CLIK
Home > Compensation and Support Reference Library > Departmental Instructions > 2003

2003

  • Log in [1] to post comments

Place holder node for 2003

C32/2003 Changes to waiver guidelines and to associated delegation levels

  • Log in [2] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  19 DECEMBER 2003

Changes to waiver guidelines and to associated delegation levels

Background

Early in 2003 a number of issues surrounding debt management procedures and reporting were identified.  In consultation with State offices a detailed project plan was developed, including an action item to examine the policy and procedures surrounding waiver and write-off policy and delegations

Rationalisation for changes

It has become clear that:

  • DVA and Centrelink debt recovery policy, particularly in relation to waiver of debts, has diverged over recent years;
  • There was the potential for inconsistency across State offices in relation to waiver and write-off decisions; and
  • Delegations relating to waiver were not uniform.

The changes agreed by the Repatriation Commission on 28 October 2003 to DVA waiver policy are intended to realign the respective policies as much as possible with Centrelink, particularly in those areas where Centrelink had become seemingly more lenient than DVA, and to introduce uniform delegations across State offices and National Office.

DVA waiver authority

S206(1)(b) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act (VEA) gives the Commission the power to waive or write off the Commonwealth's right to recover a debt.  These powers have been delegated to officers in both State offices and National Office and the Commission has endorsed policy guidelines which delegates must consider when making overpayment recovery decisions.

Waiver guidelines to be amended

The DVA waiver guidelines contained in the Overpayment Management Manual (OMM) will be amended in response to the Commission decision, with the result that they align more closely with those applied by Centrelink.  Details of the amendments to be included in the OMM (currently being updated) are as follows:

Administrative Error

Current DVA policy

For a debt to be waived under this criterion, three conditions must be met:

  • the debt must be due solely to administrative error;
  • the payment must have been received in good faith; and
  • repayment of the debt would cause the debtor extreme financial hardship.

Consideration also needs to be given to whether complete obligations and income and assets statements have been provided, their frequency and timeliness.  Where this information has been provided according to departmental standards, it is unlikely that waiver would be appropriate because good faith is unlikely to be a sustainable argument in these circumstances.

New Policy

For a debt to be waived under this criterion:

  • the debt must have been solely due to administrative error; and
  • the payment must have been received in good faith.

While the new guidelines state that the debt still must be caused wholly by administrative error and the payment to have been received in good faith, the necessity for a debtor to be in extreme hardship has been removed.  The 'good faith' aspect has been reinforced by provision of guidance about what constitutes good faith.  That guidance is generally in line with the FaCS Guide provisions but includes several factors unique to DVA.

DVA issues each pensioner a very detailed list of the income and assets taken into account in the granting of their pension, with the specific instruction that they should check the list and advise DVA within 14 days of any incorrect or missing details.  Steps also have been taken recently to make the DVA advices even clearer, to ensure that pensioners are fully informed of their obligations in an effort to reduce the number of contentious DVA administrative error overpayments.

In practice, Centrelink currently applies a 'causal link' test to determine good faith, and if the link is broken, then a debt will be raised from the date of the break.  For example, a person may in good faith commence receiving more than they are entitled to, due to an administrative error, but at some point their circumstances change eg an increase in wages, and at that point it may be determined that they should have been aware that their entitlement should reduce.  If payment continued at the higher rate for some time and then the error was discovered, an overpayment would be raised from the date of the increase in wages.

Notwithstanding the above, if an administrative error causes a debt and it is discovered within 6 weeks of it commencing, it should be recovered.  However, if it is not discovered and raised within 6 weeks of it first occurring (or from the end of the notification period if obligations were fulfilled) then the whole debt must be waived, providing the elements of administrative error and good faith are present.  By adopting the Centrelink approach DVA will now will cap at 6 weeks the period for which a pensioner can be penalised for a departmental error if good faith is accepted.

Administrative delay

Current DVA policy

When an overpayment is increased because the department fails to action a pensioner's advice in a timely manner, then that portion of the debt caused by the department's delay may be waived.  One of the conditions that currently must be met for this category to apply is that “the pensioner has notified of a change in circumstances but this notification is late”.  This condition was prompted by a specific case in the early 1990s, and has served its purpose.

New Policy

Where an overpayment is increased because the department fails to action a pensioner's advice of a change in circumstances within six weeks of receiving the advice, the portion of the overpayment caused by the delay must be waived, provided the payment was received in good faith.

This change ensures that pensioners are not disadvantaged in the recovery of overpayments compared with their Centrelink counterparts.  The Centrelink approach puts a cap on the amount that can be recovered at 6 weeks.  This change applies to both persons who advise the department outside the prescribed notification period after the date of the event and to those that notify within the prescribed timeframe.  However, the debt may be waived only if the additional money has been received in good faith.  In practice, that means that debts exacerbated by administrative delay in most cases will still be recovered, as the pensioner will normally be aware that their entitlement should have been reduced due to the event causing the notification.

3.  Extreme or unusual circumstances

Current DVA policy

One example of extreme or unusual circumstances applying is a debtor who has been imprisoned in lieu of payment of the debt.  Another example; in the “compelling and compassionate reasons” mould, is a debtor with a very serious or terminal illness who may require the funds in question to pay for lifesaving treatment, or for his/her funeral.  In cases such as these, waiver is appropriate.

Financial hardship alone does not constitute special circumstances.  In Beadle and D-GSS (1984), the AAT held that for special circumstances to exist, the circumstances must be “markedly different from the usual run of cases.”  They must have “a particular quality of unusualness that permits them to be described as special”.  In SDSS v Hulls (1991) the Federal Court held that it was not possible to make a complete list of the factors to consider in determining whether special circumstances exist, but that each case must be considered on its own merits.

No Change

There has been no change to this category of waivers.  When a delegate determines that extreme or unusual circumstances apply and pursuit of the debt is inappropriate, a debt should be waived.  The OMM will expand on the above examples to clarify the application of this category.

4.  Overpaid tax amount

Current DVA policy

Where a pension debtor has repaid an income support overpayment in full, the period of the overpayment exceeds a four year span and the person had a tax liability which cannot now be adjusted by the ATO, the amount equal to the excess tax paid should be waived.  This category was created in reaction to criticism of DVA by the Ombudsman in early 1990s for its stance on a particular case.

No Change

This class will be retained.

5.  Discounting

Current DVA policy

Where the debtor has made no attempt to deceive the department, and has at least 80 percent but less than 100 percent of the available funds necessary to repay the debt, the portion unpaid ie 20 percent or less, may be waived after the larger portion is paid.

New Policy

If a person has not attempted to deceive or defraud the department, has readily available funds equal to at least 80 percent but less than 100 percent of the debt and full repayment of the agreed amount is made in a lump sum, then the unpaid portion ie 20 percent or less, of the debt must be waived ie the optional nature of waiver is removed.

6.  Ministerial waivers (Debts Under $200)

Current DVA policy

Small debts may be waived if they are not economic to recover.  This class of waiver is also known as 'Ministerial waivers', in that the Minister has gazetted them as a 'class' of debt that may be waived if uneconomic to recover.  In practice, since the 2001 introduction of the Debt Management and Recovery System,  DVA can now efficiently and economically recover quite small debts.  Therefore if the debtor remains in payment, the debt should generally be recovered, providing other circumstances such as the cost of investigation and the time to calculate the debt do not indicate otherwise.

Clarification of current policy

When a debt is, or is likely to be, less than $200, consideration must be given to the cost effectiveness of recovery.  In most cases debts over $50 should be recovered.  However, factors which should be considered include: the cost of investigation; the likely amount of the debt; what is involved in raising the debt ie recording the debt and advising the debtor; and ease of recovery.  When the person is continuing in payment, almost any debt is cost effective to recover and therefore should be recovered.

7.  Notional Entitlement

Current DVA policy

Unlike Centrelink, DVA has no current category like the 'Notional entitlement' class of waiver.

New Policy

DVA even quite recently has raised debts involving loss of entitlement to Partner Service Pension, for example, when the debtor would otherwise have been entitled to a SSA payment such as Age Pension, but Centrelink is not able to backdate the SSA claim to offset the VEA debt.  In such cases, it would be reasonable for DVA to calculate a 'notional entitlement' to Age Pension and waive an equivalent portion of the debt.

While not an exact alignment of the two agencies' legislation or policy, it does recognise that while a client did not have entitlement to one form of taxpayer-funded income support payment for some reason, they did have concurrent notional entitlement to another income support payment.

DVA has therefore adopted a new, parallel class to the SSA category of 'Notional entitlement'.  When a cancelled pensioner has entitlement to another payment, the notional entitlement may be offset against the overpaid pension.  For example, a Partner Service Pensioner who is divorced without his/her knowledge but continues to receive PSP for some time may have had a concurrent entitlement to age pension under the Social security Act 1991.  If Centrelink grants the person a pension, their 'notional entitlement' may be considered as established and an equivalent amount for the period in question may be offset against the VEA debt and waived.

Inconsistency of delegations

The debt management review has also highlighted a number of inconsistencies in waiver and write-off delegations across States.  Uniformity of delegation across functional levels is seen as desirable to ensure that there is some consistency in relation to the monetary value of waiver or write-off that can be exercised by a particular position in any State or in National Office.

Change in delegation levels

Commission decision CM5524 changes the waiver and write-off delegations for income support and disability compensation debts as follows

The Commission retains its unlimited power under legislation to waive, write off or defer recovery of debts and has delegated its power in the area of Disability and Compensation debt waiver as follows:

  • unlimited to the Secretary;
  • $50,000 to Deputy Commissioners, Division Head, Compensation and Support, and Branch Heads, Income Support and Disability Compensation;
  • $30,000 for State Directors Compensation and  National Office Director Compliance and Review;
  • $20,000 for National Office Director Policy Section and the State Assistant Directors Compensation/Income Support;
  • $15,000 for the managers of the State debt recovery units, National Office Assistant Director, Compliance and Review and National OfficeTeam Leader, Data Matching Investigations Unit (DMIU);
  • $5,000 for APS 5s in State debt recovery units, VCES and bereavement units and the National Office DMIU;
  • $2,500 for APS 4s and 3s in those units; and
  • $500 for junior death processing staff.

Note that ISSOs/SPOCs and their team leaders do not have waiver delegations.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

Income Support

19 December 2003

C31/2003 REVISED PROCEDURES FOR CENTRELINK CLEARANCES

  • Log in [3] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  10 DECEMBER 2003

REVISED PROCEDURES FOR CENTRELINK CLEARANCES

Purpose

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to advise of a small but important amendment to DI C49/2002 [4] regarding agreed revised procedures between Department of Veterans' Affairs and Centrelink for clearances processing.

Commencement

The changes commence immediately this DI is received.

Background

The current procedures for clearance processing are mutually agreed procedures between DVA and Centrelink.  Centrelink has asked that State offices now supply an additional piece of information on clearance forms and this has been agreed.

The need for this additional information has arisen because of the recent project undertaken by Centrelink to change its processing systems to accurately record the rate of Disability Pension being paid to its clients.

As State Offices have recently been informed, Centrelink staff will now record the percentage rate of DP and Centrelink's systems will automatically calculate the rate and update it at SI time etc.

New Requirement

Centrelink have requested that in addition to the DP rate, DVA advise of the actual level of SDA on the clearance form when the pensioner is in receipt of this allowance.  The clearance form should show the column 1 number of the allowance specified in Section 27 being paid.  It should be expressed as Item 1, Item 2, etc.  The Centrelink processing system will then calculate the correct amount.

Clearance Form

The clearance form will be revised and amended on the Intranet when we have checked whether any additional amendments are required resulting from these changes at Centrelink.  You will be advised when this has happened.  In the meantime please have staff add this additional information to Part A when appropriate.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head Income Support

10 December 2003

C30/2003 EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF PENSIONS RECORDED AS BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME

  • Log in [5] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  26 NOVEMBER 2003

EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF PENSIONS RECORDED AS BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME

Purpose of Instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the Pounds Sterling exchange rate variation exercise.

Introduction

Following the recent variation in UK - Australian exchange rates, DVA will apply a new exchange rate for the assessment of the rate of income support pensions for those in receipt of pensions from the UK government.

New exchange rate A$2.3213

The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.3992 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.3213 (ie A$1 = ?0.4308).

This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 21 November 2003.

Date of effect
25 November 2003

Effective from 25 November 2003 the current exchange rate will change.

On pension payday 11 December 2003 (pay period 64) pensioners will receive a full instalment at the new assessed rate.

Date of processing run

Processing to implement the new exchange rate is scheduled for the evening of  Monday, 24 November 2003.

Automatic superannuation processing

The amount recorded as foreign super type British Retirement Income (08) or British Retirement Income (Indexed) will be varied by applying the exchange rate to the pounds sterling amount recorded, to determine the new rate of superannuation in Australian dollars.  The pension amount will then be reassessed automatically.

Manual cases and MS cases

Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed automatically.  These cases will be listed on the manual listing for follow up action, and CMS/PIPS cases will be created automatically for State Office action.  Any cases processed through PIPS should be reassessed with effect from 25 November 2003 for payday 11 December 2003.

Advice letters

The advice letters for this exercise will be joint advices where both members of a couple are in receipt of pension from the UK government and their pension payment varies.  Age pensioners will receive separate advices.

The letter will advise the new exchange rate and the amount of income.  An advice will only be produced for cases where a variation in payment results.

IBM GSA implications

IBM GSA will produce the cartridge and forward it to Security Mailing services (SMS) in Sydney.

Overseas, Special Register and Enclosure Advices

Overseas, Special Register, Enclosure Advice letters (ie cases where a change to treatment entitlement occurs) and reduction to nil cases will be separated by IBM GSA and despatched to the State Office for manual distribution.  This arrangement is the same as for daily advice letters.

Mail out of bulk advices

Security Mailing will print and prepare the advices for lodgement with Australia Post by 4 December 2003.

British DP case paid Rent Assistance

Income Support pensioners who are in receipt of ISS, age pension (AP) and rent assistance (RA); and, who also receive disability (war) pension direct from Britain (not including EATS or composite cases) should have that disability pension converted to $A using this exchange rate. ISS, AP and RA should be recalculated by doing a PIPS assessment.  These cases can be extracted through AIS by each state.  If you have any questions please contact Nasreen Haque on the number below.

Note: If DP has already been assessed as income in determining hardship cases it should not also be assessed as income for RA.

Notice of future changes

The management of British pensions is currently under review.  A number of proposals to change the policy and procedures will be put to the Income Support Managers Conference on 2-3 December 2003.  Some of the changes that are likely to be implemented in early 2004, include changes to terminology and inclusion of other types of British income.

Contact officer

The Income Support Branch contact officer is:

Nasreen Haque Telephone:   (02) 6289 1125

Jeanette Ricketts
Branch Head
INCOME SUPPORT

24 November 2003


POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE FOR PENSIONS FROM UK GOVERNMENT

Foreign exchange periodExchange rate

New Date of Effect Rules

13 July 99

to

9 August 99

0.4271

2.3414

10 August 99

to

1 Nov 99

0.4105

2.4361

2 Nov 99

to

10 Jan 00

0.3952

2.5304

11 Jan 00

to

6 March 00

0.4069

2.4576

7 March 00

to

1 May 00

0.3927

2.5465

2 May 00

to

29 May 00

0.3807

2.6267

30 May 00

to

10 July 00

0.3907

2.5595

11 July 00

to

16 Oct 00

0.4022

2.4863

17 Oct 00

to

2 April 01

0.3737

2.6759

3 April 01

to

14 May 01

0.3550

2.8169

15 May 01

to

23 July 01

0.3674

2.7218

24 July 01

to

6 August 01

0.3803

2.6295

7 August 01

to

1 October 01

0.3701

2.7020

2 October 01

to

29 October 01

0.3430

2.9155

30 October 01

to

10 December 01

0.3588

2.7871

11 December 01

to

7 January 02

0.3709

2.6961

8 January 02

to

18 March 02

0.3612

2.7685

19 March 02

to

27 May 02

0.3723

2.6860

28 May 02

to

10 June 02

0.3830

2.6110

11 June 02

to

08 July 02

0.3928

2.5258

09 July 02

to

22 July 02

0.3758

2.6610

23 July 02

to

05 August 02

0.3643

2.7450

06 August 02

to

02 September 02

0.3503

2.8547

03 September 02

to

03 March 03

0.3620

2.7624

04 March 03

to

28 April 03

0.3816

2.6205

29 April 03

to

26 May 03

0.3929

2.5452

27 May 03

to

1 September 03

0.4064

2.4606

2 September 03

to

24 November 03

0.4168

2.3992

25 November 03

to

0.4308

2.3213

C29/2003 PROPERTY VALUATION EXERCISE - 2003/2004 FINANCIAL YEAR

  • Log in [6] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  10 NOVEMBER 2003

PROPERTY VALUATION EXERCISE – 2003/2004 FINANCIAL YEAR

Purpose

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information on the various stages of the annual property valuation exercise.

Background

Every October/November, specific income support cases requiring a property valuation are automatically selected and forwarded to the Australian Valuation Office (AVO) for valuation by April in the following year.  Once the valuations have been completed, revised valuations are returned to National Office, DVA with the new valuation amount.  This information is then forwarded to State Offices for individual case updating.

A listing of manual cases is also produced at the time of the bulk run.  State Offices are required to manually prepare and forward requests for valuation for these cases to the AVO.

Due to the implementation of IPS, schedules previously printed for State Office use are no longer available.  Automatic and Manual cases will be provided to the states in a Microsoft Excel format.

Stage 1

Production run

The data extraction was carried out on 15 October 2003.  The data containing information on the automatic reviews was forwarded to the AVO on 17 October 2003.  Excel spreadsheets for automatic and manual cases have been provided to the State Offices.

Number of cases extracted

The data has been extracted through the AD Hoc Inquires System (AIS).

The following is a breakdown of automatic and manual cases extracted from this year's bulk run:

State

Auto

Manual

Manual (Business)

NSW

568

218

7

VIC

604

189

4

QLD

400

202

2

SA

152

69

5

WA

140

62

0

TAS

108

32

0

Total

1972

772

18

Criterion for extracting cases

The following criteria was used for extracting cases:

  • All income support pension and income support supplement recipients who are assets tested;

All income support pension and income support supplement recipients who are income tested but have assets within $10,000 of their prescribed assets limit and have property, business, farm or sublet portion of their home.

Cases excluded from exercise

The following pensioners have been excluded from this year's bulk run:

  • Pensioners who have had an AVO property valuation done since the last bulk run (4 November 2002);
  • All single pensioners who are assessed as blinded and are not paid rent assistance; and,
  • All couples where both are assessed as blinded and are not paid rent assistance.

Stage 2

State Office to action manual cases

Manual cases have been forwarded to the State Offices in an Excel spreadsheet for further action.

State Office action is required to provide the AVO with a form containing detailed information on each of the manual cases where a property valuation is required.  Records are to be kept and a Claims Management Systems (CMS) case should be created to ensure that all such requests are returned by the AVO and action completed.

Stage 3

AVO conduct valuations

The AVO will conduct the property valuations in the period from December 2003 to April 2004.  The AVO will provide updated valuation information to National Office, DVA by the end of April 2004.

Stage 4

Updated data forwarded to State Offices

Printouts and an Excel spreadsheet of the updated property valuations will be provided by National Office to the contact officer in each State Office.  These reports can be expected early May 2004.

Stage 5

State Office update valuations

Once the updated data is received manual action will be required to update the Central Data Base (CDB) to take effect in conjunction with the indexation of the free areas in July 2004 (Ordinary Income Free Area, Asset Value Limit & Adjusted Income Free Area).  Cases where the value of property has reduced may be actioned for increase of the service pension from the next available payday.

Date of valuation to be used

All States should use 15 October 2003 as the date of valuation when updating cases from this exercise.

It is essential that this date be used to enable all the appropriate cases to be selected for next year's exercise.  Using another date creates complications for the bulk extraction.

Processing Information

Screens and processing information for PIPS/PC can be found in Departmental Instruction C54/96 [7].

Contact Officer

The contact officer for this exercise is Nasreen Haque (02) 6289 1125, Business Operations and Support Section, Income Support Branch.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

10 November 2003

C28/2003 Treatment of ISS Ceiling Rate where a Limitation is applied to War Widow's Pension

  • Log in [8] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  10 NOVEMBER 2003

Treatment of ISS Ceiling Rate where a Limitation is applied to War Widow's Pension

Purpose

The purpose of this instruction is to ensure that:

  • the correct procedure is followed for processing compensation reduced WWP cases; and
  • the correct ceiling rate for these cases is applied.

Background

It was identified from the June 2003 Statutory Increase - list of cases requiring attention, that incorrect ceiling rates were being recorded for certain compensation reduced war widow's cases.

Target Population

30 cases have been identified nationally where the incorrect ceiling rate is being applied.  The following State by State breakdown gives numbers of war widows affected:

New South Wales — 16

Queensland — 7

Victoria — 4

Tasmania — 2

South Australia — 1

Western Australia — 0

WWPs who qualify for ISS

The definition of a war widow or widower is given in s5E of the VEA, and includes war widow(er)s receiving a pension payable under Part II or Part IV of the VEA or in receipt of a WWP paid by a foreign country.  To qualify for ISS a person must be an Australian war widow(er) in receipt of a compensation pension, paid under Part II or IV of the VEA, in respect of the death of an Australian veteran or mariner.

Definition of a compensation reduced pension

A pension payable to a war widow(er) under Part II or Part IV of the VEA is compensation reduced if that WWP has been reduced as a result of the payment of:

  • a similar pension by another country; or
  • any other periodic or lump sum compensation payment for the death of the veteran.

Increased ceiling rate of ISS

Because these war widow(er)s have received, or are receiving, other payments in respect of their veteran partner's death, the normal ceiling rate rules do not apply.  SCH6-A6 to SCH6-A9 of the VEA outlines the method for calculating the increased ceiling rate that applies to ISS if WWP is compensation reduced.

The increased ceiling rate relating to compensation reduced rate is calculated to be the sum of:

  • the normal ceiling rate; and
  • the amount of the reduction in the Part II or Part IV pension.

Provisional payment rate of ISS

In determining the provisional payment rate of ISS, the increased ceiling rate is compared against the income and assets reduced rates of ISS.  The provisional payment rate is defined as being the lower of the three rates.

Therefore, because of the operation of the income and assets tests, ISS can never be paid at greater than the maximum basic rate of service pension, even though the increased ceiling rate may exceed the MBR.

Automatic rate cases

The majority of these cases (apart from the VSO cases) are being processed as 'automatic' assessments by the State Offices through PIPS and by batch processing runs.  To ensure that the ceiling rate will be reviewed for these cases whenever there is a change to the rate of compensation, or a SI to the rate of WWP, it is necessary that these cases be recorded as manual assessments.

Further, in most cases, the increased ceiling rate has been incorrectly recorded as the current normal rate of ISS (currently $134.40).  Therefore, the rate of ISS currently being paid in these cases may be incorrect.

