Itinerant customers

It may be difficult for a person who travels frequently to establish a usual place of residence. If a person is temporarily living somewhere, but has a fixed intention of returning to another address, they should not be considered itinerant. The onus is on the person to provide evidence to support their qualification for RAA [2].


Remote area allowance is a supplementary payment added to the rate of income support pension where the pensioner's usual place of residence is situated in a remote area, and where the pensioner is physically present in the remote area.


Source URL (modified on 18/10/2014 - 7:53pm): https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-5-income-support-allowances-and-benefits/52-remote-area-allowance-raa

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[3] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-9-principles-determining-pension-rate/97-statutory-increases
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[10] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#tgt-cspol_part5_ftn53
[11] https://clik.dva.gov.au/service-eligibility-assistant-updates/all-determinations-order-date-signed-oldest-most-recent/determinations-under-vea
[12] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#ref-cspol_part5_ftn48
[13] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-5-income-support-allowances-and-benefits/52-remote-area-allowance-raa/522-payment-raa
[14] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#ref-cspol_part5_ftn49
[15] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-5-income-support-allowances-and-benefits/52-remote-area-allowance-raa/524-usual-place-residence
[16] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#ref-cspol_part5_ftn50
[17] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-5-income-support-allowances-and-benefits/52-remote-area-allowance-raa/523-determining-if-residence-remote-area
[18] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#ref-cspol_part5_ftn51
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[21] http://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-9-principles-determining-pension-rate/94-children/943-effect-children-assessment-income-support-payments/effect-children-remote-area-allowance-raa
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[26] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#ref-cspol_part5_ftn54
[27] http://factsheets.dva.gov.au/factsheets/documents/IS30%20Pension%20Rates,%20Limits%20and%20Allowances%20Summary.pdf?ID=1076546597313
[28] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#ref-cspol_part5_ftn55
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[33] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#tgt-cspol_part5_ftn59
[34] http://www.ato.gov.au/content.asp?doc=/content/Professionals/rebate_zone.html
[35] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#ref-cspol_part5_ftn57
[36] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16203#ref-cspol_part5_ftn58
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