In a number of other 'automatic' cases the correct increased ceiling rate has been recorded.  However, as the cases are 'automatic', the increased ceiling rate will not be reviewed each time there is a variation to the rate of compensation or WWP payable to the client.  Therefore, these war widow(er)s will be assessed using what is effectively an historical ceiling rate.  The impact is that over a period of time, clients will be underpaid should the income/assets reduced rate exceed the increased ceiling rate.

Manual rate cases

When an examiner processes a case where the WWP is limited by a compensation adjustment, a manual calculation must be performed to determine what income support ceiling rate should be applied.

If the increased ceiling rate is calculated to be greater than the normal ceiling rate, the examiner must update the income support ceiling rate field in PIPS to that figure.  The increased ceiling rate must be recalculated each time there is a variation to the compensation amount received by the war widow(er), or there is an increase which affects the rate of WWP.

Recording IS ceiling rate

To determine the rate of ISS payable to a pensioner, the correct ceiling rate must be calculated.  While ISS can never be paid at a rate greater than the MBR, the correct ceiling rate should be recorded in PIPS to ensure data integrity and to help assist in identifying target populations with an adjusted ceiling rate.  This figure should not simply be entered as MBR.

Action required by State Offices

The above mentioned compensation reduced WWP/ISS cases must be processed manually to ensure that the correct ceiling rate is being applied.  A list of cases to be actioned will be sent out shortly to each State Systems Support Officer under separate cover.

In addition, States should ensure that the increased ceiling rate is recorded in the income support ceiling rate field of PIPS.

Note: These instructions should also be applied for any new grants of ISS where a client's WWP has been compensation reduced.

Contact

Any queries regarding this instruction should be referred to Joel Kitto, Income Support Branch, National Office on (02) 6289 6658.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

Income Support

     November 2003

C27/2003 National Office Issue of the 2004 Transport Concession Card (TC1) for New South Wales and Victoria

  • Log in [9] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  27 OCTOBER 2003

National Office Issue of the 2004 Transport Concession Card (TC1) for New South Wales and Victoria

Purpose

This Departmental Instruction provides information on:

  • the format and issuing of the 2004 TC1;
  • procedures for applying for replacement cards and/or travel vouchers; and
  • arrangements for ongoing daily issuing of TC1s.

Background

War widows/widowers who are not in receipt of service pension, income support supplement or social security age pension paid by DVA or Centrelink  are eligible to receive a TC1 if they live in the following states:

  •   New South Wales;
  •   Victoria (except World War 1 War widows/widowers); and
  •   Western Australia.

The TC1 provides state funded travel concessions.

The Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania do not offer TC1 cards, however, war widows/widowers may still be eligible for concessions on travel through their DVA Gold Card or CSHC.

National Office Role

The National Office coordinates the bulk mail out of  TC1s for NSW and VIC.   The WA VAN office administers the TC1s for WA.

What has changed
  • TC1s will now be issued ever year instead of every two years;
  • The 2004 TC1s have the new DVA logo on the card and carrier;
  • QLD travel vouchers are no longer issued;
  • The name (up to 37 characters) and up to 4 lines of postal address (up to 38 characters each line) will be displayed  in upper case on the carrier;
  • The VIC voucher and coupon will display the full name (up to 37 characters) in upper case and the file number including the suffix;
  • The carrier will display the return State Office postal address for the active State;
  • The 2004 VIC carrier will have only one coupon and one voucher, due to  the TC1s being issued every year instead of every 2 years;
  • The first initial, second initial and surname (up to 25 characters) will be displayed in upper case on the card and up to 3 lines of residential address (up to 30 characters each line) will be displayed in upper and lower case;
  • A blank line has been inserted after the residential address on the card;
  • The word “File No:” is displayed adjacent to the client's file number on the card;
  • The expiry date on the card is “DEC 2004”;
  • Cards printed for clients with a group destination will be sent out with the bulk mailout.

Overview of exercise

The approximate number of the TC1 cards and carriers to be produced for the annual issue will be 17,678.  The state break down is as follows:

State

Annual Run

NSW

9,862

VIC

7,816

Total

17,678

Timetable

The following table provides a summary timetable of key dates in this year's TC1 process:

This Event

Is scheduled to occur

Data extract and matching with Centrelink

Friday, 31 October 2003

Bulk Printing of TC1s

5 – 7 November 2003

Lodgement with Australia Post

Monday, 10 November 2003

Inserts with TC1s

A state specific 2004 fridge magnet calendar will be inserted with the TC1s in the bulk mailout.

Distribution of TC1 blank stock for the Daily TC1s

Blank stock for the Daily TC1s were distributed to the NSW and VIC State Contact Officer on Wednesday, 15 October 2003.

State Offices are to begin using the new Daily stock on Monday,

3 November 2003.

Daily Issues and replacement cards and or vouchers/coupons

Local arrangements remain in force and the States Offices are to use discretion when issuing or replacing 2002-03 and 2004 cards and/or vouchers/coupons.

Report Problems to National Office

Staff are asked to keep a log of problems identified following the bulk issue of TC1s and to provide Kerry-Anne Rowe with full details.  Every endeavor will be made to rectify any identified problems.

Contact Officer

The contact officer for this exercise is Kerry-Anne Rowe on 02 6289 6663.

Jeanette Ricketts

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT

         October 2003

C26/2003 OBLIGATION AND INCOME / ASSET INFORMATION ISSUED WITH AUTOMATIC ADVICES

  • Log in [10] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  7 OCTOBER 2003

OBLIGATION AND INCOME / ASSET INFORMATION ISSUED WITH AUTOMATIC ADVICES

Purpose

The purpose of this  Departmental Instruction is to amend DI C09/2003 [11], Guidelines for the Issuing of Obligation and Income / Asset Information with Daily Advices in respect of:

  • grants to age pensioners
  • all grants of income support pensions.

Reason for amendment to DI

This instruction

  • provides new instructions in respect of the provision of obligations to age pensioners on grant; and
  • provides information about revised wording for all income support grant advices.

The first dot point refers to a change in the status of the publication You and Your Pension in respect of age pensioners.

The second dot point is a response to the recent Assessment Errors Stateline.

Background -Age pension grants and
You and Your Pension

Since 1998, You and Your Pension has been issued to pensioners granted service pension and income support supplement.  Issued with the grant advice, the booklet is a legal notification of obligations for these DVA pensioners.

Since the 2001 edition, Y&YP has contained information relevant to social security age pensioners (paid by DVA) and age pensioners have been sent Y&YP as though it were a legal notice of obligations for them as well.  This was on the basis of the MOU with the Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) that allowed the same administrative arrangements for age pensioners in respect of advices and obligations as are applied for SP and ISS recipients.

FaCS decision

The Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) has recently indicated that full obligations for age pensioners are to be included in the grant advice.  While they are happy for Y&YP to be issued as an information product, the notice of obligations is the advice, not Y&YP.

Impact of this decision

The FaCS decision means that full obligations are not to be suppressed when granting age pensions.  Full obligations must be included in the grant advice.

Y&YP should still be sent to these pensioners however the advices have been changed to reflect the booklet's status as an information product.

This change refers to age pension grants only.  For all other income support pension grants, Y&YP remains a legal notice of obligations.

The effective date of this change will be the date the 2003 edition of Y&YP becomes available for distribution or from whenever the new edition of Y&YP is sent with the advices.  The new edition will be available in the warehouse from Monday 6 October.

Age pension advices

The age pension grant advices have been amended and a sample is at Attachment A.  The new wording is contained in the paragraph headed Events You Need to Tell Us About.

Background – revised grant advices for all income support pensioners

A recent Stateline 0353977E ASSESSMENT ERRORS referred to errors detected through a special data match between ComSuper and DVA.  The errors indicated that in some instances, superannuation was not included in the assessment although information had been presented with the claim form.  When contacted, some of the overpaid pensioners indicated that they were unaware that their assessments were incorrect.

A review of the grant advices has been undertaken and the sequence of the paragraphs has been changed in an effort to give greater emphasis to obligations.  In addition, wording changes have been made to reduce the possibility that advices will be misunderstood.  The importance of checking the attached income and assets statement has been stressed as have the consequences (recoverable overpayment) of non-compliance with obligations.

Impact of changes to wording

It is expected that You and Your Pension will be issued with all grants of service pension, partner service pension and income support supplement as a notice of obligations and full obligations should be suppressed in these cases. The Y&YP wording will appear in these advices whether or not full obligations are suppressed.

SP and ISS grant advices

The wording in these advices is similar.  A sample SP grant advice is at Attachment B – note wording and sequence changes mentioned above.

Contact officer

Any questions about this DI should be referred to Jill de Vaus, Business Improvement & Monitoring on (07) 3223 8516 or Stuart Kennedy, Compliance & Review (02) 6289 4716.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

Income Support

7 October 2003


EXAMPLE 1: ATTACHMENT A

  • GRANT AGE PENSION
  • PARTNERED ASSESSMENT (Partner's advice will look the same)
  • MAX RATE
  • INCOME TESTED
  • FULL OBLIGATIONS
  • GIS

GPO Box 651, Brisbane  QLD  4001

Contact:State Office

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! Postal Address:

JOHN SMITH — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

29 MARGARGET STREET — Telephone:

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

30 September 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX123456

Dear Mr SMITH,

I am writing to advise you that your claim for payment of age pension through the Department of Veterans' Affairs has been accepted from 15 September 2003.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

The age pension is an income and assets tested payment.  Your disability/dependant's pension is regarded as income in the assessment of this payment.

Your Income and Assets

Your age pension is assessed under the income test using your income and assets as shown in the attached list.  It is important that you check that this list is a full and accurate statement of your income and assets.

Obligations - Financial

You currently receive the maximum rate of age pension.  You will continue to receive the maximum rate as long as your combined gross income from all sources is less than $XXX.XX per fortnight and your combined assets are less than $XXXX.XX.  You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas) if your combined income or assets increase above these amounts.

It is not necessary to advise us of any changes to your income or assets unless your combined gross income from all sources increases above $XXX.XX per fortnight or your combined assets increase above $XXXX.XX as it will have no effect on your rate of age pension.

Events You Need To Tell Us About

You must notify us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas):

  • if the attached list of income and assets is not a full and accurate statement of your income and assets; or
  • of changes to your circumstances which might affect the rate of your pension.

Please note that failure to fulfil these obligations may lead to your age pension being overpaid.  Such overpayments are recoverable.

Details of your obligations to notify us of changes to your circumstances are included in the attachment 'Statement of Obligations – Important Information You Should Retain'.  If you do not tell us of any of these changes within the required time, you may be overpaid.  We are entitled under social security law to recover any overpayments.

The attached booklet, You and Your Pension, contains the following information:

  • things you do not need to tell us about;
  • additional allowances and benefits;
  • the income and assets tests, and how different types of income and assets are counted for pension purposes;
  • your obligations and rights as an age pension recipient; and
  • other services available from Veterans' Affairs.

Fringe Benefits

As an age pensioner, you are eligible for a Pensioner Concession Card.  This card entitles you to various fringe benefits, including a range of Commonwealth, State and local government concessions.  You can also receive limited free rail travel, as detailed on the carrier holding your Pensioner Concession Card.

If your Pensioner Concession Card is not enclosed with this letter, it will be forwarded separately in the near future.  Instructions on the use of the card, together with further information on the range of benefits is included with the Pensioner Concession Card.

Free Rail Travel & Additional Benefits

You can also get free rail travel as detailed on the vouchers attached to your Pensioner Concession Card letter.  Other concessions that may be available to you from State and Local authorities and other organisations are shown in the enclosed brochure.

Release and Use of Information

The income and asset information you give to this Department is used to work out your eligibility for pension and other benefits.  Some information that you have supplied may be released to other agencies or bodies such as the Department of Family and Community Services; the Australian Taxation Office, the Health Insurance Commission; various state and local government authorities; and superannuation funds.

The reason for supplying information to such agencies or bodies is to verify income/asset details; matching of information payment of accounts for treatment and to verify eligibility for rebates or concessions.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this decision, you should discuss it with the original decision maker, who will explain the reasons for the decision.  If you remain dissatisfied, you may apply to have the decision reviewed by an Authorised Review Officer, with no prior involvement in the case.  If you decide to apply for a review more than 13 weeks from the day this notice is given to you, arrears can only be paid from the date we receive your application.  Requests for review may be made in person, by telephone or in writing.

If you have any questions about any of the above matters please contact this office at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

PAULA GREEN

As Delegate of the Secretary


PAYMENT INFORMATION ATTACHMENT

The Department now calculates age pension payments on a daily basis.  This means that your fortnightly pension payment is now made up of 14 days of entitlement of pension.  Therefore, when there is a change to your circumstances on any particular day in the fortnight - your pension will be adjusted from that day.  For that reason your pension payment may be different for one or two paydays after a reassessment.

Payment for 2 OCTOBER 2003

TOTAL FORNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.x

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx

          - xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx    xx.xx

Payment for 16 OCTOBER 2003

TOTAL FORNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.x

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx

- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx  xx.xx

Payment Destination

The following table shows where your pension payments are going.

Date

Name

Payment Destination

Amount Deposited

02/10/03

J SMITH

BSA 574286330

$xxx.xx

TOTAL

$xxx.xx

16/10/03

J SMITH

BSA 574286330

$xxx.xx

TOTAL

$xxx.xx


INCOME AND ASSETS ATTACHMENT

(Information current as at 30 September 2003 )

The following is a complete list of your Income and Assets as recorded by the Department. If any details are incorrect or have been omitted you should notify the Department within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas). Please note that failure to fulfil this obligation may lead to your pension being overpaid.  Such overpayments are recoverable.

If you become aware that you have received or are to receive a compensation payment you must tell us within 7 days (28 days if you are living overseas).

FINANCIAL ASSETS

Savings and Cheque Accounts

Description

Account Number

Asset Amount

XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXX

$  XX.XX

@@@@@@@@@@

XXXXXXXX

$XXX.XX

Term Deposits and Other Accounts

Description

Account Number

Asset Amount

XXXXXX

X,XXX

$XX,XXX.XX

Managed Investments

Description

Units

Asset Amount

VVVVVVVVVV

XX

$XXXX.XX

CCCCCCCCCCCCC

XXX

$XXXX.XX

Total Financial Assets

FINANCIAL ASSETS VALUE

DEEMED INTEREST RATE

DEEMED INCOME PER FORTNIGHT

$XX,XXX.XX

3.5%

$X.XX

$         XX.XX

5.5%

$X.XX

$XX,XXX.XX

$XX.XX

Note: Income from financial assets is deemed.

What is Deemed Income?

For pension purposes, income from financial assets such as accounts with banks, building societies and credit unions, loans, bonds, debentures, gifts, shares, managed investments and bullion is deemed.  The value of all your financial assets is added together, and deemed interest rates are applied to calculate the income.

At present, deemed income is calculated as follows, regardless of the actual interest rates, on the total of all your financial assets:

$0 to $57,400 – at 2.5%

$57,400 + - at 4%

If your investments are earning more than the 2.5% or 4% deeming rates, this additional income will not affect the rate of your age pension.

IMPORTANT:  You only need to notify the department if there are any changes to the value of your financial assets, as shown above.  You do not need to advise of any changes to the interest rates for these investments.

OTHER INCOME AND ASSETS

The following assets are those, which do not have deeming, applied to them but are still used to determine your rate of pension.

Home Assets

The asset and/or income values shown below are the amounts used for pension purposes.

  • Market value of household contents - $XXXXX.XX

Disability Pension

  • Disability Pension of $XXX.XX

Miscellaneous Assets

  • Car – 1999 MERCEDES with a net market value of $XXXXX.XX

Direct Income

  • Estate Payment AUNT'S ESTATE - $XXX.XX per fortnight

Total of Income and Assets

The total of your fortnightly income in your assessment is $XXX.XX.  The total of all your assets in your assessment is $XXXXXX.XX


STATEMENT OF OBLIGATIONS

IMPORTANT INFORMATION YOU SHOULD RETAIN

(Information current as at 30 September 2003 )

Events You Must Tell Us About

You must tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas) if any of the events listed below occur.  If you become aware that you have received or are to receive a compensation payment you must tell us within 7 days (28 days if you are living overseas).  These events may affect the amount of pension you receive.  If you do not tell us of any of these changes you may be overpaid.  We are entitled under the social security law to recover this overpayment.

You will also need to tell us the date any changes to your circumstances occur.

When you are telling us of changes to your circumstances you should do this by writing to or telephoning or visiting any Department of Veterans' Affairs Office.

Obligations - Financial

You presently receive the maximum rate of age pension.  You will continue to receive the maximum rate as long as your combined gross income from all sources is less than $XXX.XX per fortnight and your combined assets are less than $XXXXXX.XX.  You are obliged by law to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas) if your income or assets increase above these amounts.

It is not necessary to advise us of any changes to your income or assets unless your combined gross income from all sources increases above $XXX.XX per fortnight or your combined assets increase above $XXXXXX.XX as it will have no affect on your rate of age pension.

Superannuation

If you are eligible for Commonwealth Superannuation or Defence Forces Retirement Benefits, you must tell us full details within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas) of when these payments are granted.  You must also tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas) if you receive any lump sum or special payments.  You do not need to tell us of indexation changes to your regular fortnightly payments because your pension will be adjusted automatically.

Obligations - Domestic Situation

You must tell us if:

  • You live apart because of age, ill health or any other reasons
  • You get divorced
  • Your spouse passes away.

Obligations - Homeowner

As a homeowner, you must tell us full details if:

  • You sell your home
  • You leave your home because of age or ill health
  • You rent or sublet your home
  • You leave your home for any period in excess of twelve months

Obligations - General

  • You change your postal and/or residential address,
  • You leave Australia,
  • You are granted any pension or benefit from an overseas authority,
  • You (or your partner) make a claim or receive workers compensation, sickness or accident insurance other than a payment of disability or war widow's or war widower's pension from this department (you must tell us within 7 days),
  • You are imprisoned after conviction for an offence,
  • You are the beneficiary, trustee or controller of a private trust, including a testamentary trust.

Conclusion

The above are your full obligations to the Department.  If you have any queries about any of the above matters please contact this office at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.


GENERAL INFORMATION ON AGE PENSION RATES AND LIMITS

(Information current as at 30 September 2003 )

MAXIMUM RATES OF AGE PENSION (excludes pharmaceutical allowance)

Singles Rate$452.80 (per fortnight)

Couples Rate (each)$378.00 (per fortnight)

INCOME LIMIT (per fortnight)

Before Age Pension ReducesCut Off*

Singles Rate$120.00$1,252.00

Couples Rate (combined)$212.00$2,102.00

These limits may increase for every dependent child or student up to the age of 22, or if rent assistance is payable.

ASSETS LIMIT

Before Age Pension ReducesCut Off*

Home Owner

Singles Rate$149,500$300,500

Couples Rate (combined)$212,500$464,500

Non Home Owner

Singles Rate$257,500$408,500

Couples Rate (combined)$320,500$572,500

These limits may increase for every dependent child or student up to the age of 22, or if rent assistance is payable.

ILLNESS SEPARATED COUPLES

Couples separated due to ill health are paid the single rate of age pension but have their income and assets assessed as a couple.

GIFTING

A gift is an asset which is given away or disposed of without receiving the market value of that gift in return.  A gift may be either a cash amount or non cash assets such as a car or other property.

You must notify us if you give away a total of $10,000 or more in a tax year or $30,000 over a rolling five-year period.

The amount above either limit will continue to be counted as if it were still your asset for a period of 5 years and may therefore continue to affect your pension.  We will also deem income on the value of any gift above either limit for 5 years.

RENT ASSISTANCE

You may be eligible for rent assistance if you pay rent to a non-government body or landlord.  The amount of rent assistance you receive depends on the amount of rent you pay and your family circumstances.  Rent assistance is paid at the rate of 75 cents in the dollar for every dollar you pay over the set rent limits.

Maximum Amount of Rent Assistance Payable (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more children

Singles Rate$94.40$110.88$125.30

Couples Rate (combined)$89.20$110.88$125.30

Rent Limits (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more children

Singles Rate$  83.80$110.46$110.46

Couples Rate (combined)$136.60$163.52$163.52

TELEPHONE ALLOWANCE

If you have a telephone account in your name and receive an age pension, then you are eligible to receive a telephone allowance.  It is paid quarterly with your age pension.

Singles Rate$19.20

Couples Rate (each)$  9.60

World War I Veterans$70.50

You need to tell us if you cancel your telephone account.

HOW DISABILITY PENSION AFFECTS AGE PENSION

Disability pension is counted in the assessment of your age pension.


EXAMPLE 6: ATTACHMENT B

  • GRANT SERVICE PENSION
  • MARRIED ASSESSMENT
  • LESS THAN MAX RATE
  • ASSET TESTED
  • SUPPRESS OBLIGATIONS
  • GIS

GPO Box 651, Brisbane  QLD  4001

Contact:State Office

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! Postal Address:

BALFOUR F FLEUR

DELIA A FLEUR — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

46 GUY PLACE — Telephone:

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

30 September 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX999999

Dear Mr and Mrs FLEUR,

I am writing to advise you that your claim for payment of service pension through the Department of Veterans' Affairs has been accepted from 15 September 2003.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Your Income and Assets

Your service pension is assessed under the assets test using your income and assets as shown in the attached list.  It is important that you check that this list is a full and accurate statement of your income and assets.

Obligations - Financial

You currently receive service pension at less than the maximum rate because your assets are above the current threshold.

You are obliged by law to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive remote area allowance) if you gain or dispose of any assets.  You must also notify this Department if your combined gross income from all sources increases above $XXX.XX per fortnight.  This will ensure that your service pension continues to be paid at the correct rate.

If your combined assets are reduced, any increase in pension can only be made from the day your new details are received by us.

Events You Need To Tell Us About

You must notify us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive remote area allowance):

  • if the attached list of income and assets is not a full and accurate statement of your income and assets; or
  • of changes to your circumstances which might affect the rate of your pension.

Please note that failure to fulfil these obligations may lead to your service pension being overpaid.  Such overpayments are recoverable.

The attached booklet, You and Your Pension, is a notice under section 54 of the Veterans' Entitlements Act and sets out your obligations to ensure that your pension is paid at the right rate.  If you do not tell us of any of these changes within the required time, you may be overpaid.  We are entitled under the above Act to recover any overpayments.

The booklet also includes information about:

  • things you do not need to tell us about;
  • additional allowances and benefits;
  • the income and assets tests, and how different types of income and assets are counted for pension purposes;
  • your obligations and rights as a service pension recipient; and
  • other services available from Veterans' Affairs.

Fringe Benefits

As service pensioners, you are eligible for Pensioner Concession Cards.  These cards entitle you to various fringe benefits, including a range of Commonwealth, State and local government concessions.  You can also receive limited free rail travel, as detailed on the carrier holding your Pensioner Concession Cards.

If your Pensioner Concession Cards are not enclosed with this letter, they will be forwarded separately in the near future.  Instructions on the use of the cards, together with further information on the range of benefits is included with the Pensioner Concession Cards.

Free Rail Travel & Additional Benefits

You can also get free rail travel as detailed on the vouchers attached to your Pensioner Concession Card letter.  Other concessions that may be available to you from State and Local authorities and other organisations are shown in the enclosed brochure.

Release and Use of Information

The income and asset information you give to this Department is used to work out your eligibility for pension and other benefits.  Some information that you have supplied may be released to other agencies or bodies such as the Department of Family and Community Services; the Australian Taxation Office, the Health Insurance Commission; various state and local government authorities; and superannuation funds.

The reason for supplying information to such agencies or bodies is to verify income/asset details; matching of information payment of accounts for treatment and to verify eligibility for rebates or concessions.

Your Right Of Review

If you do not agree with this decision, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you decide to apply for a review, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  A request for review must be in writing and set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about any of the above matters please contact this office at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

PAULA GREEN

As Delegate of the Secretary and Repatriation Commission


PAYMENT INFORMATION ATTACHMENT

The Department now calculates service pension payments on a daily basis.  This means that your fortnightly pension payment is now made up of 14 days of entitlement of pension.  Therefore, when there is a change to your circumstances on any particular day in the fortnight - your pension will be adjusted from that day.  For that reason your pension payment may be different for one or two paydays after a reassessment.

Payment for 2 OCTOBER 2003 VeteranPartner

TOTAL FORNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxx.x

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx              xxx.xx

          - xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx    xx.xx               xx.xx

Payment for 16 OCTOBER 2003VeteranPartner

TOTAL FORNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxx.x

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx              xxx.xx

          - xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx    xx.xx               xx.x

Payment Destination

Date

Name

Payment Destination

Amount Deposited

02/10/03

B F FLEUR

123456

xxx.xx

D A FLEUR

123456

xxx.xx

TOTAL

xxx.xx

16/10/03

B F FLEUR

123456

xxx.xx

D A FLEUR

123456

xxx.xx

TOTAL

xxx.xx


INCOME AND ASSETS ATTACHMENT

(Information current as at 30 September 2003 )

The following is a complete list of your Income and Assets as recorded by the Department.  If any details are incorrect or have been omitted you must notify the Department within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas).  Please note that failure to fulfil this obligation may lead to your pension being overpaid.  Such overpayments are recoverable.

If you become aware that you have received or are to receive a compensation payment you must tell us within 7 days (28 days if you are living overseas).

FINANCIAL ASSETS

Savings and Cheque Accounts

Description

Account Number

Asset Amount

XXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXX

$  XX.XX

@@@@@@@@@@

XXXXXXXX

$XXX.XX

Term Deposits and Other Accounts

Description

Account Number

Asset Amount

XXXXXX

X,XXX

$XX,XXX.XX

Managed Investments

Description

Units

Asset Amount

VVVVVVVVVV

XX

$XXXX.XX

CCCCCCCCCCCCC

XXX

$XXXX.XX

Total Financial Assets

FINANCIAL ASSETS VALUE

DEEMED INTEREST RATE

DEEMED INCOME PER FORTNIGHT

$XX,XXX.XX

3.5%

$X.XX

$         XX.XX

5.5%

$X.XX

$XX,XXX.XX

$XX.XX

Note: Income from financial assets is deemed.

What is Deemed Income?

For pension purposes, income from financial assets such as accounts with banks, building societies and credit unions, loans, bonds, debentures, gifts, shares, managed investments and bullion is deemed.  The value of all your financial assets is added together, and deemed interest rates are applied to calculate the income.

At present, deemed income is calculated as follows, regardless of the actual interest rates, on the total of all your financial assets:

$0 to $57,400 – at 2.5%

$57,400 + - at 4%

If your investments are earning more than the 2.5% or 4% deeming rates, this additional income will not affect the rate of your age pension.

IMPORTANT:  You only need to notify the department if there are any changes to the value of your financial assets, as shown above.  You do not need to advise of any changes to the interest rates for these investments.

OTHER INCOME AND ASSETS

The following assets are those, which do not have deeming, applied to them but are still used to determine your rate of pension.

Home Assets

The asset and/or income values shown below are the amounts used for pension purposes.

  • Market value of household contents - $XXXXX.XX

Miscellaneous Assets

  • Car – 1999 MERCEDES with a net market value of $XXXXX.XX

Total of Income and Assets

The total of your fortnightly income in your assessment is $XXX.XX.  The total of all your assets in your assessment is $XXXXXX.XX


GENERAL INFORMATION ON SERVICE PENSION RATES AND LIMITS (Information current as at T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE )

MAXIMUM RATES OF SERVICE PENSION (excludes pharmaceutical allowance)

Singles Rate $452.80 (per fortnight)

Couples Rate (each) $378.00 (per fortnight)

PENSION INCOME LIMIT (per fortnight)

Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*

Singles Limit$120.00$1,266.50

Couples Limit (combined)$212.00$2,116.50

These limits may increase for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE, or if rent assistance is payable.

PENSION ASSETS LIMIT

Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*

Home Owner

Singles Limit$149,500$302,500

Couples Limit (combined)$212,500$466,500

Non Home Owner

Singles Limit$257,500$410,500

Couples Limit (combined)$320,500$574,500

These limits may increase for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE, or if rent assistance is payable.

NOTE: *Income and assets limits do not apply to blinded service pensioners.

GOLD CARD INCOME AND ASSETS CUT OFF LIMITS

The treatment benefits income and assets limits apply to you if you are an Australian veteran or mariner whose eligibility for the Gold Card is dependent solely on your service pension payment.

INCOME

Singles Limit$341.25 (per fortnight)

Couples Limit (combined)$594.00 (per fortnight)

Add approximately $73.10 per fortnight for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE.

ASSETS

HomeownerNon Home Owner

Singles Limit$179,250$287,250

Couples Limit (Combined)$263,500$371,500

Add approximately $6,500 for each dependent child or student up to the age of 22.

GOLD CARD INFORMATION

The Gold Card income and assets limits apply if you receive a disability pension below 50% of the general rate and you also receive an amount of service pension.  Should your assessed income or assets exceed these limits you will no longer be eligible for the Gold Card.

The Gold Card income and assets limits do not apply if:

  • Your disability pension is above 50% of the general rate and you also receive an amount of service pension. Should your service pension cease due to excess income and assets, you will no longer be eligible for a Gold Card;
  • You receive a disability pension at 100% of the general rate, Intermediate rate, EDA or TPI; or
  • You are aged 70 years or over and you are a veteran who served in Australia's Defence Force and have qualifying service from any conflict or you are an Australian Mariner with qualifying service from World War II.

ILLNESS SEPARATED COUPLES

Couples separated due to ill health are paid the single rate of service pension but have their income and assets assessed as a couple.

RENT ASSISTANCE

You may be eligible for rent assistance if you pay rent to a non-government body or landlord.  The amount of rent assistance you receive depends on the amount of rent you pay and your family circumstances.  Rent assistance is paid at the rate of 75 cents in the dollar for every dollar you pay over the set rent limits.

Maximum Amount of Rent Assistance Payable (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more children

Singles Rate$  94.40$ 110.88$ 125.30

Couples Rate(combined)$  89.20$ 110.88$ 125.30

Rent Limit (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more children

Singles Limit$ 83.80$110.46$110.88

Couples Limit (combined)$136.60$163.52$163.52

TELEPHONE ALLOWANCE

If you have a telephone account in your name and receive a service pension, then you are eligible to receive a telephone allowance.  It is paid quarterly with your service pension.

Singles Rate $19.20

Couples Rate (each)$  9.60

World War I Veterans$70.50

You need to tell us if you cancel your telephone account.

GIFTING

A gift is an asset which is given away or disposed of without receiving the market value of that gift in return.  A gift may be either a cash amount or non cash assets such as a car or other property.

You must notify us if you give away a total of $10,000 or more in a tax year or $30,000 over a rolling five-year period.

The amount above either limit will continue to be counted as if it were still your asset for a period of 5 years and may therefore continue to affect your pension.  We will also deem income on the value of any gift above either limit for 5 years.

C25/2003 INCREASE TO MAXIMUM AMOUNTS UNDER SCHEDULES 1 AND 3 OF THE VEHICLE ASSISTANCE SCHEME (VAS)

  • Log in [12] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  12 SEPTEMBER 2003

INCREASE TO MAXIMUM AMOUNTS UNDER SCHEDULES 1 AND 3 OF THE VEHICLE ASSISTANCE SCHEME (VAS)

Purpose

The amounts available under schedules 1 and 3 in the Vehicle Assistance Scheme have been increased.

Vehicle Assistance Scheme

The Vehicle Assistance Scheme (VAS) allows eligible veterans to receive assistance for the purchase of a vehicle and for the purchase of a replacement vehicle after the trade-in or sale of the initial vehicle.  Eligible veterans are those with an incapacity from war-caused injury or disease as specified in sub-sections 105 (5) and 105 (7) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA).

Review of VAS Amounts

On 4 July 2003 the Commission approved a submission to increase the amounts specified under schedules 1 and 3 of the VAS.  These amounts had not been reviewed since the new VAS came into effect on 1 November 1997.

New Amounts

Schedule 1:  The new maximum value of an initial motor vehicle that may be purchased under the VAS is $39,810.

Schedule 3:  The new maximum replacement motor vehicle grant available under the VAS is $19,905.

Date of Effect

Under subsection 105 (3) of the VEA, the new amounts come into effect on the date they are approved by the Minister.  The new VAS was approved by the Minister under subsection 105 (3) of the VEA on 19 August 2003.

Mark Johnson

Branch Head

Disability Compensation

12 September 2003

C24/2003 SEPTEMBER 2003 GLOBAL REFRESH OF MANAGED INVESTMENTS (MIs) AND SHARES (SHs) MAILOUT

  • Log in [13] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  11 SEPTEMBER 2003

SEPTEMBER 2003 GLOBAL REFRESH OF MANAGED INVESTMENTS (MIs) AND SHARES (SHs) MAILOUT

Purpose of Instruction

This Departmental Instruction is to provide information about processing arrangements for the September 2003 Global Refresh of Managed Investments and Shares advice letter mailout.

JEANETTE RICKETTS

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT

9 September 2003


Overview

Introduction

In March and September of each year the Department varies certain pension and allowance rates and thresholds in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and/or Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).  We do not send advice letters to all pensioners whose pensions are adjusted because of the CPI or MTAWE – information on these increases is contained in the latest edition of VetAffairs.  Letters are only sent to those pensioners on less than the maximum rate of income support pension and who have managed investments (MIs) and/or shares (SHs) in their assessment.

This Departmental Instruction provides information about the mailout and advises of the significant issues relating to this exercise.  Letters will be sent to pensioners affected by the events as set out in the following paragraph.

Significant Issues- of Managed Investment and Share Global Refresh Mailout

The September 2003 Quarterly mailout will incorporate the following events for payday 2 October 2003 (WEF 20 September 2003).  Issues of significance with regard to this mailout are as follows:

  • The asset value of managed investment (MI) and share (SH) data will be reassessed and advices produced for those clients who are on less than the maximum rate of service pension, age pension or income support supplement and who have Managed Investments and/or Shares in their assessment;
  • A Managed Investment and/or Share Information Attachment will be provided for all less than maximum rate income support recipients who have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment.  This Attachment will provide a full listing of the client's MIs and/or SHs regardless of what has been reassessed; 
  • If a treatment change occurs as a result of the reassessment a letter will be produced;
  • Clients who are affected by the Period of Grace provisions will receive an advice;

Significant Issues- of Managed Investment and Share Global Refresh Mailout – Continued
  • Tasmanian overseas residents' letters will have their full meaningful overseas postal address printed on their letter and be sent from the Mailing House; and
  • The new Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs departmental letterhead logo is to be implemented with this mailout.

Letter Content

Advice Letter Target Audience

A letter will be produced for the following clients who have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment:

  • Less than maximum rate service pensioners (SP), income support supplement recipients (ISS) and age pensioners (AP);
  • Maximum rate SP/ISS/AP recipients who move to less than maximum rate as a result of the reassessment;
  • Less than maximum rate SP/ISS/AP recipients who move to maximum rate as a result of the reassessment;
  • SP/ISS/AP recipients who are reduced to nil as a result of the reassessment;
  • Treatment changes as a result of the Statutory Increase (SI) or global refresh of MIs and/or SHs reassessment; and
  • Clients going on or off Period of Grace will be advised of the outcome.

New Department Letterhead Logo

We will be implementing the new Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs logo on our letterhead and envelopes for this mailout.

Financial Assets Reassess-ment

The asset value of managed investment and/or share data will be reassessed as part of this process.  Clients with MI and/or SH data in their assessment will receive a paragraph advising them of the ...Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments...

Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment

All less than maximum rate income support recipients with MIs and/or SHs in their assessment will receive a full listing of all their Managed Investments and/or Shares regardless of which MIs and/or SHs have been reassessed.

A full Income and Assets Attachment will not be provided.

CPI

There will be a brief reference made in the advice letters about the CPI increase after the 'Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments' paragraph.

Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE)

There will be a brief reference to MTAWE made in the advice letters after the 'Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments' paragraph.

Advice on CPI and MTAWE variations will be included in the September edition of VetAffairs – VetAffairs distribution is to commence on Thursday, 18 — th September 2003 to be completed by Friday, 26 — th September 2003.

Obligations suppressed

Obligations are to be suppressed for all letters produced.  Reference will be made to previous obligations issued to clients and in the case of Service Pension and Income Support Supplement recipients, reference will also be made to obligations provided in the 'You and Your Pension' Booklet.

The Financial Obligations paragraph (including the Prescribed Rates) will be present in the advice for all clients (excluding Blinded pensioners and clients reduced to nil.)

$1 Minimum Variation Rules

The $1min rules will be applied to all less than max rate SP and ISS variation cases ie., an increase or reduction must be equal to or greater than a $1 amount to receive an advice.

$1min rules do not apply to Age Pensioners.

Continuation Cases

Cases where the 'old rate' resulting from the Statutory Increase (SI) processing and the 'new rate' resulting from MI/SH refresh end up being the same amount after the reassessment will not have an advice produced.

Treatment Advices to be Checked

As is the procedure for quarterly processing all Enclosure (treatment changes) advice letters will be printed at the IBM printhub and sent via courier to each State Office.  We request that these letters be checked for accuracy prior to sending, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office.

Tasmanian Clients with Overseas Address

Tasmanian State Office clients who have an overseas postal address will have the full, meaningful overseas address printing on their advice letters.

The advice letters for Tasmanian overseas clients will be printed, enveloped and sent from the mailing house. This is a change from previous years where the letters were sent back to the Tasmanian Branch for posting.

Group Addressees/
Special Register  Advices

Special Register advice letters are to be streamed for the South Australian State Office only - they will be printed at the IBM Printhub at St Leonard's in Sydney and forwarded to the South Australia State Office for checking and posting.  All other State's Special Register advices will form part of the bulk advices to be printed and sent from the mailing house.

Blinded Clients will not Receive an Advice

As blind persons are not subject to the income and assets test they will not receive an advice regardless of whether they have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment - as any changes to their MIs/SHs as a result of the reassessment will not affect their rate of pension.  However, if they are in a joint assessment where their partner is not blind the non-blind member of the couple will receive a single advice where they are on less than the maximum rate of income support pension and have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment.

General Information Sheet

Each letter will contain a General Information Sheet (GIS).  This will act as the consistent last page for gatemarking purposes at the mailing house.

The GIS provides details of new rates and threshold information.  A number of wording changes have been made to the GIS.  We have provided additional information on the Gold Card Income and Assets Limits and have clarified to whom they do and do not apply.

Single & Joint Letters

All Service Pensioners and Income Support Supplement recipient couples will receive a joint letter, provided the pensioner addresses are identical.

Age Pensioner couples will receive separate letters.

Production of Advice Letters

Processing

Processing is scheduled to run from PM Friday, 12 — th September 2003 through until approximately PM Sunday, 14 — th September 2003.

Critical Dates

Processing Weekend within DVA (includes 'advices' processing)

Friday (pm) 12 — th September 2003 – Sunday (pm) 14 — th September 2003

Commence dispatch of Production Data to SMS

Monday, 15 — th September 2003

Commence printing Advice Letters

Tuesday, 16 — th September 2003

End Printing Advice Letters

Friday, 19 — th September 2003

National Lodgement of Advice Letters with Australia Post

By COB Friday, 19 — th September 2003

Client Numbers

The following is a summary of client numbers in each State.  The numbers are approximates only:

STATE

NO. OF LETTERS

(Approx Only and includes Special Register, Overseas and Enclosures)

New South Wales (incl ACT)

9,274

Victoria

7,075

Queensland

6,062

Western Australia

2,920

South Australia

2,728

Tasmania

952

Tasmania – Overseas

87

TOTAL

29,098

(Based on March 2003 Statistics)

Printing of Letters

Security Mailing Services (SMS) Sydney, will print, fold and insert advice letters in the week from Tuesday, 16 — th September 2003 through until Friday 19 — th September 2003.

Lodgement of Letters

All State's letters will be lodged with Australia Post on Friday, 19th September 2003.  A representative from National Office will notify and confirm all lodgement details.

The State Office Contacts for this exercise will be given progress reports and advised of any changes to this timetable.

Foreign Pension Refresh Program known as GROOVER

The foreign pension refresh program referred to as 'GROOVER' (Global Refresh Of Overseas Exchange Rates) is a separate processing exercise to the September SI and is scheduled to run on 20 — th – 21 — st September 2003 - the weekend following the September SI processing. The effective date of the Foreign Pensions Refresh Run is 20 — th September 2003 for effective payday 2 — nd October 2003.

Separate advices are produced for clients who have foreign pensions, excluding the BRI pension types (08 & 09).  Clients whose pension has been varied will receive an advice.  Advices from this processing will be printed at the IMB Printhub and couriered to each State Office for checking and posting.

Issues Requiring State Office Action

Special Register, & Enclosure Advice Letters

Special Register (for SA State Office only) and Enclosure (treatment changes) advice letters will be printed at the IBM Printhub at St Leonard's in Sydney and sent via courier to each State Office.  These should be checked for accuracy, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office.

Each State Office will receive a report detailing the advice letters produced in each of these categories.  We will advise SSOs in each State when to expect delivery of these letters.  Please notify Pat Webb, Advices and Cards Team on (02) 9213 7288 if the letters do not arrive or if they do not match the reports.

Reprints of selected letters

Reprints of individual Quarterly Advice letters can be requested via VIEW – Advices Tab reprint facility immediately following the processing weekend.

'HELD' Advices to be Forced

As part of the Batch processing run any advices in 'Held' status will be forced to print.  Forced held advices will print at each respective State Office's nominated printer as part of the production processing.  Please ensure your designated printer is fully operational during the processing period.  These advices will need to be checked to ensure the information in them is correct prior to posting.

Holding of daily advice letters

Daily payment advice letters produced after the processing run on the weekend of 12 — th  - 14 — th September 2003 for clients who have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment, should be held pending notification that the quarterly letters have been dispatched.  This will ensure that pensioner's receive their advice letters in chronological order.

State Office Contacts

State Office Point of Contact

A contact person from each State has previously been identified to act as a liaison point for the National Office Advices Team and will be the responsible person for distributing any information regarding the global refresh and mailout to staff.

State Office Contacts for the September quarterly processing are:

NSW: Genia Sacharczuk - 02 9213 7106

VIC: David Price - 03 9284 6379

QLD: Steve Jensen – 07 3223 8835

SA: Graham Bate - 08 8290 0425

WA: Kim Gooding - 08 9366 8549/John Gliddon - 08  9366 8417

TAS: Bryon Kelly – 03 6221 6698

ACT: Kristie Chynoweth - 02 6289 6019

National Office Contacts

Feedback from State Offices

Any concerns regarding letters produced as part of this run should be directed to the National Office Contact Officer, Pat Webb.  Please forward your feedback on this exercise to the National Office Contact Officer, noting the nature of the query together with any relevant information – every effort will be made to develop solutions to address any concerns raised.  Please ensure that problems are reported as early as possible.

Contacts

There will be one National Office contact for this mailout.  Any queries regarding advice wording, data cartridges, mail house printing and  lodgement of letters with Australia Post should be referred to:

Pat Webb

(02) 9213 7288 (Phone)

(02) 9213 7889 6553 (Fax)

pat.webb2@dva.gov.au [14] (email)

Systems issues should be directed to:

Warren Walsh on (02) 9213 7254 or Renee Arkinstall on (02) 6289 6777.

Letter Mockups

Letters

Prior to the issue of this Departmental Instruction, the State Office Contact Officers for this exercise and Managers Income Support were provided with copies of the proposed paragraph sequencing and mock-ups of advice letters for this run.

All recommendations received have been taken into consideration for the final version of paragraphs and sequencing.  An email will be forwarded to the State Contact Officers advising of the changes in respect of all comments received.

Copies of the amended advice letters for this run are at Attachment A of this DI.

Attachment A – Paragraph sequencing and Advice Letter Examples

Example 1: Overall Decrease - either from Maximum  Rate to less than Maximum Rate or decrease in Less than Max Rate Amount,  Payment Information Attachment, MI/SH Information Attachment, General Information Sheet (GIS)

Example 2: Increase from Less than Maximum Rate to Maximum Rate  - WITH Managed Investments and/or Shares in Assessment.  Service Pension - Single advice

Example 3: Overall Increase - remaining on Less than Maximum Rate Income Support Supplement, WITH MIs/SHs in assessment.  Payment Information Attachment, MI/SH Information Attachment, and GIS

Example 4: Age Pension increase remaining on Less than Maximum Rate, Disability Pension in payment, WITH MIs/SHs in assessment.

Example 5: Reduction to Nil, with MIs/SHs in assessment, Single advice

Letter Variables

Please note, in the following samples:

  • Letterhead, DC name and signature block will change according to State;
  • The words “service pension”, “age pension”, “income support supplement” each represent variables which will appear for those clients in receipt of the applicable pension.
  • State specific 'closing' paragraphs with the preferred contact telephone number for Income Support related issues will be used for this mailout.

ATTACHMENT A

EXAMPLE 1:

  • OVERALL DECREASE – EITHER FROM MAXIMUM RATE TO LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE OR DECREASE IN LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE AMOUNT WITH MIs/SHs IN ASSESSMENT
  • SERVICE PENSIONERS
  • MARRIED ASSESSMENT

GPO Box 651, Brisbane  QLD  4001

Contact:State Office

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! (Barcode?)Postal Address:

JOHN SMITH — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

MARY SMITH — Telephone:

29 MARGARGET STREET — General inquiries: 133 254

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

14 September 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX123456

Dear Mr and Mrs SMITH,

I am writing to you about your service pension payment from Veterans' Affairs

Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments

The asset value of your shares which are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and/or unit based managed investments has been reassessed.  The adjusted value of these investments has been used to work out your service pension payment and has resulted in an overall decrease to the amount of service pension paid to you.  Please note that the value of other income and assets you may have has not been affected by this reassessment.

Please refer to the 'Managed Investments and Shares Information' Attachment included in this letter.  This Attachment details all your managed investments and/or shares regardless of whether there has been a change to that managed investment or share.  It is important that you check that this list is a full and accurate statement of your managed investments and/or shares.  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of service pension you are paid.

Your pension has also been adjusted in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).

This change will take effect from 20 September 2003.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance) if your combined gross income from all sources is more than $XXXX.XX per fortnight or the value of your combined assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'.  These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this variation to your pension, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you do decide to apply, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  Such a request for review must be in writing, and must set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner


PAYMENT INFORMATION ATTACHMENT

The Department now calculates service pension payments on a daily basis.  This means that your fortnightly pension payment is now made up of 14 days of entitlement of pension.  Therefore, when there is a change to your circumstances on any particular day in the fortnight - your pension will be adjusted from that day.  For that reason your pension payment may be different for one or two paydays after a reassessment.

Payment for 02 OCTOBER 2003VeteranPartner

TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.x                xxx.xx

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx                xxx.xx

          - xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx    xx.xx                xx.xx

Payment for 16 OCTOBER 2003VeteranPartner

TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xx               xxx.xx

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx                xxx.xx

- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx  xx.xx                  xx.xx

Payment Destination

The following table shows where your pension payments are going.

Date

Name

Payment Destination

Amount Deposited

02/10/03

J SMITH

BSA 574286330

$xxx.xx

M SMITH

BSA 574286330

$xxx.xx

TOTAL

$xxx.xx

16/10/03

J SMITH

BSA 574286330

$xxx.xx

M SMITH

BSA 574286330

$xxx.xx

TOTAL

$xxx.xx

Please Note:  If you have an overpayment or lump sum advance which is currently being recovered (by deductions from your fortnightly pension), then amount paid into your account may be less than the total fortnightly payment shown above.


MANAGED INVESTMENTS AND SHARES INFORMATION

(Information current as at 14 September 2003)

You are receiving service pension at less than the maximum rate payable.

You are currently paid under the income test.  The total of your assessed gross fortnightly  income is $xxx.xx.  The total of all your assets (excluding any deductible assets) is $xxx.xx.

Information about your managed investments and shares is provided below.

Your managed investments and shares have been automatically updated.  The information below sets out the new values for these products.

Managed Investments

Description

Units

Asset Amount

VVVVVVVVVV

XX

$XX.XX

CCCCCCCCCCCCC

XXX

$XX.XX

Listed Securities and Unlisted Public Securities

Description

No. of Shares

Asset Amount

XXXXXX

X,XXX

$XX,XXX.XX

QQQQQQQQQQQQQ

XXX

$    X,XXX.XX

Note: Income from financial assets is deemed.

Please note:  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of service pension you are paid.  If they have changed, please notify the Department immediately.

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance) (Note: RAA wording is not included for Age Pensioners who receive this para in production advices) if the above list of your Managed Investments and/or Shares is incomplete or incorrect, or if the number of shares or units you hold has changed.  Please note that failure to advise of incorrect or missing information about your managed investments or shares, or about other income or asset changes may lead to your pension being overpaid.  Such overpayments are recoverable.


This is an example of the General Information Sheet (GIS) for Service Pensioners that will be used in the September mailout.  There is a separate GIS for both income support supplement and age pensioner recipients. Production printing of the GIS is restricted to one page – two images.  PLEASE NOTE: Rates and thresholds have not been updated to reflect changes due to CPI or MTAWE as changes had not been released at the time of producing this document.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON SERVICE PENSION RATES AND LIMITS

(Information current as at T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE )

MAXIMUM RATES OF SERVICE PENSION (excludes pharmaceutical allowance)

Singles Rate$440.30 (per fortnight)

Couples Rate (each)$367.50 (per fortnight)

PENSION INCOME LIMIT (per fortnight)

Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*

Singles Limit$120.00                                                           $1,235.25

Couples Limit (combined)$212.00                                                           $2,064.00

PENSION ASSETS LIMIT

Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*

Home Owner

Singles Limit$149,500$298,250

Couples Limit (combined)$212,500$459,500

Non Home Owner

Singles Limit$257,500$406,250

Couples Limit (combined)$320,500$567,500

These pension income and assets limits may increase for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE, or if rent assistance is payable.

NOTE: *Income and assets limits do not apply to blinded service pensioners.

GOLD CARD INCOME AND ASSETS CUT OFF LIMITS

The treatment benefits income and assets limits apply to you if you are an Australian veteran or mariner whose eligibility for the Gold Card is dependent solely on your service pension payment.

INCOME

Singles Limit              $338.50 (per fortnight)

Couples Limit (combined)              $589.00 (per fortnight)

Add $72.60 per fortnight for each dependent child or student to the age of T-CHILD-AGE.


ASSETS

Home OwnerNon Home Owner

Singles Limit$178,750$286,750

Couples Limit (combined)$263,000$371,000

Add approximately $6,500 for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE.

GOLD CARD INFORMATION

The Gold Card income and assets limits apply if you receive a disability pension below 50% of the general rate and you also receive an amount of service pension.  Should your assessed income or assets exceed these limits you will no longer be eligible for the Gold Card.

The Gold Card income and assets limits do not apply if:

  • your disability pension is above 50% of the general rate and you also receive an amount of service pension.  Should your service pension cease due to excess income and assets, you will no longer be eligible for a Gold Card;
  • you receive a disability pension at 100% of the general rate, Intermediate rate, EDA or TPI; or
  • you are aged 70 years or over and you are a veteran who served in Australia's Defence Force and have qualifying service from any conflict or you are an Australian Mariner with qualifying service from World War II.

DEEMING

Deeming assumes that any money you have invested in financial assets is earning a particular amount of income regardless of the actual amount earned.  The deeming rates are:

Singles

Low Rate:- 2.5% interest up to the threshold of $35,600

High Rate:- 4% interest for the remaining balance

Couples

Low Rate:- 2.5% interest up to the threshold of $59,400

High Rate:- 4% interest for the remaining balance

ILLNESS SEPARATED COUPLES

Couples separated due to ill health are paid at the single rate of service pension, but have their income and assets assessed as a couple.

RENT ASSISTANCE

You may be eligible for rent assistance if you pay rent to a non-government body or landlord.  The amount of rent assistance you receive depends on the amount of rent you pay and your family circumstances.  Rent assistance is paid at the rate of 75 cents in the dollar for every dollar you pay over the set rent limits.

When calculating the amount of rent assistance payable, any disability pension received, is counted as income and may reduce the rate of rent assistance payable to you or your partner.

Maximum Amount of Rent Assistance Payable (per fortnight)

Singles Rate (no children)$93.20

Couples Rate (combined, no children)$88.00

Rent Thresholds (per fortnight)

Singles Rate (no children)$82.80

Couples Rate (combined, no children) $134.80

EXAMPLE 2:

  • INCREASE FROM LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE TO MAXIMUM RATE AMOUNT WITH MIs/SHs IN ASSESSMENT
  • SERVICE PENSIONER
  • SINGLE ASSESSMENT

GPO Box 651, Brisbane  QLD  4001

Contact:State Office

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! (Barcode?)Postal Address:

JOHN SMITH — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

29 MARGARET STREET — Telephone:

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

14 September 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX123456

Dear Mr SMITH,

I am writing to you about your service pension payment from Veterans' Affairs

Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments

The asset value of your shares which are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and/or unit based managed investments has been reassessed.  The adjusted value of these investments has been used to work out your service pension payment and has resulted in an increase to the amount of service pension paid to you.  Please note that the value of other income and assets you may have has not been affected by this reassessment.

Please refer to the Managed Investments and Shares Information Attachment included in this letter.  This Attachment details all your managed investments and/or shares regardless of whether there has been a change to that managed investment or share. It is important that you check that this list is a full and accurate statement of your managed investments and/or shares.  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of service pension you are paid.

Your pension has also been adjusted in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).

This change will take effect from 20 September 2003.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance) if your gross income from all sources is more than $XXXX.XX per fortnight or the value of your assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'.  These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this variation to your pension, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you do decide to apply, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  Such a request for review must be in writing, and must set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner

ATTACHMENTS

  • Payment Information Attachment - YES
  • Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment - YES

General Information Sheet - YES

EXAMPLE 3:

  • OVERALL INCREASE – REMAINING ON LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE OF INCOME SUPPORT SUPPLEMENT WITH MIs/SHs IN ASSESSMENT
  • INCOME SUPPORT SUPPLEMENT – SINGLE ADVICE

GPO Box 651, Brisbane  QLD  4001

Contact:State Office

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! (Barcode?)Postal Address:

GERALDINE THOMPSON — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

29 MARGARET STREET — Telephone:

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

14 September 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX666666

Dear Mrs THOMPSON,

I am writing to you about your income support supplement payment from Veterans' Affairs.

Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments

The asset value of your shares which are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and/or unit based managed investments has been reassessed.  The adjusted value of these investments has been used to work out your income support supplement payment and has resulted in an increase to the amount of income support supplement paid to you.  Please note that the value of other income and assets you may have has not been affected by this reassessment.

Please refer to the Managed Investments and Shares Information Attachment included in this letter.  This Attachment details all your managed investments and/or shares regardless of whether there has been a change to that managed investment or share. It is important that you check that this list is a full and accurate statement of your managed investments and/or shares.  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of income support supplement you are paid.

Your pension has also been adjusted in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).

This change will take effect from 20 September 2003.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance) if your gross income from all sources is more than $XXXX.XX per fortnight or the value of your assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'.  These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this variation to your pension, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you do decide to apply, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  Such a request for review must be in writing, and must set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner

ATTACHMENT

  • Payment Information Attachment - YES
  • Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment - YES

General Information Sheet - YES

EXAMPLE 4:

  • AGE PENSION INCREASE, REMAINING ON LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE WITH MIs/SHs IN ASSESSMENT
  • DISABILITY PENSION IN PAYMENT
  • SINGLE ASSESSMENT

GPO Box 651, Brisbane  QLD  4001

Contact:State Office

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! (Barcode?)Postal Address:

JOHN JONES — PO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

29 MARGARET STREET — Telephone:

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

14 September 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QKM10000

Dear Mr JONES,

I am writing to you about your age pension payment from Veterans' Affairs.

Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments

The asset value of your shares which are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and/or unit based managed investments has been reassessed.  The adjusted value of these investments has been used to work out your age pension payment and has resulted in an increase to the amount of age pension paid to you.  Please note that the value of other income and assets you may have has not been affected by this reassessment.

Please refer to the Managed Investments and Shares Information Attachment included in this letter.  This Attachment details all your managed investments and/or shares regardless of whether there has been a change to that managed investment or share. It is important that you check that this list is a full and accurate statement of your managed investments and/or shares.  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of age pension you are paid.

Your pension has also been adjusted in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).

This change will take effect from 20 September 2003.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas) if your gross income from all sources is more than $XXXX.XX per fortnight or the value of your assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters. These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this decision, you can contact your nearest DVA office and discuss the reasons for the decision.  If you remain dissatisfied, you may apply to have the decision reviewed by an Authorised Review Officer, with no prior involvement in the case.  If you decide to apply for a review more than 13 weeks from the day this notice is given to you, arrears can only be paid from the date we receive your application.  Requests for review may be made in person, by telephone or in writing.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner as Delegate of the Secretary

ATTACHMENTS

  • Payment Information Attachment - YES
  • Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment - YES
  • General Information Sheet - YES


EXAMPLE 5:

  • SERVICE PENSION - REDUCTION TO NIL WITH MIs/SHs IN ASSESSMENT
  • SINGLE ASSESSMENT

GPO Box 651, Brisbane  QLD  4001

Contact:State Office

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! (Barcode?)Postal Address:

WILLIAM TELL — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

29 MARGARET STREET — Telephone:

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

14 September 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX333444

Dear Mr TELL,

I am writing to you about your service pension payment from Veterans' Affairs.

Changes to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments

The asset value of your shares which are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and/or unit based managed investment has been reassessed.  The adjusted value of these investments has been used to work out your service pension payment and has resulted in your service pension being reduced to nil.  Details of your investments are listed in this advice.  Please note that the value of other income and assets you may have has not been affected by this reassessment.

Please refer to the Managed Investments and Shares Information Attachment included in this letter.  This Attachment details all your managed investments and/or shares regardless of whether there has been a change to that managed investment or share. It is important that you check that this list is a full and accurate statement of your managed investments and/or shares.  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of service pension you are paid.

Your pension has also been adjusted in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).

Your service pension has been reduced to nil because your income and/or assets exceed the limits that allow for payment of the pension.

This change will take effect from 20 September 2003.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Fringe Benefits

As you are no longer eligible for a service pension you no longer qualify for fringe benefits from this Department.  Please destroy your existing Pensioner Concession Card.

Your Right to Re-Apply

You may re-apply to have your service pension restored at any time if your income and/or assets fall below the limits that would allow for payment of the pension.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this variation to your pension, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you do decide to apply, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  Such a request for review must be in writing, and must set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner

ATTACHMENTS

  • Payment Information Attachment - YES
  • Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment - YES
  • General Information Sheet - YES

C23/2003 2004 ISSUE OF PENSIONER CONCESSION CARDS (PCCs)

  • Log in [15] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  4 SEPTEMBER 2003

2004 ISSUE OF PENSIONER CONCESSION CARDS (PCCs)

Purpose of Instruction

This Departmental Instruction provides information on:

the format and issuing of the 2004 PCCs;

procedures for applying for replacement travel vouchers; and

arrangements for the ongoing daily issuing of PCCs.

Jeanette Ricketts

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT

         September 2003


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 and State/Territory 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 daily issue for clients who become eligible.

The following table provides a summary timetable of key dates in this year's PCC process.

This Event

Is scheduled to occur

Data Extract and Download

6-7  September

Bulk Printing of PCCs

9 September – 30 September

Lodgement with Australia Post

Progressively from 15- 30 September

What has changed
  • The postal address of up to 4 lines (at 38 characters each line) will appear  in uppercase on the carrier.
  • The residential address of up to 3 lines (at 30 characters each line) will appear in mixed upper and lower case on the card.
  • The return journey WA free trip voucher has been replaced with two single journey vouchers.
  • Information about the State/Territory specific concessions has been deleted and the carriers are now reasonably generic.  Font size has been increased for easier reading.
  • The State Office Return Address will be in upper and lower case.
  • The pension payday fridge magnet calendar will be distributed with the PCCs instead of the Vetaffairs.

What remains the same
  • The pensioner's name will be constructed as follows: forename, 2 — nd initial, 3 — rd initial (where applicable) and surname (all in upper case) up to 37 characters.
  • The partner's name will be constructed as follows: forename, 2 — nd initial, 3 — rd initial (where applicable) and surname (in upper and lower case) up to 37 characters.
  •        Dependent children's first name (truncated to 9 characters if more than 3 children) and file number will appear in upper and lower case.
  •        Victoria will issue replacement vouchers on behalf of their State transport Authority throughout the year.
  •        South Australia will issue replacement vouchers on behalf of their State transport Authority throughout the year.
  •        Blind clients will have a hole punched in the top right hand corner of the card and the word “BLIND” printed at the top of the card.
  •        PCC Summary Report will be produced on CD-ROM.

Concession Information Sheet

A State specific “Concessions Information” sheet will be inserted during the bulk printing for VIC, SA, TAS and WA married carriers.  This is in order to provide information that is unable to fit onto the carrier due to the number of vouchers these States require.

Cross Reference Cases

Where there is a cross reference for a person, the 2004 PCC bulk issue will be issued in the payment number.

Partners on PCCs

The PCC program will include the following in order to comply with current FaCS policy regarding the issue of Centrelink PCCs:

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, the spouse/defacto is added as a dependant to the veterans' card (blind veterans 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.

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.

Production of PCCs

Card Production

The printing of approximately 272,550 PCCs for 2004 will commence on Tuesday, 9 September 2003, following the extract of client data on the weekend of 6 - 7 September 2003.

The 2004 PCC will be personalised, enveloped and despatched by the mailing house – Security Mailing Services in Sydney.  Lodgement with Australia Post will commence on 15 September 2003 and is expected to be completed by Tuesday, 30 September 2003.

Card Numbers

The approximate numbers for each State/Territory are as follows:

State/Territory

No. of PCCs

New South Wales

91,420

Victoria

61,060

Queensland

56,910

South Australia

25,590

Western Australia

24,640

Tasmania

10,045

NT

      580

ACT

2,305

TOTAL

272,550

2004 PCC Stock

For the 2004 bulk PCC issue, there will be 2 different carriers for:

  • couples (to be used in the bulk issue only); and
  • singles (blind and special register go on single carriers).

The pre-printed format of the card for both singles and couples cards will be the same as the 2003 card.

Carrier Layout

The 2004 carrier layout for single pensioners remains the same as the layout for the 2003 carrier, with the vouchers printed at the bottom of the carrier.

The 2004 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 for 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 partner details.

Blind Pensioners – Special PCCs

The word 'BLIND' will be printed in 14 point lettering on the top centre of the 2004 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 Contact for checking prior to dispatch to the Special Register addresses.

Fridge Magnet Calendar

The State specific magnetic refrigerator calendar will be included with the bulk issue of PCCs.  States will be issued with a supply of 2004 calenders to cater for new clients.

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 number, and in the case of Tasmania will also contain the pensioner's residential 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

NIL

ACT

NIL

NIL

NT

NIL

NIL

VIC

Single (1 voucher and 1 coupon)

Name

Entitlement Number

VIC

Couple (2 vouchers and 2 coupons)

Names

Entitlement Numbers

QLD

NIL

NIL

QLD

NIL

NIL

SA

Single (2 vouchers)

Name

Entitlement Number

SA

Couples (4 vouchers)

Names

Entitlement Numbers

WA

Single (2 vouchers)

Name

Entitlement Number

WA

Couples (4 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 after the bulk extract:

  • a list of clients who did not receive a PCC and the reason for not receiving a PCC, eg clients with an overseas address;
  • Special Register clients;
  • Blind Cases – listing cases of blind pensioners who receive a PCC; and
  • Blind and Special Register Cases – listing cases where the pensioner is blind and a Special Register Case.

The reports will automatically print in the State Office following the data extraction processing on the weekend of  6 – 7 September 2003.

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 PCC recipients from the bulk issue.  The CD-ROM is expected to be dispatched to the nominated State contact officers in October.

The CD-ROM files (*.pdf format) can be accessed via Acrobat Reader 5.0 which can be found on the DVA LAN.  From the Start up menu select Departmental/Applications/Internet Tools/Acrobat Reader 5.0.

Daily Issuing of PCC Cards and Vouchers

New and replacement PCC's

The procedures for the ongoing issuing of new and replacement 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 2003 PCCs will be on Friday, 6 September 2003.

Formatting and any re-alignment of local printers to accommodate the 2004 PCC will be addressed by IMU.  Please advise Kevin Richardson on

(02) 6289 6330 as soon as possible if you experience any difficulties in printing replacement or new grant PCCs.

Manual Card Prints

Please be aware that after the live run (weekend of 6 – 7 September 2003) there will be a short period of time until the 2004 PCCs become valid i.e., 1 October 2003.  State Offices are to manually print the 2003 PCCs until the 2004 card is distributed.

Manual Voucher Issue

From Monday, 8 September 2003, 2004 PCC stock is to be used for daily issues.  However, any new grant or transfer-in between 8 September and 31 December 2003 will still require manually issued 2003 travel vouchers for this period.

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:

  • have had a 2004 DVA PCC processed with vouchers, then lost and regained eligibility during the course of the year; or
  • Centrelink Transfer In cases, as they would have already received their PCC and vouchers from Centrelink.

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 of this instruction.

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.

Replacement vouchers in
SA & VIC

As in previous years South Australian Rail has 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.

The Victorian Rail Authority has 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.

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.

Normal PCC stock should be used for blind pensioners.

New PCC Stock

All State Offices should have received stock of 2004 PCCs and fridge magnet calendars during the first week in September.

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 Kerry-Anne Rowe on 02 6289 6663.


ATTACHMENT A

Arrangements for providing replacement Travel Vouchers for
Pensioner Concession Cardholders in 200
4

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.

SA

SA Rail continue to give the DVA South Australian State Office authority to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf indefinitely

WA

(08) 9326 2222 – WAGR

              For a period up until the 31 — st January 2004, WAGR have given authority to our WA State Office to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf.

After this date people can phone WAGR to apply for replacement vouchers.

Note: WAGR may charge for replacement vouchers.

C22/2003 EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

  • Log in [16] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  3 SEPTEMBER 2003

EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

Purpose of Instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the Pounds Sterling exchange rate variation exercise.

Introduction

Following the recent variation in UK - Australian exchange rates, DVA will apply a new exchange rate for the assessment of the rate of income support pensions for those also in receipt of British Pension..

New exchange rate A$2.3992

The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.4606 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.3992 (ie A$1 = ?0.4168).

This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 29 August 2003.

Date of effect
2 September 2003

Effective from 2 September 2003 the current exchange rate will change.

On pension payday 18 September 2003 (pay period 58) pensioners will receive a full instalment at the new assessed rate.

Date of processing run

Processing to implement the new exchange rate is scheduled for the evening of Monday, 1 September 2003.

Continued on next page

Automatic superannuation processing

The amount recorded as BRI non-indexed super type 08 or BRI indexed super type 09 will be varied by applying the exchange rate to the amount recorded, to determine the new rate of superannuation.  The pension amount will then be reassessed automatically.

Manual cases and MS cases

Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed automatically.  These cases will be listed on the manual listing for follow up action, and CMS/PIPS cases will be created automatically for State Office action.  Any cases processed through PIPS/PC should be reassessed from the beginning of the pension period for pension payday 18 September 2003 – ie 2 September 2003.

Advice letters

The advice letters for this exercise will be joint advices where both members of a couple are in receipt of BRI and their pension payment varies.  Age Pensioners will receive separate advices.

The letter will advise the new exchange rate and the amount of income.  An advice will only be produced for cases where a variation in payment results.

IBM GSA implications

IBM GSA will produce the cartridge and forward it to Security Mailing services (SMS) in Sydney.

Overseas, Special Register and Enclosure Advices

Overseas, Special Register, Enclosure Advice letters (ie cases where a change to treatment entitlement occurs) and reduction to nil cases will be separated by IBM GSA and despatched to the State Office for manual distribution.  This arrangement is the same as for daily advice letters.

Mail out of bulk advices

Security Mailing will print and prepare the advices for lodgement with Australia Post by 12 September 2003.

British DP case paid Rent Assistance

Income Support pensioners who are in receipt of Rent Assistance (RA) and who also receive British Disability Pension direct from Britain (not EATS and Composite cases) should have that Disability Pension converted to $A using the BRI exchange rate.  RA should be manually recalculated.  These cases can be extracted through AIS by each state.  If you have any problem please contact Nasreen Haque on the number below.

Note: If DP has already been assessed as income in determining Hardship cases it should not also be assessed as income for RA.

Contact officer

The Income Support Branch contact officer is:

Nasreen Haque Telephone:   (02) 6289 1125

Jeanette Ricketts
Branch Head
INCOME SUPPORT

2 September 2003


POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE

Foreign exchange periodExchange rate

11 Feb 99

to

19 May 99

0.3905

2.5608

20 May 99

to

28 July 99

0.4079

2.4516

New Date of Effect Rules

13 July 99

to

9 August 99

0.4271

2.3414

10 August 99

to

1 Nov 99

0.4105

2.4361

2 Nov 99

to

10 Jan 00

0.3952

2.5304

11 Jan 00

to

6 March 00

0.4069

2.4576

7 March 00

to

1 May 00

0.3927

2.5465

2 May 00

to

29 May 00

0.3807

2.6267

30 May 00

to

10 July 00

0.3907

2.5595

11 July 00

to

16 Oct 00

0.4022

2.4863

17 Oct 00

to

2 April 01

0.3737

2.6759

3 April 01

to

14 May 01

0.3550

2.8169

15 May 01

to

23 July 01

0.3674

2.7218

24 July 01

to

6 August 01

0.3803

2.6295

7 August 01

to

1 October 01

0.3701

2.7020

2 October 01

to

29 October 01

0.3430

2.9155

30 October 01

to

10 December 01

0.3588

2.7871

11 December 01

to

7 January 02

0.3709

2.6961

8 January 02

to

18 March 02

0.3612

2.7685

19 March 02

to

27 May 02

0.3723

2.6860

28 May 02

to

10 June 02

0.3830

2.6110

11 June 02

to

08 July 02

0.3928

2.5258

09 July 02

to

22 July 02

0.3758

2.6610

23 July 02

to

05 August 02

0.3643

2.7450

06 August 02

to

02 September 02

0.3503

2.8547

03 September 02

to

03 March 03

0.3620

2.7624

04 March 03

to

28 April 03

0.3816

2.6205

29 April 03

to

26 May 03

0.3929

2.5452

27 May 03

to

1 September 03

0.4064

2.4606

2 September 03

to

0.4168

2.3992

C21/2003 Verification of Post 1998 Deployments

  • Log in [17] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  4 SEPTEMBER 2003

Verification of Post 1998 Deployments

Purpose

This Instruction sets out the procedure which should be followed to obtain and record post 1998 service records when processing claims.

Issue

Recently there have been an increasing number of inefficiencies identified when dealing with post 1998 service record requests.  These have caused delays in processing claims and some duplication of requests.

Contents

For ease of reference:

  • Part I gives the basic instructions.

  • Part II provides more detail.

Not included

This Instruction does not cover confirmation of service prior to 1998.  Such confirmation should be obtained as usual from CARO or from Navy/RAAF personnel records.


Part IBasic steps – verification of post 1998 deployments

Steps in obtaining post 1998 service information

Before requesting service information from Defence, a Claims Assessor, or the person requesting the information must:

  • check on VIEW  and on file (both M and C files, including previous files) to see if service information on the claimant has already been received; 

and where appropriate,

  • also check the declared lists of ADF members on CLIK for East Timor service on operations Faber, Warden, Stabalise, or Tanager;

If the necessary information is on CLIK, make a file note to put with the service documents and statements of service on the file and record the service information on VIEW / CCPS.

When to contact Defence

If the necessary service information has not been found after the above actions, then contact Belen Mansford at the Department of Defence at belen.mansford@defence.gov.au [18]

Request only confirmation of any periods of service not already verified.

As soon as the requested service information is received it must:

  • be recorded on VIEW / CCPS, and
  • the supporting paperwork put with the service documents and statements of service on the file.

Part II Further Information

Before contacting Defence

It is particularly important that an assessor who is processing a disability claim checks whether the service information for the claimant has previously been obtained for qualifying service purposes and vice versa.

In States where it is customary for staff other than claims assessors (for example, registry staff) to request the service information, the claims assessors should take particular care to check whether service information has already been requested from Defence to avoid duplicating that request.

If a claims assessor finds a document on file that appears to relate to post 1998 deployment and is not sure about its authenticity, the Claims Assessor should contact National Office on the “DVA Policy Eligibility Research”

e-mail address for confirmation.

Post 1998 deployments

Since 1998 there have been ADF deployments in:

  • East Timor 
  • Bougainville 
  • Solomon Islands (various)
  • Afghanistan (War on Terrorism) 
  • Iraq conflict (2 — nd Gulf War)

Of the above deployments, allotment certificates listing individual ADF members have so far only been issued for some operations in East Timor.  It is expected that the Department of Defence will continue to progressively issue such Instruments for all post 1998 “warlike” service.

East Timor Service

Where a claimant states that they were in East Timor during the period, or operation, for which an allotment certificate has been issued, this service can be confirmed by checking the allotment certificates on CLIK.

CLIK should be checked before requesting information from Defence to prevent superfluous requests being made.

NOTE: The information on the allotment certificate may be used to confirm service, but must not be used to exclude any claimants.  If a claimant states that they were on one of these operations, but is not listed, or if there are concerns about the service details shown, contact  National Office on the “DVA Policy Eligibility Research”

e-mail address.

If the service information required is provided on these lists, the Claims Assessor does not need to contact the Department of Defence, but must make a File Note to put on the file with the service documentation, detailing where the confirmed service information came from.

ADF members on CLIK

The allotment certificates listing all ADF members who served on operations Faber, Warden, and Stabalise are on CLIK.  The allotment certificate listing those who served on operation Tanager is expected to be added shortly.  To view:

  1. Open CLIK
  2. Go to 'Legislation Library'
  3. Open 'Service Eligibility' on the left-hand side of the screen
  4. Open 'Service Determinations'
  5. Open 's. 6F Warlike Service'
  6. Open 'East Timor'
  7. Open 'List of ADF Members'

Links to Allotment Certificates for Faber, Warden and Stabilise are shown on the right of the screen.  Tanager will be added as soon as it is available.

Operation Faber 16/9/99 – 23/2/00

If the claimant was on Operation Faber, click on the first link: 'Operation Faber'.  Once this opens, you will need to choose the 'page' menu at the top of the screen and select 'next page'.  A list of personnel who served on Operation Faber will be displayed.

Operation Warden 16/9/99 – 10/4/00 / Stabilise 16/9/99 – 23/2/00

The link is '16 May 2002 List of Personnel – Operation Warden/Stabilise'.

Once the link is opened select the relevant Operation /Service tab.

Requests to Dept of Defence

If the relevant service information is not on file, or on CLIK, requests for service details should be e-mailed to:

Belen.Mansford@defence.gov.au [19]

All requests should include as much information as possible (for example dates and the names of operations if known) and must include:

  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • Service number / PMKEYS Number
  • Branch of Service

NOTE: Although requests are made direct to Defence, their reply will be through the Policy, Eligibility and Research Section (PER) in National Office and Claims Assessors will be individually advised by PER of the result of their requests.

Privacy

All E-mail to and from the DVA and the Department of Defence is sent via a secure link.   Therefore, personal information including sensitive information can be exchanged by the Departments without any risk of outside scrutiny that would breach the Privacy Act 1988.

Problems

Any long delays or problems encountered with these requests to Defence should be reported to the “DVA Policy Eligibility Research” e-mail address.

Recording advice received

When a Claims Assessor receives advice about the service of a claimant, that Claims Assessor must:

  1. Record the advice on VIEW / CCPS; and

2.   Put a copy of that advice on with the service documents and statements of service on the file.

  • Conclusion

Claims assessors must:

  • Check for information on file, VIEW or CLIK before contacting Defence; AND
  • Record new service information on VIEW / CCPS immediately; AND
  • Place verification of service (from whichever source) with the service documents and statements of service on the file.

Mark Johnson

Branch Head

Disability Compensation

18 August 2003

C20/2003 Issue of 2003/04 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC)

  • Log in [20] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  18 AUGUST 2003

Issue of 2003/04 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC)

Purpose

To provide information about the bulk issue of the 2003/04 CSHC.

Background

The CSHC was introduced on 1 July 1994 and provides entitlement to Commonwealth Concessions for pharmaceuticals listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

From 1 September 2001, CSHC holders who are eligible telephone subscribers, became eligible for a quarterly Telephone Allowance payment.

Great Southern Railway offers concessional fares to CSHC holders on The Indian Pacific, The Ghan and The Overland.

In addition, CSHC holders may be entitled to further state/territory concessions on presentation of their card to the relevant department or authority.

Eligibility

The CSHC is intended to assist eligible veterans and their partners (including widow(er)s), and war widow(er)s of pension age who fail to qualify for pension due to assets or income in excess of the current limit.  Eligibility is determined manually by State Office staff.

CSHC income test

The CSHC income test is based on the annual adjusted taxable income.  The CSHC income limit is as follows:

  • $50,000 if single;
  • $80,000 (combined), if a member or a couple;
  • $100,000 (combined), if an accepted as being separated due to ill health or respite care.

The above amounts are increased for each dependant child by $639.60.

Card numbers for the annual bulk run

The number of cards and carriers to be produced for the annual bulk run will be approximately 7,572.  This figure was derived from the full data extract dated 8 August 2003.  The state break down is as follows:

STATE

NO. FOR BULK ISSUES

NSW (incl ACT)

2,586

VIC

1,808

QLD

1,210

WA

1,252

SA (incl NT)

595

TAS

121

TOTAL

7,572

Blank stock for daily issues

Blank stock for the new daily issues was sent to the States on Monday, 4 August 2003.

State Offices are to begin using the new daily stock on Monday, 18 August 2003.

Changes to card and carrier

Text changes have been made to the both the card and carrier.  The text on the carriers is now identical for each State.

The carrier will display the name and postal address (up to 4 lines of address) in upper case.

The card will display the name and residential address (up to 4 lines of address) in mixed case.

Last years blank stock

Due to text changes on the back of the carrier, the State Offices are to discard last year's blank CSHC stock.

Production and timing

The bulk 2003/04 CSHC live extract of the client data will occur on Saturday, 16 August 2003.  Printing will commence on Monday, 18 August 2003.  The CSHC's will be lodged with Australia Post on Monday, 25 August 2003.

Post production reports

Post production Summary and Non-Issued Reports will be printed on the State Office's printers following the live run.  State Offices are to examine the reports and undertake any necessary action.

Report daily issue difficulties

Any difficulties in relation to daily issue templates are to be reported to Kevin Richardson on (02) 6289 6330.

National Office contact

If you have any enquiries relating to this topic, please contact Kerry-Anne Rowe on (02) 6289 6663.

John Stevens

Acting Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

18 August 2003

C19/2003 AMENDMENT TO DEPARTMENTAL INSTRUCTION (DI) C18-2003 - 'REASSESSMENT OF COMSUPER AND DFRDB SUPERANNUATION PENSIONS - JULY 2003'

  • Log in [21] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  7 AUGUST 2003

AMENDMENT TO DEPARTMENTAL INSTRUCTION (DI) C18-2003 - 'REASSESSMENT OF COMSUPER AND DFRDB SUPERANNUATION PENSIONS – JULY 2003'

Purpose of instruction

The purpose of this departmental instruction is to amend Departmental Instruction C18-2003 issued on 22 July 2003 which provided information about the July 2003 reassessment of Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions.

Amendment

Departmental Instruction C18-2003 advised that the CPI increase to be applied to the July 2003 adjustment is 1.02%.

This adjustment amount is incorrect and the Departmental Instruction should read – 'The CPI increase to be applied to the July 2003 adjustment is 2.0%.'

Contacts

Advice issues - Pat Webb  (02) 9213 7288.

Systems issues - Kevin Chapman (02) 6289 6749.

JEANETTE RICKETTS

Branch Head

Income Support

7 August 2003

C18/2003 REASSESSMENT OF COMSUPER AND DFRDB SUPERANNUATION PENSIONS - JULY 2003

  • Log in [22] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  22 JULY 2003

REASSESSMENT OF COMSUPER AND DFRDB SUPERANNUATION PENSIONS – JULY 2003

Purpose of instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the July 2003 reassessment of Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions.

Background

Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions are adjusted bi-annually in January and July.  The CPI increase to be applied to the July 2003 adjustment is 1.02%

Processing date

Reassessment processing to reflect the July 2003 CPI increase to Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions will be conducted on Saturday, 26 July 2003.

Effective date

The effective date of the reassessment will be 22 July 2003.

On pension payday 7 August 2003, pensioners will receive a full installment at the new assessed rate.

Advice letter target audience

A letter will be produced for Income Support pensioners in receipt of Commonwealth Superannuation and/or DFRDB and following the reassessment have a variation to their pension payment.  There will be approximately 20,000 advice letters produced nationally.

Printing and mailing of advice letters

The advice letters will be printed and mailed through the Department's bulk mailing house, Security Mailing Services (SMS) in Sydney.  All letters will be lodged with Australia Post by COB Friday, 1 August 2003.

Streamed advices requiring state office action

The following advices will be streamed and printed by IBMGSA, and sent via courier to each State Office for checking and despatch:

  • special registers - SA only
  • overseas
  • reductions to nil
  • cases which result in multiple payment boxes (ie., Payment Information Attachment); and
  • enclosures (treatment changes).

'Held' advices to be forced

As part of the batch processing run any advices in 'held' status will be forced to print.  Forced 'held' advices will print at each respective State Office's nominated printer.

Contacts

Advice issues - Paula Green (02) 6289 4779.

Systems issues - Kevin Chapman (02) 6289 6749.

JEANETTE RICKETTS

Branch Head

Income Support

18 July  2003

C17/2003 JUNE 2003 STATUTORY INCREASE - ADVICE LETTER, PAYMENT SUMMARY AND MEDICARE LEVY EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE MAILOUT

  • Log in [23] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  20 JUNE 2003

JUNE 2003 STATUTORY INCREASE - ADVICE LETTER, PAYMENT SUMMARY AND MEDICARE LEVY EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE MAILOUT

Purpose of Instruction

This Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the processing arrangements for the June 2003 Statutory Increase (SI) advice letters, Payment Summaries (formerly named Group Certificate), and Medicare Levy Exemption Certificates mailout.

ROGER WINZENBERG

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT

17 June 2003

Overview

Introduction

In June each year, the Department undertakes a bulk exercise to issue approximately 350,000 households with advice letters to persons in receipt of service pension, age pension or income support supplement.  The majority of these letters will include PAYG (Pay As You Go) Payment Summaries for the end of the financial year.

Medicare Levy Exemption Certificates will also be issued at this time.

Significant issues

The June 2003 mailout will incorporate the following:

  • Production of advice letters to all service pensioners, age pensioners and income support supplement recipients;
  • Adjustment of pension rates, allowances and thresholds in accordance with adjustments to the Income Free Area and Assets Free Area;
  • Increase to the deeming thresholds;
  • Advice to pensioners of any gain or loss of treatment eligibility;
  • End of financial year Payment Summary production;
  • Page numbering to be included on the Payment Summary;
  • Standalone Payment Summaries ie., Payment Summaries without a covering letter, and Statement of Earnings - issued to those eligible pensioners who do not receive an advice letter;
  • Full Obligations will be provided for all maximum rate pensioners - this is in line with the Repatriation Commission policy that pensioners receiving maximum rate of pension be provided with their full obligations at a minimum interval of once every five years;
  • Full obligations will be suppressed for less than maximum rate pensioners, however reference will be made to previous obligations issued;

Significant issues Contd
  • Less than maximum rate pensioners will receive the Financial Obligations paragraph (including their Prescribed Rates) in their advice letter;
  • Income and Assets Attachments will not be issued;
  • Payment of Telephone Allowance to those eligible;
  • Production of Medicare Levy Exemption Certificates (MLEC);
  • The number of Medicare Levy exemption days to be advised to all Blinded pensioners;
  • Tasmanian clients who have an overseas address will have the full, meaningful postal address printed on their advices; and
  • Changes to the format of Advices as part of the DOCGEN2 project (Stateline 0252700E refers).

Production of Advice Letters

Processing Weekend -

19/06/03 -

23/06/03

Processing is scheduled to run from Thursday evening 19 June until Monday, 23 June 2003 with any pension variations effective from 1 July 2003 for payday 10 July 2003.

Critical Dates

Processing period within DVA - (includes 'advices' processing).

Thursday (pm), 19 June 2003 - Monday (pm), 23 June 2003

Commence printing advice letters (SMS)

Tuesday, 24 June 2003

Progressive lodgement of all State's Advice Letters with Australia Post (SMS) to be completed.

Friday, 4 July 2003

Letter Production

Security Mailing Services, Kingsgrove, Sydney will print the advice letters, add inserts and envelope them.  Production of letters is expected to occur over period 24 June – 4 July 2003.

Lodgement of Letters

Letters will be progressively lodged with Australia Post for posting commencing Monday, 30 June 2003.  All letters are to be posted by Friday, 4 July 2003.

Letter Content

Letters

Prior to the issue of this Departmental Instruction, the June SI State Contact Officers, System Support Officers and Managers Income Support were provided with copies of the proposed paragraph sequencing and mock-ups of advice letters for this run.

A number of recommendations were received and have been taken into consideration for the final version of paragraphs and sequencing.  Details of the Paragraph Sequencing and Target Audience can be found at Attachment B.  Copies of the expected advice letter content for this run are reproduced at Attachment C to this DI.

PAYG (Pay As You Go) Payment Summary -individual Non-business
  • Service Pension, or
  • Age Pension, or
  • Income Support Supplement

Payment Summaries will be issued to all pensioners whose pensions are taxable.

Pay As You Go (PAYG) Payment Summaries will form part of the advice letter sent from the mailing house.  This includes those clients with or without withholdings (tax deductions).

The Payment Summary will be sequenced to print before the General Information Sheet (GIS) which is the consistent last page for every advice.

Page numbering will be included on the Payment Summary - in previous years no page number printed on the Payment Summary but printed on the GIS, which prints after the Payment Summary.  This caused numerous concerns for clients thinking pages were missing.

General Information Sheet (GIS)

Each letter will have a General Information Sheet (GIS).  The GIS will be sequenced to print after the Payment Summary - the GIS must be used as the consistent last page to enable the enveloping machines at the mailing house, to identify the last page of each persons letter ie. gatemarking purposes.

Standalone
PAYG Payment Summaries – without a covering letter

Standalone PAYG Payment Summaries - do not have a covering advice letter and will be issued to the following Group of clients:

  • Eligible Veterans' Children Education Scheme (VCES) Recipients;
  • Working Rule B Widows;
  •     Those pensioners who are no longer in payment and do not receive an advice but a payment summary for that part of the year for which they were in payment; and
  •     Unknown Addresses.

Standalone Payment Summaries for those listed above are to be printed at the Mailing House and returned to the State Offices for distribution.

Please note: Payment Summaries for those clients who died during the financial year are no longer printed at the Mailing House.  The State Offices are able to re-print on request a Payment Summary for deceased clients.

Full Obligations - for all maximum rate pensioners

Full Obligations are to be provided for all maximum rate SP/ISS/AP recipients.  This is in line with the Repatriation Commission policy that pensioners receiving maximum rate of pension be provided with their full obligations at a minimum interval of once every five years.

Financial Obligations including Prescribed Rates for less than maximum rate pensioners

The Financial Obligations paragraph (including the Prescribed Rates) will be present in the advice for all less than maximum rate SP/ISS/AP pensioners.

Income and Assets Attachment

Income and Assets Attachments will not be issued as part of the June 2003 SI.

Telephone Allowance

Pensioners entitled to a telephone allowance payment will receive a paragraph advising them about their quarterly payment.  The TA paragraph will advise pensioners that ....'TA is a separate payment and is not included in your total fortnightly payment information referred to in the letter.'

Non taxable pensioners

Those pensioners whose pensions are not taxable (eg, service pension on the grounds of permanent incapacity and under 65 years of age for males, 62 years for females) will receive an advice letter only ie, no payment summary.  A Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate (MLEC) will be issued separately to these clients advising them of the number of Medicare Levy exemption days.

Medicare Levy Exemption Certificates

(MLEC)

A Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate will be issued to those Gold Card beneficiaries who are not in receipt of a taxable income support pension and who do not receive an advice letter ie,

  • War widows who do not receive income support supplement; or
  • Those veterans who are eligible for a gold card due to their disability entitlement, who are not in receipt of an income support payment; or
  • Australian veterans with Qualifying Service and over 70 years of age, who are not in receipt of an income support payment; or
  • Those pensioners whose pensions are not taxable (eg, service pension on the grounds of permanent incapacity and under 65 years of age for males, 62 years for females).

The number of medicare levy exemption days, where applicable, will be stated on the Payment Summary for all other pensioners.  See Attachment D for a sample of an MLEC.

Medicare levy exemption days for blinded

An issue was raised following the 2002 June SI which highlighted that veterans and spouses in receipt of an Income Support payment who are 'Blind' are eligible for full or half Medicare Levy exemption.  DVA have not previously advised blind pensioners of the number of days they are exempt from the Medicare Levy.  From the June 2003 SI, the number of days will be printed on their Payment Summaries.

This affects approximately 660 clients.

Overseas addresses

Tasmanian clients who have an overseas address will have the full, meaningful postal address printing on their advices.

The advices for Tasmanian overseas clients will be printed at the IBM Printhub in St Leonard's, Sydney in June and returned to the Tasmanian State Office for checking prior to posting to ensure address changes are correct.  In future June SI runs Tasmanian overseas letters will be sent from the mailing house.

DOCGEN2 Project - New Advice Format

As previously advised, the new advice format has been designed to standardise and simplify the look of advices by introducing a succinct and more readily understandable letter.  This new look will be implemented for the first time for a June SI with this run.

ATO/ Centrelink/
DVA insert

A 'pensioner flyer' produced by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), in conjunction with Centrelink and DVA will be included with all advice letters issued in this exercise.  It is hoped that this flyer will significantly reduce the number of queries the State Office receives about taxation matters.  The brochure is titled “Do you Need to lodge a Tax Return?”.  This brochure will be included with all Payment Summaries and Medicare Levy Exemption Certificates.

Each of the State offices have been supplied with a quantity of the flyers to insert with their Special Register (SA only), Treatment Changes (Enclosures) and Standalone Payment Summaries.

Automatic Payment Summary (Group Certificate) reprint facility

From 1 July 2003, reprints of Payment Summaries for financial year 2002/2003 can be generated using the 'Payment Summary Reprint' facility located under the Advices Tab in VIEW.

Please Note:

1)  A Payment Summary Template, which was previously available, is no longer available for producing Payment Summaries.

2)  The 'year of issue' will not print in the Payment Summary heading for reprinted payment summaries requested via VIEW.  The 'Payment From' and 'Payment To' date range will accurately reflect the correct year/dates payment range.  The 'Authorising Person' will reflect the respective State's Deputy Commissioner based on the date the reprint is requested.

3)  The client's actual tax file number (TFN) will not print in the TFN space but a default number of 444 444 444 will print.  This is an ATO code identifying the client as a pensioner.

Reprints of MLEC

System Support Officers and State Office contact officers have been provided with a Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate (MLEC) word document to enable them to produce a MLEC.

Mailout procedure

The printing of letters is to be undertaken for the two weeks following processing (ie, June 23 – 4 July 2003) at Security Mailing Services in Sydney.

Letters will be progressively lodged on a State by State basis with Australia Post with all state's letters to be posted between Monday, 30 June and COB Friday, 4 July 2003.

States will be notified when their State's letters have been lodged and of any production or lodgement delays if they should occur.

Letter Content

Details of the proposed content of the letters, including sample letters and sequencing of paragraphs are included in Attachments B and C.


Issues Requiring State Office Action

Special Register and Overseas

Special Register advices are to be streamed for the South Australian State Office only - they will be printed at the IBM Printhub in Sydney and forwarded to the South Australia State Office.  All other State's Special Register advices will form part of the bulk advices and be printed and sent from the mailing house.

Overseas cases for Tasmania will be printed by IBM in St Leonard's, Sydney and forwarded to the Tasmanian State Office with other daily advice output for checking and mailing.

Advice Schedule Reports - Hard Copy and Online Access

Each State Office will receive a 'hard copy' of the advice schedule reports following the June SI processing run.  These will be printed at the IBM Printhub in St Leonard's, Sydney and forwarded to each State's System Support Officer (SSO).

Access to this information will also be available 'on-line'. Instructions for accessing the advice schedule reports will be provided separately to this instruction.

Enclosure Letters

As is the procedure for quarterly processing Enclosure (treatment) advice letters will be printed at the IBM Printhub and sent via courier to each State Office.  It is suggested that these be checked for accuracy and be reconciled against the reports received by each State Office to ensure they reflect the correct treatment paragraphs.

'HELD' Advices to be Forced

As part of the Batch processing run all advices in 'Held' status will be forced to print.  Forced held advices will now print in each respective State Office's nominated printer as part of the production run.  Please ensure your nominated printer is fully operational on Thursday evening, 19 June 2003 as the forced advices will print at that time.  All forced advices will need to be checked to ensure the information in them is correct prior to posting.

Handling of Daily Advices

Cases processed in advance for payday 10 July 2003 should have the daily advice dispatched prior to the June advice letter being sent.

Daily payment advices processed after the processing run on 19-23 June 2003 for 10 July 2003, should be held by the State Offices until confirmation is received from the June SI Business Co-ordinator to release such advices.  This will ensure that pensioners who have pension variations processed for payday 10 July 2003 will receive their daily advice after the quarterly advice rather than in advance of it.

To minimise the number of daily advices to be held while the June advices are processed, it is suggested that only manual cases (and essential processing) should be processed for payday 10 July 2003.

State Office Contacts

State Office Contact Officers

NSW  - Genia Sacharczuk  - 02 9213 7106

VIC - David Price - 03 9284 6379

QLD - Steve Jensen - 07 3223 8835

SA - Graham Bate - 08 8290 0425

WA - John Gliddon - 08 9366 8417

TAS - Bryon Kelly - 03 6221 6684

ACT - Kristie Chynoweth - 02 6289 6019

National Office Contacts

Feedback from State Offices

Any concerns regarding letters produced as part of this run should be directed to the June SI Business Co-ordinators in National Office - Pat Webb or Paula Green.  At the end of this process we will be collating all State feedback to analyse any issues raised and develop solutions to address any concerns raised.  Any problems noted should be reported to the Business Co-ordinator, together with any background information detailing the issue.  Please ensure that any problems are reported as early as possible.

Contacts

Any queries regarding advice wording, data cartridges, mail house printing and letter lodgement should be referred to:

Pat Webb

(02) 6289 6444 (Phone)

(02) 6289 6553 (Fax)

OR

Paula Green

(02) 6289 4779 (Phone)

(02) 6289 6553 (Fax)


ATTACHMENT A

HOUSEHOLDS TO RECEIVE PAYMENT SUMMARIES AND/OR MEDICARE LEVY EXEMPTION CERTIFICATES

JUNE 2003 - APPROXIMATES BASED ON 2002 STATISTICS

Type

NSW

VIC

QLD

SA

WA

TAS

AUST

Total - Advices Only

88,218

60,807

56,936

25,707

23,986

9,621

265,275

MLEC

28,339

19,585

17,326

  6,470

  6,955

2,377

  81,052

Pay Sums without a letter

2,563

1,682

2,203

728

931

381

8,488

Total

119,120

82,074

76,465

32,905

31,872

12,379

354,815


ATTACHMENT B

PARAGRAPH SEQUENCING AND TARGET AUDIENCE

An advice will be produced for all Service Pensioners, Income Support Supplement recipients and Age Pensioners.

***LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE SP/ISS/AP pensioners will receive the following paragraphs:

  • Financial Obligations paragraph which includes their prescribed rates in the body of the advice.

WILL NOT receive

  • Full Income and Assets Attachment
  • Full Obligations

***MAXIMUM RATE SP/ISS/AP will receive the following paragraphs:

  • Full Obligations

WILL NOT receive

  • Full Income and Assets Attachment


ATTACHMENT C

JUNE 2003 SI PARAGRAPH CONTENT

Example 1:

  • LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE - VARIATION (INCREASE)
  • MARRIED ASSESSMENT
  • SERVICE PENSIONERS
  • TA IN PAYMENT
  • TAXABLE
  • PAYMENT SUMMARIES ENCLOSED
  • GIS

Contact:

Telephone: STATE OFFICE

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Postal Address:

GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

Telephone:

General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1300 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

21 June 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS Q ######

Dear Mr and Mrs SMITH,

I am writing to you about your service pension payment from Veterans' Affairs

This is to advise you that your service pension has been increased.  This change will take effect from 1 July 2003.

Cost of living changes to the Income and Assets Test

Recent increases in the cost of living have been applied to the following income and assets limits for service pension:

  • Income Free Area - this is the amount of income you can have before your service pension is reduced below the maximum rate payable;

  • Assets Value Limit - this is the amount of assets you can have (other than your family home) before your service pension is reduced below the maximum rate payable;

  • Deeming Thresholds - these are the amounts of financial assets you can have before the higher deemed interest rates are applied to the assessment of service pension.

For details on these changes please refer to the General Information Sheet which is attached to this letter.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Payment Summaries (formerly known as Group Certificates)

As it is the end of the 2002/03 financial year Payment Summaries are being issued.  You will need this information if you are required to lodge a tax return.

Payment Summary for FRANK A SMITH is enclosed with this letter.

Payment Summary for ANNA I SMITH is enclosed with this letter.

Medicare Levy Exemption

If you have been eligible for full treatment at departmental expense during the past financial year, you are eligible for full or half exemption from payment of the Medicare Levy for that period.  The number of days you are eligible for full or half Medicare Levy Exemption is shown on your Payment Summary.

You should contact the Australian Taxation Office on 13 2861 if you have any questions about taxation.

Telephone Allowance

Your quarterly telephone allowance will be paid on 10 July 2003, together with your pension payment.  Your telephone allowance is a separate payment and is not included in your total fortnightly payment information referred to in this letter.  The current telephone allowance rates are:

Singles Rate - $18.60

Couples Rate (each) - $ 9.30

World War I Veterans - $65.70

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance) if your combined gross income from all sources is more than $XXXX.XX per fortnight or the value of your combined assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'.  These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this variation to your pension, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you do decide to apply, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  Such a request for review must be in writing, and must set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner


PAYMENT INFORMATION ATTACHMENT

The Department now calculates T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payments on a daily basis.  This means that your fortnightly pension payment is now made up of 14 days of entitlement of pension.  Therefore, when there is a change to your circumstances on any particular day in the fortnight - your pension will be adjusted from that day.  For that reason your pension payment may be different for one or two paydays after a reassessment.

Payment for 10 JULY 2003 VeteranPartner

TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx

- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx    x.xx    x.xx

Payment for 24 JULY 2003VeteranPartner

TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx

- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx    x.xx    x.xx

Payment Destination

Date

Name

Payment Destination

Amount Deposited

10/07/03

F A SMITH

123456

xxx.xx

A I SMITH

123456

xxx.xx

TOTAL

xxx.xx

24/07/03

F A SMITH

123456

xxx.xx

A I SMITH

123456

xxx.xx

TOTAL

xxx.xx

Please Note: If you have an overpayment or lump sum advance which is currently being recovered (by deductions from your fortnightly pension), the amount paid into your account may be less than the total fortnightly payment shown above.


Commonwealth Department of

Veterans' Affairs

2003 PAYG Payment Summary - Individual Non Business

Service Pension

Original

DVA File No: QX999999

Payer's ABN:

2396 4290 824

Tax File Number:                111 111 111

Payment From: 01/07/2002

Payment to: 30/06/2003

DOB:  26/02/1971

Client's Name

1st Line of Client's Address

2nd Line of Client's Address

3rd Line of Client's Address

Gross payments:

$0.00

Medicare Levy

Full or Half

Exemption Days: 0

Remote Area

Allowance: $0.00

ThousandsHundredsTensUnitsCents

Total tax withheld -

whole dollars only in wordsNILNILNILNIL      00

Total tax withheld (whole dollars)$0.00

Authorised Person:16/06/03

DOES NOT PRINT IN FINAL VERSION

?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This will print as one page with 'Original' copy in production run.

Commonwealth Department of

Veterans' Affairs

2003 PAYG Payment Summary - Individual Non Business

Service Pension

Client Copy

DVA File No: QX999999

Payer's ABN:             2396 4290 824

Tax File Number:               111 111 111

Payment From: 01/07/2002

Payment to: 30/06/2003

DOB: 26/02/1971

Client's Name

1st Line of Client's Address

2nd Line of Client's Address

3rd Line of Client's Address

Gross payments:

$0.00

Medicare Levy

Exemption Days: 0

Remote Area

Allowance: $0.00

ThousandsHundredsTensUnitsCents

Total tax withheld - NILNILNILNIL     00

whole dollars only in words

Total tax withheld (whole dollars)$0.00

Authorised Person:16/06/03

DOES NOT PRINT IN FINAL VERSION

If you need to lodge a tax return, detach the ORIGINAL by cutting along the dotted line, attach it to your tax return and keep the CLIENT COPY for your records.

See Notes On Reverse ?


Notes

1. Total tax withheld

If you have an amount in this box you need to lodge a tax return. This ensures that you receive any refunds of tax you may be entitled to.

2. Gross payments

The 'Gross payments' shown on this statement does not include non-taxable payments such as pharmaceutical allowance, telephone allowance or disability pension. This is the amount you should show as income in your tax return.

3. Remote Area Allowance (RAA)

This amount is not taxable but if you need to lodge a tax return it will reduce any tax offset you may be entitled to.

4. Medicare Levy Exemption

The holders of Veterans' Affairs Gold treatment cards are eligible for full or half exemption from the payment of the Medicare levy.  Where applicable, the number of Medicare Levy full or half exemption days is shown on this form.  If you need to lodge a tax return the number of days shown will need to be stated at the relevant question on your tax return.

5. Further Assistance

If you have any taxation enquiries, particularly in relation to whether you are eligible for full or half Medicare levy exemption, read TaxPack 2003 or TaxPack 2003 for retirees, or call the Australian Taxation Office on 13 2861. Pension enquiries should be directed to the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Notes

1. Total tax withheld

If you have an amount in this box you need to lodge a tax return. This ensures that you receive any refunds of tax you may be entitled to.

2. Gross payments

The 'Gross payments' shown on this statement do not include non-taxable payments such as pharmaceutical allowance, telephone allowance or disability pension. This is the amount you should show as income in your tax return.

3. Remote Area Allowance (RAA)

This amount is not taxable but if you need to lodge a tax return it will reduce any tax offset you may be entitled to.

4. Medicare Levy Exemption

The holders of Veterans' Affairs Gold treatment cards are eligible for full or half exemption from the payment of the Medicare levy.  Where applicable, the number of Medicare Levy full or half exemption days is shown on this form. If you need to lodge a tax return the number of days shown will need to be stated at the relevant question on your tax return.

5. Further Assistance

If you have any taxation enquiries, particularly in relation to whether you are eligible for full or half Medicare levy exemption, read TaxPack 2003 or TaxPack 2003 for retirees, or call the Australian Taxation Office on 13 2861. Pension enquiries should be directed to the Department of Veterans' Affairs.


This is an example of the General Information Sheet (GIS) for Service Pensioners that will be used in the June mailout.  There is a separate GIS for both Income Support Supplement and Age Pensioner recipients. PLEASE NOTE:  Rates and thresholds have not been updated to reflect changes as any changes have not been released at the time of producing this document.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON SERVICE PENSION RATES AND LIMITS

(Information current as at T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE)

MAXIMUM RATES OF SERVICE PENSION (excludes pharmaceutical allowance)

Singles Rate$429.40 (per fortnight)

Couples Rate (each)$358.40 (per fortnight)

PENSION INCOME LIMIT (per fortnight)

Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*

Singles Rate$116.00$1,204.00

Couples Rate (combined)$204.00$2,010.50

These limits may increase for each dependent child or student up to the age of 22, or if rent assistance is payable.

PENSION ASSETS LIMIT

Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*

Home Owner

Singles Rate$145,250$290,500

Couples Rate (combined)$206,500$447,500

Non Home Owner

Singles Rate$249,750$395,000

Couples Rate (combined)$311,000$552,000

These limits may increase for each dependent child or student up to the age of 22, or if rent assistance is payable.

NOTE: *Income and assets cut off limits apply to all service pensioners except blinded service pensioners.

GOLD CARD INFORMATION

NOTE 1: These income and asset limits apply to the Gold Card only.  Different income and asset limits apply to the pension.  These limits can be found at the top of the page.

NOTE 2: If your disability pension is from 50% - 95% of the general rate and you also receive any amount of service pension, the Gold Card income and asset cut off limits do not apply to you.  Should your service pension payments cease due to excess income or assets you will no longer be eligible for the Gold Card.

NOTE 3: If you are aged 70 years or over, and you are a veteran who served in Australia's Defence Force, and you have qualifying service from any conflict (or you are an Australian Mariner with qualifying service from World War II), the Gold Card income and assets cut off limits shown below DO NOT APPLY TO YOU as your Gold Card is NOT affected by your income and/or assets.

GOLD CARD INCOME CUT OFF LIMIT

Singles Rate$331.50 (per fortnight)

Couples Rate (combined)$576.00 (per fortnight)

Add $69.60 per fortnight for each dependent child or student to the age of 22.

GOLD CARD ASSETS CUT OFF LIMIT

Home Owner

Singles Rate$174,000

Couples Rate (combined)$256,250

Non Home Owner

Singles Rate$278,500

Couples Rate (combined)$360,750

Add approximately $6,250 for each dependent child or student up to the age of 22.

DEEMING

Deeming assumes that any money you have invested in financial assets is earning a particular amount of income regardless of the actual amount earned.  The deeming rates are:

Singles

Low Rate:- 2.5% interest up to the threshold of $34,400

High Rate:- 4% interest for the remaining balance

Couples

Low Rate:- 2.5% interest up to the threshold of $57,400

High Rate:- 4% interest for the remaining balance

ILLNESS SEPARATED COUPLES

Couples separated due to ill health are paid at the single rate of service pension, but have their income and assets assessed as a couple.

RENT ASSISTANCE

You may be eligible for rent assistance if you pay rent to a non-government body or landlord.  The amount of rent assistance you receive depends on the amount of rent you pay and your family circumstances.  Rent assistance is paid at the rate of 75 cents in the dollar for every dollar you pay over the set rent limits.

When calculating the amount of rent assistance payable to a service pension recipient, any disability pension received by that person or their partner, is counted as income and may reduce the rate of rent assistance payable.


Maximum Amount of Rent Assistance Payable (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more

children

Singles Rate$92.00$107.60$122.20

Couples Rate

(combined)$86.80$107.60$122.20

Rent Limits (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more

children

Singles Rate$81.60$107.40$107.40

Couples Rate

(combined)$133.00$159.00$159.00


Example 2:

  • LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE - Permanently Incapacitated- VARIATION (INCREASE)
  • SINGLE ASSESSMENT
  • AGE PENSIONER
  • TA IN PAYMENT
  • NON TAXABLE
  • PAYMENT SUMMARY NOT ISSUED
  • MLEC ISSUED AND SENT SEPARATELY
  • GIS

Contact:

Telephone: STATE OFFICE

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Postal Address:

GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

Telephone:

General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1300 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

21 June 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS Q ######

Dear Mr BROWN,

I am writing to you about your age pension payment from Veterans' Affairs

This is to advise you that your age pension has been increased.  This change will take effect from 1 July 2003.

Cost of living changes to the Income and Assets Test

Recent increases in the cost of living have been applied to the following income and assets limits for age pension:

  • Income Free Area - this is the amount of income you can have before your age pension is reduced below the maximum rate payable;

  • Assets Value Limit - this is the amount of assets you can have (other than your family home) before your age pension is reduced below the maximum rate payable;

  • Deeming Thresholds - these are the amounts of financial assets you can have before the higher deemed interest rates are applied to the assessment of age pension.

For details on these changes please refer to the General Information Sheet which is attached to this letter.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate

A Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate showing the number of days you are eligible for full or half Medicare Levy Exemption will be issued to you separately.

Telephone Allowance

Your quarterly telephone allowance will be paid on 10 July 2003, together with your pension payment.  Your telephone allowance is a separate payment and is not included in your total fortnightly payment information referred to in this letter.  The current telephone allowance rates are:

Singles Rate - $18.60

Couples Rate (each) - $ 9.30

World War I Veterans - $65.70

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas) if your combined income from all sources is more than $XXXX.XX gross per fortnight or the value of your combined assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters.  These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this decision, you should discuss it with the original decision maker, who will explain the reasons for the decision.  If you remain dissatisfied, you may apply to have the decision reviewed by an Authorised Review Officer, with no prior involvement in the case.  If you decide to apply for a review more than 13 weeks from the day this notice is given to you, arrears can only be paid from the date we receive your application.  Requests for review may be made in person, by telephone or in writing.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner as Delegate of the Secretary


ATTACHMENTS

  • Payment Information Attachment - YES
  • Payment Summary/s              - NO
  • General Information Sheet - YES


Example 3:

  • LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE - VARIATION (INCREASE)
  • SINGLE ASSESSMENT
  • ISS PENSIONER
  • NIL TA IN PAYMENT
  • TAXABLE
  • PAYMENT SUMMARY ENCLOSED
  • GIS

Contact:

Telephone: STATE OFFICE

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Postal Address:

GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

Telephone:

General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1300 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

21 June 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS Q ######

Dear Mrs ANGEL

I am writing to you about your income support supplement payment from Veterans' Affairs

This is to advise you that your income support supplement has been increased  This change will take effect from 1 July 2003.

Cost of living changes to the Income and Assets Test

Recent increases in the cost of living have been applied to the following income and assets limits for income support supplement:

  • Income Free Area - this is the amount of income you can have before your income support supplement is reduced below the maximum rate payable;

  • Assets Value Limit - this is the amount of assets you can have (other than your family home) before your income support supplement is reduced below the maximum rate payable;

  • Deeming Thresholds - these are the amounts of financial assets you can have before the higher deemed interest rates are applied to the assessment of income support supplement.

For details on these changes please refer to the General Information Sheet which is attached to this letter.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Payment Summaries (formerly called Group Certificates)

As it is the end of the 2002/03 financial year Payment Summaries are being issued.  You will need this information if you are required to lodge a tax return.

Payment Summary for BETH T ANGEL is enclosed with this letter.

Medicare Levy Exemption

If you have been eligible for full treatment at departmental expense during the past financial year, you are eligible for full or half exemption from payment of the Medicare Levy for that period.  The number of days you are eligible for full or half Medicare Levy Exemption is shown on your Payment Summary.

You should contact the Australian Taxation Office on 13 2861 if you have any questions about taxation.

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance) if your income from all sources is more than $XXXX.XX gross per fortnight or the value of your assets, apart from your home,  is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'.  These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this variation to your pension, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you do decide to apply, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  Such a request for review must be in writing, and must set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner

ATTACHMENTS - in order of appearance

  • Payment Information Attachment - YES
  • Payment Summary/s              - YES
  • General Information Sheet - YES


Example 4:

  • MAXIMUM RATE CONTINUATION ON MAXIMUM RATE
  • MARRIED ASSESSMENT
  • SERVICE PENSIONERS
  • TA IN PAYMENT
  • TAXABLE
  • FULL OBLIGATIONS
  • PAYMENT SUMMARIES ENCLOSED
  • GIS

Contact:

Telephone: STATE OFFICE

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

Postal Address:

GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

Telephone:

General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1300 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

21 June 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS Q ######

Dear Mr and Mrs WINTER,

I am writing to you about your service pension payment from Veterans' Affairs

You currently receive the maximum rate of service pension and this amount remains unchanged.

Cost of living changes to the Income and Assets Test

Recent increases in the cost of living have been applied to the following income and assets limits for service pension:

  • Income Free Area - this is the amount of gross income you can have before your service pension is reduced below the maximum rate payable;

  • Assets Value Limit - this is the amount of assets you can have (other than your family home) before your service pension is reduced below the maximum rate payable;

  • Deeming Thresholds - these are the amounts of financial assets you can have before the higher deemed interest rates are applied to the assessment of service pension.

For details on these changes please refer to the General Information Sheet which is attached to this letter.

Payment Summaries (formerly known as Group Certificates)

As it is the end of the 2002/03 financial year Payment Summaries are being issued.  You will need this information if you are required to lodge a tax return.

Payment Summary for ROBERT T WINTER is enclosed with this letter.

Payment Summary for MARIA S WINTER is enclosed with this letter.

Medicare Levy Exemption

If you have been eligible for full treatment at departmental expense during the past financial year, you are eligible for full or half exemption from payment of the Medicare Levy for that period.  The number of days you are eligible for full or half Medicare Levy Exemption is shown on your Payment Summary.

You should contact the Australian Taxation Office on 13 2861 if you have any questions about taxation.

Telephone Allowance

Your quarterly telephone allowance will be paid on 10 July 2003, together with your pension payment.  Your telephone allowance is a separate payment and is not included in your total fortnightly payment information referred to in this letter.  The current telephone allowance rates are:

Singles Rate - $18.60

Couples Rate (each) - $ 9.30

C16/2003 Income Test Exemption for Restitution Payments made to Victims of National Socialist Persecution

  • Log in [24] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  4 JUNE 2003

Income Test Exemption for Restitution Payments made to Victims of National Socialist Persecution

Purpose

This departmental instruction provides information about the Budget 2003?04 initiative to exempt from the income test restitution payments made to Holocaust victims of National Socialist (Nazi) persecution.

Commencement Date


13 May 2003

CLIK &
Fact Sheet

The policy changes are reflected in the CLIK Policy Library Part 10, Chapter 1, Section 5 and the Fact Sheet IS87 'Income and Assets Tests.'

Contact

For further information in relation to these changes please contact Jacqui Mitchell on (02) 6289 6372 or Georgina Dudzinski on (02) 6289 4895.

Authorised by

Roger Winzenberg

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

4 June 2003


Background

In 1987 and 1989, Holocaust restitution payments became exempt if paid by the German or Austrian governments, respectively.

Issue

Since that time, the number of countries paying Holocaust payments has grown and now includes France and The Netherlands.  The measure to exempt all payments, regardless of the country of origin, will restore the broad policy intent behind the current income test exemption.

Legislative changes

Subsection 5H(8) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 and subsection 8(8) of the Social Security Act 1991 will be amended so that all restitution payments paid in respect of victims of National Socialist persecution are excluded from the income test assessment of pensions, benefits and allowances.

Systems Changes

There will be no systems changes.

Procedural Changes

Continue as per the German and Austrian payments, that is, record payments as income with a zero value under Other Direct Income.

Population affected

Centrelink estimate that less than 70 of their customers will be affected.

Due to the lack of data integrity it is not possible to identify the number of cases of DVA income support recipients that may receive compensation paid in respect of National Socialist persecution.  However, based on the Centrelink estimates, it is anticipated that the number of DVA cases arising will be very low.

Interim arrangements

Pending passage and Royal Assent of the legislative amendments, interim arrangements will be made should the need arise.  Details of any cases that come to light should be forwarded by email to National Office on 'NAT Policy Advisings Income Support'.  Approval to introduce the necessary interim arrangements will be obtained by National Office and advice on how to proceed with the case will be sent back to the requesting State Office.

Conclusion

As at 13 May 2003, DVA and Centrelink will disregard all restitution payments made to victims of Nationalist Socialist (Nazi) persecution when assessing the rate of income support payable, regardless of the country making the restitution payment.

Pending Royal Assent of the legislative amendments, interim arrangements will be put in place should the need arise.

C15/2003 EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

  • Log in [25] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  27 MAY 2003

EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

Purpose of Instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the Pounds Sterling exchange rate variation exercise.

Introduction

Following the recent variation in foreign exchange rates, it is appropriate for DVA to apply a new exchange rate for income support pension assessment purposes.

New exchange rate A$2.4606

The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.5452 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.4606 (ie A$1 = ?0.4064).

This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 23 May 2003.

Date of effect
27 May 2003

Effective from 27 May 2003 the current exchange rate will change.

On pension payday 12 June 2003 (pay period 51) pensioners will receive a full instalment at the new assessed rate.

Date of processing run

Processing to implement the new exchange rate is scheduled for the evening of Monday 26 May 2003.

Automatic superannuation processing

The amount recorded as BRI non-indexed super type 08 or BRI indexed super type 09 will be varied by applying the exchange rate to the amount recorded, to find the new rate of superannuation.  The pension amount will then be reassessed automatically.

Manual cases and MS cases

Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed automatically.  These cases will be listed on the manual listing for follow up action, and CMS/PIPS cases will be created automatically for State Office action.  Any cases processed through PIPS/PC should be reassessed from the beginning of the pension period for pension payday 12 June 2003 – ie 27 May 2003.

Advice letters

The advice letters for this exercise will be joint advices where both members of a couple are in receipt of BRI and their pension payment varies.  Age Pensioners will receive separate advices.

The letter will advise the new exchange rate and the amount of income.  An advice will only be produced for cases where a variation in payment results.

IBM GSA implications

IBM GSA will produce the cartridge and forward it to Security Mailing in Sydney.

Overseas, Special Register and Enclosure Advices

Overseas, Special Register, Enclosure Advice letters (ie cases where a change to treatment entitlement occurs) and reduction to nil cases will be separated by IBM GSA and despatched to the State Office for manual distribution.  This arrangement is the same for daily advice letters.

Mail out of bulk advices

Security Mailing will print and prepare the advices for lodgement with Australia Post by 06 June 2003.

British DP case paid Rent Assistance

Income Support pensioners who are in receipt of Rent Assistance (RA) and who also receive British Disability Pension direct from Britain (not EATS and Composite cases) should have that Disability Pension converted to $A using the BRI exchange rate.  RA should be manually recalculated.  These cases can be extracted through AIS by each state.  If you have any problem please contact Andrew Purcell on the number below.

Note: If DP has already been assessed as income in determining Hardship cases it should not also be assessed as income for RA.

Contact officer

The Income Support Branch contact officer is:

Nasreen Haque Telephone:   (02) 6289 4832

ROGER WINZENBERG
Branch Head
INCOME SUPPORT

26 May 2003


POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE

Foreign exchange periodExchange rate

3 Dec 98

to

27 January 99

0.3834

2.6082

28 January 99

to

10 Feb 99

0.3719

2.6889

11 Feb 99

to

19 May 99

0.3905

2.5608

20 May 99

to

28 July 99

0.4079

2.4516

New Date of Effect Rules

13 July 99

to

9 August 99

0.4271

2.3414

10 August 99

to

1 Nov 99

0.4105

2.4361

2 Nov 99

to

10 Jan 00

0.3952

2.5304

11 Jan 00

to

6 March 00

0.4069

2.4576

7 March 00

to

1 May 00

0.3927

2.5465

2 May 00

to

29 May 00

0.3807

2.6267

30 May 00

to

10 July 00

0.3907

2.5595

11 July 00

to

16 Oct 00

0.4022

2.4863

17 Oct 00

to

2 April 01

0.3737

2.6759

3 April 01

to

14 May 01

0.3550

2.8169

15 May 01

to

23 July 01

0.3674

2.7218

24 July 01

to

6 August 01

0.3803

2.6295

7 August 01

to

1 October 01

0.3701

2.7020

2 October 01

to

29 October 01

0.3430

2.9155

30 October 01

to

10 December 01

0.3588

2.7871

11 December 01

to

7 January 02

0.3709

2.6961

8 January 02

to

18 March 02

0.3612

2.7685

19 March 02

to

27 May 02

0.3723

2.6860

28 May 02

to

10 June 02

0.3830

2.6110

11 June 02

to

08 July 02

0.3928

2.5258

09 July 02

to

22 July 02

0.3758

2.6610

23 July 02

to

05 August 02

0.3643

2.7450

06 August 02

to

02 September 02

0.3503

2.8547

03 September 02

to

03 March 03

0.3620

2.7624

04 March 03

to

28 April 03

0.3816

2.6205

29 April 03

to

26 May 03

0.3929

2.5452

27 May 03

to

0.4064

2.4606

C14/2003 Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment Act (No.3) 2002

  • Log in [26] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  15 MAY 2003

Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment Act (No.3) 2002

Purpose

This departmental instruction provides information about the minor and technical amendments contained in the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment Act (No. 3) 2002 (VALA No. 3 2002).

VALA No. 3 2002 includes six parts which contain measures relating to income support matters and amends the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA):

Part 1 - Amendments concerning child-related payments

Part 2 - Amendments concerning commutation of income streams

Part 3 - Amendments concerning accrual of certain pension bonuses unclaimed under social security law

Part 4 - Amendments concerning the calculation of pension bonuses

Part 5 - Amendments concerning the backdating of claims for partner service pension in certain circumstances

Part 6 - Amendments to achieve alignment with social security law concerning the treatment of compensation payable in lump sums

Link to
VALA No. 3 2002

The link to VALA No. 3 2002 is available through the Scaleplus web site situated at: http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/ [27]

Commencement Dates

All proposals with the exception of Part 1 commence upon Royal Assent.

VALA No. 3 received Royal Assent on 11 April 2003.  It is now referred to as VALA No. 1 2003 and is Act No 26 of 2003.

Part 1 (Amendments concerning child-related payments) has a commencement date of 1 July 2000.

Details of changes

Details of the changes are attached.

Guidelines

All procedural and policy changes will be provided via CLIK.  Procedural and policy changes as well as standard letters are currently being updated and will be available in the near future.

Publications

Relevant Fact Sheets, claim forms and chapters in You and Your Pension will be amended to reflect the changes.

Contact

For further information in relation to the above mentioned changes please contact Elaine Tse on (02) 6289 6011, Brenda Franklin on (02) 6289 6426 or Kirrily Williams on (02) 6289 6525.

Authorised by

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

15 May 2003


Part 1 – Amendments concerning child-related payments

Background

The saved child-related payments (CRP) indexation anomaly was outlined in the Stateline titled “Saved Child Related Payments – January 2002” (Trim reference 0168545E).  Departmental Instruction number C56/2002 [28] provided the interim arrangements and guidelines on indexing saved child-related payments until the corrective legislation passes.

DoFA approved ex-gratia payments pending the passage of  legislation.

Issue

On 1 July 2000 the provisions relating to CRP were repealed from the Social Security Act, 1991 (SSA) and the responsibility for such was transferred to the Family Assistance Office (FAO), making the references to the SSA in the saved VEA provisions obsolete.  This meant that the rate of saved CRP was effectively frozen at the rate payable at the time of the repealed provisions.  The test for continued eligibility for the saved CRP was also made redundant, as there is no directly equivalent payment types in the Family Assistance Act (FAA) that can be used as a reference.

Legislative changes

Parts of sub-clause 10 of Schedule 5 have been repealed and substituted.  The new inclusions provide for the continued indexation of the saved child-related payments in line with increases in the rate of Family Tax Benefit resulting from indexation on or after 1 July 2000.  The amendments also remove the provisions relating to the test for continued eligibility for saved CRP.  In their place, a provision is inserted such that a person receiving saved CRP may elect to receive payments of FTB under the FAA, instead of saved CRP at DVA.

Systems Changes

The new CRP rates will be updated and tested within the system in conjunction with the normal quarterly update process for 1 July 2003.

Procedural Changes

As per the interim arrangements, all saved child-related cases are currently recorded using the “manual rates” method of assessment.  Once the relevant rates are updated in PIPS PC, these arrangements will be defunct.  Any manual child-related payment cases will be identified by the SI listings and will require re-assessment as automatic cases.


Part 2 – Amendments concerning the commutation of income streams

Background

'Complying' income streams are, with limited exceptions non-commutable. These limited exceptions include that an income stream can be commuted within 6 months of its commencement, or where the proceeds of the commutation are rolled over in full to purchase another `complying' income stream.  The intention behind this rule is that superannuation savings invested in these income streams are required to satisfy the commitment to pay an income for life, or the prescribed term, in order to qualify for the associated taxation and means test concessions.

The commutation provisions allow for the 'commutation' (similar to a lump sum withdrawal) of an income stream, where the resulting payment is used to purchase another income stream.

Issue

It was identified that section 52ZMA is ineffective in particular circumstances in preventing the misuse of the commutation provisions.

The scenario put forward is that a pensioner has an asset-test exempt income stream that he or she has held for a period of four years.  The pensioner commutes the income stream and transfers part or all of the proceeds to another asset-test exempt income stream as is allowed under the existing commutation provisions.

The pensioner subsequently commutes the income stream within a short period of the commencement of the new income stream and the commutation is not in accordance with the current commutation rules.  Under the existing provisions of section 52ZMA, the recoverable amount will only be the overpayment of pension for the short period during which the new income stream has been payable.

Legislative changes

The amendments to 52ZMA and the new subsections provide for a determination that an assets-test exempt income stream has an earlier commencement day, for the purposes of calculating a debt amount.  This will have the effect of removing the asset-test exempt status of the previous income stream, or of a succession of income streams.  The assets test would then apply for any part of that period in which the person was eligible for a service pension or income support supplement.

System Changes

There was no requirement for system changes regarding this initiative.

Procedural Changes

Delegates should note the amendments provide for a determination that an asset-test exempt income stream has an earlier commencement day.  The earlier commencement day should then be applied when calculating overpayment of pension benefits in cases where there has been a misuse of the commutation provisions.

Part 3 – Amendments concerning accrual of pension bonus

Background

Under the VEA, the pension bonus scheme enables a person who is eligible for an age service pension, partner service pension or income support supplement to receive a lump sum 'pension bonus' if they defer claiming pension.  A similar scheme operates under the SSA in relation to age pension.

Issue

An anomaly has been identified in relation to a person who has deferred an age pension under the social security pension bonus scheme but who subsequently becomes a war widow/war widower-pensioner.

Under the current legislation, a person is only able to accrue bonus periods from the date they became eligible for a pension under the VEA.  There is no provision for a war widow(er) who has been deferring age pension to have any bonus periods accrued at Centrelink included in the calculation of their DVA bonus when it is claimed.

Legislative changes

A new Division 12 has been added at the end of Part IIIAB to ensure that in certain cases, periods of membership of the pension bonus scheme that would have accrued under social security law will contribute towards the calculation of a pension bonus payable under the VEA.

System changes

There was no requirement for system changes regarding this initiative.

Delegations

Delegations for the officers in the Income Support area have been extended to cover the new Division 12 of Part IIIAB of the VEA.  This will allow delegates to determine that certain periods would, if the person had applied for the bonus at Centrelink before becoming a war widow(er), have been accrued as bonus periods under social security law.

Procedural changes

For consideration to be given to including these periods in the calculation of the bonus, the war widow(er) must:

  • have registered as a member of the DVA pension bonus scheme in respect of ISS; and
  • have either been registered at Centrelink for the social security PBS Scheme before becoming a war widow(er) or, in the opinion of Commission, could have been so registered before becoming a war widow(er); and
  • not have received a social security pension or benefit (other than a carer payment) at any time since reaching age pension age; and
  • not have claimed pension bonus under the social law before becoming a war widow(er); and
  • have claimed the bonus from DVA on or after the day the Act received Royal Assent.

With the passage of these amendments it is now imperative that attention be paid to any claim for ISS by a war widow(er) who has passed age pension age and has been working since reaching pension age, but who is not claiming pension bonus.

Interim guidelines

Details of how these new provisions will apply are to be included in the relevant chapters of CLIK in the near future.  The following additional information may, however, be useful in the interim:

  • If a person meets all the above criteria but had only accrued a part year period of membership under the social security scheme prior to becoming a war widow(er),. that period can be included in the calculation of the bonus if, when aggregated with a period accruing at DVA since the person became a war widow(er), that period would amount to one year;
  • If a person meets all these criteria and has accrued only a part-year period of membership under the DVA scheme, the DVA period can be included in the calculation of the bonus if, when aggregated with a period accrued under the social security scheme before the person became a war widow(er), the total period would amount to one year.

Interim guidelines

(continued)

  • A person who has been deferring age pension, becomes a war widow(er) and claims ISS immediately may be eligible for a bonus payable by DVA, solely on the basis of the bonus periods accrued at Centrelink.
  • Because compensation recovery provisions apply to age pension, a war widow(er) who previously deferred age pension can be subject to a compensation preclusion period during which the person was a non-accruing member of the Centrelink pension bonus scheme.  This may apply to a war widow(er) who has deferred age pension and then claims their bonus with ISS under the VEA.

Procedural changes

Should a person who is affected by any of these amendments apply for pension bonus or ISS before the day of Royal Assent, Income Support Policy Section should be contacted to discuss whether it might be possible for an act of grace payment to be made.

Part 4 – Amendments concerning the calculation of pension bonus

Background

The amendments contained in Part 4 are made in conjunction with the changes introduced in Part 3.  It also includes correction of minor errors in the formulae to ensure that the bonus paid to the person accurately reflects the pension they were deferring and the marital status through the period they were accruing the bonus.

Issue

Where a person's marital status had not changed during the period they had deferred their age-related pension, their whole bonus was automatically calculated on the basis of the pension rate payable at the time of grant.  This did not take account of the fact that it is possible for a person whose marital status had not changed, to become eligible for more than one pension during the period of deferral.

The amendments also corrected a number of the minor errors in the formulae for calculating the bonus and to cater for persons who are carrying over pension bonus accrued under social security law.

Legislative change Sec 45UG(1A) - where marital status has not changed

Section 45UG is amended to provide for a circumstance where a person's marital status does not change, but their pension eligibility does change.

For example, a widow of a veteran may not become a war widow until many years after the death of her husband.  In such a case, she may have commenced deferring age pension or partner service pension but become a war widow before claiming pension.

The amendments allow the bonus to be calculated on the basis of the two pensions deferred, in accordance with the proportion of time each of those pensions was deferred.

Legislative change Sec 45UH, UI - where marital status has changed

Sections 45UH and 45UI were amended to correct a number of minor errors in the formulae and cater for the new category of persons who are carrying over pension bonus periods accrued under social security law.

For example, if a person was a war widow(er) and single at the time of grant of pension, but had changed marital status during the period of deferral, the VEA required the delegate to calculate an annual notional partnered pension rate.  This required the calculation of what the person's annual pension rate would have been at the date of grant if they were married.  This is clearly not possible because such a calculation would require details of the income and assets of a notional partner at that time.

Nor is it possible, as it is with a person claiming service pension, to calculate an adjusted percentage of the rate payable at the time of grant, in order to reach a notional married rate.  This is because the denominator of the formula for calculating an adjusted percentage is the maximum basic rate.  Where the deferred pension is ISS, the denominator would be the ceiling rate.  As this does not vary according to whether the person is single or married, the exercise would be fruitless.

As a result the relevant provisions have been amended, so that in such circumstances both the annual notional single and the annual notional partnered pension rates are equal to the person's annual pension rate as at the date of grant.

Similar amendments have been made, for the same reasons, to the definition of “annual pension rate” for the purpose of calculating the apportioned single or apportioned partnered amount.

Legislative change – new subsection 45UH and UI
- definition of provisional payment rate

“Provisional payment rate” was previously defined as the rate of service pension payable at the date of grant of pension.  The problem was that the term was used within a formula for calculating a bonus where a war widow(er) had changed both marital status and the pension being deferred during their overall qualifying period.  This definition did not take account of the fact that the person had changed marital status.  The definition of this term has been amended accordingly.

System changes

There was no requirement for system changes regarding this initiative.

Procedural changes

Should a person who is affected by any of these amendments apply for pension bonus or ISS before the day of Royal Assent, Income Support Policy Section should be contacted to discuss whether it might be possible for an act of grace payment to be made.

Part 5 – Amendments concerning the backdating of claims for partner service pension in certain circumstances

Background

A veteran with qualifying service may make a claim for an age or invalidity service pension.  As a consequence the veteran's partner may claim for a partner service pension (PSP).  Both of these pensions provide income support for veterans and their partners.

A person is not eligible to receive a PSP unless the person has reached 50 years of age or has a dependent child when the claim was made.  An exception is where a person is the partner of a veteran receiving a special rate of disability pension.

Issue

The issue relates to the situations where an initial claim for the special rate of disability pension may not be granted for a number of reasons and therefore the claim for PSP will be refused.

Subsequently, the disability pension (DP) is assessed as being payable at the special rate with the date of effect being either the date the DP claim was lodged, or a date 3 months prior to the lodgement of the application.  The partner will then need to make a second claim for a PSP but the current legislation only allows payment of the pension to be granted from the date of the later claim.

Legislative changes

A new subsection 38B(3) has been inserted.  The new subsection is applicable where a veteran has made a claim for payment of the disability pension at the special rate and it is either rejected initially but subsequently appealed and accepted, or such a claim is determined and accepted after the partner's service pension claim has been refused.

These amendments will enable a claim for PSP by the partner of such a veteran to be backdated if:

  • a claim for partner service pension by the partner of a veteran has been refused; and
  • that claim would not have been refused if the veteran was receiving a special rate disability pension; and
  • the veteran has subsequently been notified that he or she has been granted a disability pension at the special rate; and
  • the partner of the veteran makes another claim for partner service pension within 3 months of the notification to the veteran;

then the provisional commencement day for the payment of partner service pension will be the later of:

  • the date the partner made the original claim; or
  • the date from which the special rate of disability pension was payable to the veteran.

In addition, the new section 38AA will allow for the disclosure of personal information concerning the veteran, to the partner of the veteran.  This was required because of the operation of the Privacy Act 1988 and the limits placed by it on the disclosure of personal information to a third party.  This section will allow DVA to inform the partner of a veteran about the grant of special rate for the purpose of the partner of that veteran making a claim for PSP.

System changes

There was no requirement for system changes regarding this initiative.

Procedural changes

The Disability Compensation area should continue to refer the veteran's file to the Income Support Section where a veteran is granted the special rate of DP and the veteran and/or partner is not in receipt of service pension.

When inviting partners to claim PSP, information may now be disclosed to the partner of a veteran under section 38AA, about the grant of special rate DP to facilitate their claim for a partner service pension.

Delegates should note that the backdating provisions only apply to persons who satisfy all the conditions of subsection 38B (3).

Part 6 – Amendments concerning the treatment of lump sum compensation

Background

Part IIIC of the VEA was inserted by the Veterans' Affairs (1994-95 Budget Measures) Legislation Amendment Act (No.2).  Part IIIC mirrored the compensation recovery provisions that were in Part 3.14 of the SSA.

The application of the compensation recovery provisions depends on the nature of the compensation payments and the circumstances of the pensioner.  In certain situations, where a person receives lump sum compensation, the operation of compensation recovery rules may result in part, or all of a person's pension not being payable for a period known as the “lump sum preclusion period”.

Issue

The Family and Community Services Legislation (Simplification and Other Measures) Act 2001 repealed certain SSA provisions relating to the payment of multiple lump sums.  A new section 1171 was inserted as part of the rewrite of Part 3.14.

The amendments to relative provisions in Part IIIC of the VEA will align more closely with the treatment of multiple lump sums of compensation under the SSA.  The intention of these amendments is to prevent the circumvention of the compensation recovery provisions by the payment of compensation for the same injury, disease or condition, in more than two lump sums.

Legislative changes

Subsection 59Q(5) which provides the preclusion period calculation involving 2 or more separate lump sums has been repealed.

Under the new provision of 59QA, in the circumstances where a person has received two or more lump sum compensation payments wholly, or partially for economic loss, the person will be taken to have received a single lump sum compensation payment equal to the sum of the multiple payments.  The 'single' payment will be taken to have been received either on the day on which the last of the multiple payments were received, or if the multiple payments were all received on the same day, that day.

New subsection 59QA(2) provides that a payment exclusively relating to arrears of periodic compensation be excluded from the above provisions.

System changes

There was no requirement for system changes regarding this initiative.

Procedural changes

The Compensation Recovery Guidelines will be updated to reflect the change in the legislation.  The Compensation Preclusion Worksheet is currently under review and will be placed in CLIK for easy access.

C13/2003 Penalty Interest Rate on Recoverable Debts

  • Log in [29] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  9 MAY 2003

Penalty Interest Rate on Recoverable Debts

Purpose

The purpose of this instruction is to ensure that departmental staff are applying the correct penalty interest rate to recoverable debts, as per section 205AAE of the Veterans' Entitlements Act, 1986 (VEA) and section 1129B of the Social Security Act, 1991 (SSA).

Background

On 1 July 2001 new debt recovery provisions were introduced via the Family and Community Services and Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Debt Recovery) Act, 2001.

The new debt recovery rules included the application of a penalty interest rate in some circumstances.  Full details on how the new provisions apply are provided in Departmental Instruction C08/2001 [30] titled Enhance Debt Recovery.

Penalty interest rate

A penalty interest rate may apply to a recoverable debt if it has not been repaid, or if arrangements have not been made to repay the debt, within a certain period.

The penalty rate is provided in the following section of the VEA:

205AAE Penalty interest rate

The penalty interest rate is the rate in force from time to time under section 1229B of the Social Security Act 1991.

Under the SSA, section 1229B Penalty interest rate states:

  1. The penalty interest rate is:
    1. 20% per year; or
    2. if a lower rate is determined under subsection (2) - that lower rate.
  2. The Minister may from time to time, by notice in writing, determine a rate of less than 20% per year that is to be the penalty interest rate.
  3. A notice under subsection (2) is a disallowable instrument for the purposes of section 46A of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

Penalty rate determination –  3%

The penalty interest rate provision has been applied under social security law since its introduction in 1994, whereas it has applied in the VEA only since the enhanced debt recovery rules were introduced on 1 July 2001.

At the time of introduction to the VEA, a determination had been made under the Social Security (Penalty Interest) Determination 2001 that the penalty interest rate would be 3%, as permitted by subsection 1229B(2) of the SSA.  This determination was effective from the date of its gazettal, on 1 August 2001.  A preceding disallowable instrument had previously provided that the rate was also 3%.

The current determination can be found on Scaleplus under the 'Instruments made under Legislation' database, or by clicking on the following link: http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/instruments/0/34/... [31]

An extract from the determination is at Attachment A.

Contact

If you require any further information on this instruction, please contact Kirrily Williams of Income Support Policy, National Office on (02) 6289 6525.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT POLICY

May 2003


Attachment A

Social Security (Penalty Interest) Determination Error! Reference source not found. [32]

I, AMANDA ELOISE VANSTONE, Minister for Family and Community Services, make this Determination under subsections 1229B (2) and 1229C (1) of the Social Security Act 1991.

Dated 31 July 2001

Minister for Family and Community Services

Part 2 — Penalty interest rate

5Penalty interest rate

For subsection 1229B (2) of the Act, the penalty interest rate is 3% per year.

...

C12/2003 INDEXATION OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

  • Log in [33] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  28 APRIL 2003

INDEXATION OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

Introduction

The British Government has announced that the National Insurance benefit will rise in April 2003 by 1.7% in line with their Retail Price Index.  The pensions affected are listed below and should be recorded on PIPS/PC as superannuation income (Indexed BRI):

  • service pensioners in receipt of British Department of Social Security pension who live in any country other than Australia, Canada, South Africa or New Zealand;

  • service pensioners in receipt of a British Indexed pension i.e. public service, navy, teachers etc., regardless of the country of residence.

Date of Effect

The date of effect for the 1.7% variation is 29 April 2003 to be available on payday 15 May 2003.

The conversion factor for this indexation is 1.017

The amount, in Pounds Sterling, of income recorded as British Retirement Income Indexed BRI will be multiplied by applying a conversion factor, to find the new rate of superannuation.  The conversion factor is calculated as follows:

The variation percentage

-----------------------------     +  1  =  Conversion factor

     100

The pension amount will then be reassessed accordingly.

The conversion factor for this indexation is 1.017

Date of processing run

This exercise is scheduled for processing on Monday, 28 April 2003.

Manual cases and MS cases

When cases are in frozen status they will be listed for subsequent manual processing by state office staff.

IBM GSA implications

IBM GSA will be printing the advices and despatching them to the State Offices for manual distribution.  Special Register cases will have an advice produced, these cases will be listed on the exception report.  A full advice will be generated for any fringe benefit/change of treatment cases.

Advice letters

An advice will be generated for those cases where a 'variation' in pension payment occurs as a result of the indexation exercise.  A standard one page, 2 sided, advice containing the indexation information and payment information line advising pensioners of their fortnightly payment will be produced.  Where a joint advice is generated both the veteran and partner will each have a payment information line.

Before the advices are despatched from your State, a sample check should be carried out to ensure they contain the correct State Office address, signature block, payment information and the pensioner is a recipient of Indexed BRI.

Pensioners visiting overseas countries

If a service pensioner in receipt of a British DSS pension is holidaying outside Australia, in any country other than Canada, South Africa or New Zealand, they are eligible for the increase.  The increase will only be paid if the British DSS is aware of the pensioners whereabouts.  On their return to Australia these pensioners should be sent an income review to reassess their pension payment.

Service pensioners in receipt of a British Indexed pension will have their British pension increased regardless of the country of residence.  These cases should all be recorded as British Indexed pension.  All such pensions should be reassessed with an effective date of 29 April 2003.

Contact officer

The Income support Branch contact officer for the exercise will be:

Nasreen Haque — Telephone:(02) 6289 1125

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

Income Support

28 April 2003

C11/2003 GENERAL INCREASE TO WAR PENSIONS PAID IN AUSTRALIA

  • Log in [34] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  28 APRIL 2003

GENERAL INCREASE TO WAR PENSIONS PAID IN AUSTRALIA

Advised by:

The War Pension Agency in UK has advised that British War pensions paid in Australia will rise by  1.7%, in line with their Retail Price Index and will come into effect from the payday in the week commencing

7 April 2003.

New Percentage Rate

The National Insurance Benefit will increase by 1.7% in line with their Retail Price Index.

Effective Pay Day

This exercise is a manual process and arrears are to be paid to EATS/Composite cases, so the timetable is at your discretion.  However, the variation should be put into effect on payday  15 May 2003.  In service pension, rent assistance and age pension cases, overpayments should not be raised.

Cases Affected where British Disability Pension is in Payment

These changes will affect the following cases:

  • Composite cases (with or without SP)

  • EATS cases (with or without SP)

  • British DP, SP and RA

  • British DP and AP or ISS

  • Other overseas pensions (that may be affected)

  • Miscellaneous and joint cases

Rates Charts

A selection of rates converted to $A at both old and new rates are attached.

Manual Examination

There will be no cases processed automatically.  All cases will be listed for manual examination.

Changed Arrangements

Since the introduction of IPS extraction of cases can only be obtained through the AD Hoc Inquires System (AIS).  A list of cases has been emailed to all the Income Support Managers and System Support Officers.  There have been occasional problems with the AIS results. If for any reason the list provided appears inconsistent with your expectations please contact the Income Support Officers listed below.

PIPS/PC

For all cases involving EATS, COMPOSITE or SERVICE PENSION, whether automatic or manual method of assessment, the new rate of pension must be updated via PIPS/PC.

Contact Officers

The Income Support contact officers for this exercise will be:

Nasreen Haque (02) 6289 1125

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

28 April 2003


Chart 2 other ranks

DISABLED OTHER RANKS - MALE & FEMALE

1939 War  Rates

Assessment

pounds /wk

100

123.90

90

111.51

80

99.12

70

86.73

60

74.34

50

61.95

40

49.56

30

37.17

20

24.78

Chart 1 officers

DISABLED OFFICERS - MALE & FEMALE

pounds yearly

100

6465

90

5819

80

5172

70

4526

60

3879

50

3233

40

2586

30

1940

20

1293

Chart 15

SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES

Officers

Other Ranks

(yearly)

(weekly)

UNEMPLOYABILITY SUPPLEMENT

old rate

new rate

old rate

new rate

Personal allowance

3927

3994

75.25

76.55

Wife or adult dependent

2215

2252

42.45

43.15

1st eligible child

514

522

9.85

10.00

2nd & subsequent child

603

613

11.55

11.75

INVALIDITY ALLOWANCE

old rate

new rate

old rate

new rate

Age qualifying

1. Under 40

777

791

14.90

15.15

Date

2. Over 40,under 50

496

506

9.50

9.70

3. 50 or over

248

253

4.75

4.85

CONSTANT ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE

old rate

new rate

old rate

new rate

1. Up to half-day attendance

1200

1221

23.00

23.40

2. Full day attendance

     Basic rate

2400

2442

46.00

46.80

     Intermediate

3600

3663

69.00

70.20

     Exceptional

4801

4884

92.00

93.60

COMFORTS ALLOWANCE

old rate

new rate

old rate

new rate

Higher rate

1028

1044

19.70

20.00

Lower rate

514

522

9.85

10.00

AGE ALLOWANCE

When the degree of pensioned

disablement is

old rate

new rate

old rate

new rate

  a. 40 to 50 per cent

425

433

8.15

8.30

  b. 50 to 70 per cent

655

665

12.55

12.75

  c. 70 to 90 per cent

931

947

17.85

18.15

  d. over 90 per cent

1310

1331

25.10

25.50

Charts 8, 9 & 11

WIDOWS PENSION and ALLOWANCES

OTHER RANKS

Type of Award

Other Ranks

Officers

Class of Award per Week

per year

Widow

WO1

1

2

3

4

5

Higher Rate

93.85

93.85

93.85

93.85

93.85

93.85

Lower Rate

22.50

22.50

22.50

22.50

22.50

22.50

Children of

Widow  1st Child

14.80

772.00

2 nd and sub

16.50

861.00

Total Orphans

1st  Child

16.80

877.00

2 nd and sub

18.45

963.00

infirm 18 +

72.15

3765.00

Age Allowance

Age 65 to 70

10.75

561.00

Age 70 +

20.55

1072.00

Age 80 +

30.55

1594.00

Chart 9 & 11

Other

Officers

M.O.D.

P.W.

P.A.

Special Awards for Widow

whose husband's service

New

60.97

3181.41

ended on or before 31/3/73

Chart 13

WIDOWS CHILDREN, MOTHERLESS & FATHERLESS CHILDREN

Motherless & Fatherless Children

Total Orphan (weekly rate)

child

infirm

allow

under15

15orover

18 or over

officers

rate for 1st

14.80

16.80

16.80

72.15

R.N.;R.M.

child

14.80

16.80

16.80

72.15

officers

rate for 2nd &

16.50

18.45

18.45

72.15

R.N.;R.M.

subsequent child

16.50

18.45

18.45

72.15

other officer

rate for 1st

14.80

16.80

16.80

72.15

ranks

child

14.80

16.80

16.80

72.15

other officer

rate for 2nd &

16.50

18.45

18.45

72.15

ranks

subsequent child

16.50

18.45

18.45

72.15

Chart 9 & 11

MISCELLANEOUS

OTHER

RANKS

OFFICER

RENT ALLOWANCE (MAX)

old

34.80

1816.00

new

35.40

1847.00

Chart 10

WIDOWS' PENSIONS - OFFICERS

BOTH WARS

ROYAL NAVY

ROYAL

ARMY

R.A.F.

HIGH

MARINE

RATE

Old Rate

New Rate

Major

Sq Ldr

4912

4996

Capt.

Fl Lt

4894

4977

Lieut.

FO

4874

4957

Comm Off

4844

4926

Chart 15

CLOTHING ALLOWANCE

OFFICERS & OTHER RANKS

(yearly)

old rate

new rate

Higher rate

157

160

Lower rate

157

160

CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE $A2.75

OTHER RANKS - DISABILITY PENSION-EFFECTIVE 7-Apr-03

OLD

NEW

CLASS V, IV, III, II, I, WO1

%

RATE

RATE

20%

133.98

136.29

30%

200.97

204.44

40%

267.96

272.58

50%

334.95

340.73

60%

401.94

408.87

70%

468.93

477.02

80%

535.92

545.16

90%

602.91

613.31

100%

669.90

681.45

OFFICER - DISABILITY PENSION - EFFECTIVE  7-Apr-03

Exchange Rate $A 2.75

RANK

1 Midshipman or Comm Off Navy

  2 Lt. Army

    3 Capt. Army

OLD

NEW

      4 Major Army

RATE

RATE

         5 Lt. Col Army

%

P.F.

P.F.

20%

134.06

136.38

30%

201.15

204.63

40%

268.13

272.77

50%

335.21

341.02

60%

402.30

409.15

70%

469.28

477.40

80%

536.36

545.54

90%

603.34

613.78

100%

670.43

681.92

OFFICERS

SERVICE RETIRED PAY OR SERVICE PENSION -
EFFECTIVE 7-Apr-03

EXCHANGE RATE $A2.75

OLD

NEW

RATE

RATE

P.F.

P.F.

20%

134.06

136.38

30%

201.15

204.63

40%

268.13

272.77

50%

335.21

341.02

60%

402.30

409.15

70%

469.28

477.40

80%

536.36

545.54

90%

603.34

613.78

100%

670.43

681.92

SUPPLEMENTARY  ALLOWANCES

OFFICERS and OTHER RANKS - DISABLEMENT

EXCHANGE RATE $A2.75

Effective 7-Apr-03

Effective 7-Apr-03

UNEMPLOYABILITY SUPP.

OFFICERS

OTHER RANKS

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

Personal Allowance

414.22

421.28

413.88

421.03

Wife or Adult dependant

233.64

237.54

233.48

237.33

1st eligible child

54.22

55.06

54.18

55.00

2nd & subsequent child

63.60

64.66

63.53

64.63

CONSTANT ATTENDANT

OFFICERS

OTHER RANKS

ALLOWANCE

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

1.Up to half-day attendance

126.58

128.79

126.50

128.70

2.Full day attendance - Basic

253.15

257.58

253.00

257.40

- Intermediate

379.73

386.37

379.50

386.10

- Exceptional

506.41

515.16

506.00

514.80

COMFORTS ALLOWANCE

OFFICERS

OTHER RANKS

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

Higher Rate

108.43

110.12

108.35

110.00

Lower Rate

54.22

55.06

54.18

55.00

CLOTHING ALLOWANCE

OFFICERS

OTHER RANKS

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

P.A.

P.A.

P.F.

P.F.

Higher Rate

431.75

440.00

16.56

16.88

Lower Rate

431.75

440.00

16.56

16.88

INVALIDITY ALLOWANCE

OFFICERS

OTHER RANKS

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

Age on       )       < 40 yrs

81.96

83.43

81.95

83.33

Qualifying  )       > 40 but < 50 yrs

52.32

53.37

52.25

53.35

Date           )       > 50 yrs

26.16

26.69

26.13

26.68

AGE ALLOWANCE

OFFICERS

OTHER RANKS

When the degree of pensioned

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

disablement is :

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

a. 40% to 50% - inclusive

44.83

45.67

44.83

45.65

b. > 50% but not > 70%

69.09

70.14

69.03

70.13

c. > 70% but not > 90%

98.20

99.89

98.18

99.83

d. over 90%

138.18

140.39

138.05

140.25

MISCELLANEOUS

EXCHANGE RATE $A2.75

Effective 7-Apr-03

Effective 7-Apr-03

RENT ALLOWANCE (Maximum)

OFFICERS

OTHER RANKS

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

191.55

194.82

191.40

194.70

AGE ALLOWANCE

OFFICERS

OTHER RANKS

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

P.F.

Widows - Age 65 but under 70

58.01

59.17

58.03

59.13

   Age 70 and over

111.18

113.07

111.10

113.03

   Age 80 and over

165.39

168.13

165.28

168.03

DEPENDANTS OF DECEASED MEMBERS

EXCHANGE RATE $A2.75

Effective

7-Apr-03

WIDOWS  ** HIGHER RATE **

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

******M.O.D.  Payment Included  ******

P.F.

P.F.

CLASS V

835.96

851.75

IV, III,  II,  I,  WO1

837.61

851.75

Lt Comdr,  Capt,  Major,  Sq Ldr

848.08

862.55

Lt,  Lt,  Capt, Fl Lt

846.18

860.54

Sub Lt,  Lt,  Flying Off   Pilot Off

844.07

858.43

Comms Off

840.90

855.16

WIDOWS  ** M.O.D. PAYMENT **

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

Special award for Widows whose husbands completed

P.F.

P.F.

service on or before 31 March 1973.

329.96

335.57

CHILDREN OF WIDOW OR REMARRIED WIDOW

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

P.F.

P.F.

1st ELIGIBLE CHILD

80.06

81.43

2nd and SUBSEQUENT CHILD

89.13

90.82

TOTAL ORPHANS and MOTHERLESS CHILDREN

OLD RATE

NEW RATE

P.F.

P.F.

TOTAL ORPHANS   1st CHILD

90.82

92.51

2nd and SUBSEQUENT ORPHANS

99.89

101.58

INFIRM & > 18 -

390.48

397.13

C10/2003 EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

  • Log in [35] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  24 APRIL 2003

EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

Purpose of Instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the Pounds Sterling exchange rate variation exercise.

Introduction

Following the recent variation in foreign exchange rates, it is appropriate for DVA to apply a new exchange rate for income support pension assessment purposes.

New exchange rate A$2.5452

The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.6205 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.5452 (ie A$1 = ?0.3929).

This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 25 April 2003.

Date of effect
29 April 2003

Effective from 29 April 2003 the current exchange rate will change.

On pension payday 15 May 2003 (pay period 49) pensioners will receive a full instalment at the new assessed rate.

Date of processing run

Processing to implement the new exchange rate is scheduled for the evening of Tuesday 29 April 2003.

Automatic superannuation processing

The amount recorded as BRI non-indexed super type 08 or BRI indexed super type 09 will be varied by applying the exchange rate to the amount recorded, to find the new rate of superannuation.  The pension amount will then be reassessed automatically.

Manual cases and MS cases

Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed automatically.  These cases will be listed on the manual listing for follow up action, and CMS/PIPS cases will be created automatically for State Office action.  Any cases processed through PIPS/PC should be reassessed from the beginning of the pension period for pension payday 15 May 2003 – ie 29 April 2003.

Advice letters

The advice letters for this exercise will be joint advices where both members of a couple are in receipt of BRI and their pension payment varies.  Age Pensioners will receive separate advices.

The letter will advise the new exchange rate, the amount of income and a payment box.  An advice will only be produced for cases where a variation in payment results.

IBM GSA implications

IBM GSA will produce the cartridge and forward it to Security Mailing in Sydney.

Overseas, Special Register and Enclosure Advices

Overseas, Special Register, Enclosure Advice letters (ie cases where a change to treatment entitlement occurs) and reduction to nil cases will be separated by IBM GSA and despatched to the State Office for manual distribution.  This arrangement is the same for daily advice letters.

Mail out of bulk advices

Security Mailing will print and prepare the advices for lodgement with Australia Post by 09 May 2003.

British DP case paid Rent Assistance

Income Support pensioners who are in receipt of Rent Assistance (RA) and who also receive British Disability Pension direct from Britain (not EATS and Composite cases) should have that Disability Pension converted to $A using the BRI exchange rate.  RA should be manually recalculated.  These cases can be extracted through AIS by each state.  If you have any problem please contact Andrew Purcell on the number below.

Note: If DP has already been assessed as income in determining Hardship cases it should not also be assessed as income for RA.

Contact officer

The Income Support Branch contact officer is:

Andrew Purcell           Telephone:   (02) 6289 4832

Jeanette Ricketts
A/g Branch Head
INCOME SUPPORT

24 April 2003


POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE

Foreign exchange periodExchange rate

3 Dec 98

to

27 January 99

0.3834

2.6082

28 January 99

to

10 Feb 99

0.3719

2.6889

11 Feb 99

to

19 May 99

0.3905

2.5608

20 May 99

to

28 July 99

0.4079

2.4516

New Date of Effect Rules

13 July 99

to

9 August 99

0.4271

2.3414

10 August 99

to

1 Nov 99

0.4105

2.4361

2 Nov 99

to

10 Jan 00

0.3952

2.5304

11 Jan 00

to

6 March 00

0.4069

2.4576

7 March 00

to

1 May 00

0.3927

2.5465

2 May 00

to

29 May 00

0.3807

2.6267

30 May 00

to

10 July 00

0.3907

2.5595

11 July 00

to

16 Oct 00

0.4022

2.4863

17 Oct 00

to

2 April 01

0.3737

2.6759

3 April 01

to

14 May 01

0.3550

2.8169

15 April 01

to

23 July 01

0.3674

2.7218

24 July 01

to

6 August 01

0.3803

2.6295

7 August 01

to

1 October 01

0.3701

2.7020

2 October 01

to

29 October 01

0.3430

2.9155

30 October 01

to

10 December 01

0.3588

2.7871

11 December 01

to

7 January 02

0.3709

2.6961

8 January 02

to

18 March 02

0.3612

2.7685

19 March 02

to

27 May 02

0.3723

2.6860

28 May 02

to

10 June 02

0.3830

2.6110

11 June 02

to

08 July 02

0.3928

2.5258

09 July 02

to

22 July 02

0.3758

2.6610

23 July 02

to

05 August 02

0.3643

2.7450

06 August 02

to

02 September 02

0.3503

2.8547

03 September 02

to

03 March 03

0.3620

2.7624

04 March 03

to

28 April 03

0.3816

2.6205

29 April 03

to

0.3929

2.5452

C09/2003 Guidelines for the Issuing of Obligation and Income/Asset Information with automatic Advices

  • Log in [36] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  16 APRIL 2003

Guidelines for the Issuing of Obligation and Income/Asset Information with automatic Advices

Purpose

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to replace DI C32/99 [37], Guidelines for the Issuing of Obligation and Income/Asset Information with Daily Advices.

Reason for Replacement DI

This instruction

  • clarifies conflicting statements in DI C32/99 [37] to make it clear that an advice is always sent following a pensioner initiated review (PIR); and
  • updates the summary table (Advice Practices for Automatic Advices - Attachment A) to take into account advice format and content changes implemented since  DI C32/99 [37] was issued.

income support communication strategy

Income Support Communication Strategy objectives

Income Support's communication strategy aims to:

  • Enhance understanding within the veteran community of their rights, benefits and obligations;
  • Assist pensioners to comply with their obligations;
  • Discourage unnecessary pensioner initiated reviews; and
  • Minimise intrusion whilst providing ease of access to information.

Income Support Communication Strategies

Key strategies implemented to achieve these objectives include:

  • Simplification of the format and content of the mainframe advice letters to improve the quality of  information provided;
  • Development and promotion of the booklet, You and Your Pension as a method for improving pensioners' understanding of their benefits, rights and obligations;
  • Development and implementation of a series of fact sheets called DVA FACTS covering a range of DVA benefits and services; and
  • Reduction and regulation of the frequency and volume of obligation and income/asset information sent to pensioners.

Rationale for regulating issue of Obligation & Income/Asset information

The practice of frequently sending large amounts of information to remind pensioners of their obligations and inform them of their income/asset details, has resulted in some pensioner confusion rather than improving understanding, and has encouraged excessive notification of unnecessary change of circumstances.

The review program has become increasingly dominated by pensioner initiated reviews, many of which result in no change to the pension rate.  This strategy, to reduce the frequency of sending full obligations and income /asset lists, aims to discourage unnecessary PIRs in order to facilitate the redirection of resources towards more effective risk based department initiated reviews.

The strategy is supported by a Repatriation Commission decision (April 1997) outlining the frequency with which income support pensioners should be provided with full obligations and income/asset details.

Commission Policy -Obligations

Commission policy is that full obligation information is provided:

  • To all pensioners at grant;
  • To maximum rate pensioners at a minimum interval of once every 5 years;
  • To reduced rate pensioners at a minimum interval of once every 2 years; and
  • To all pensioners following full departmental review.

The 2 and 5 yearly provision of obligations to pensioners is done via the June mailout when group certificates are issued.

Commission Policy – Income & Asset Details

Commission policy is that full income and asset details are provided:

  • To all pensioners at grant;
  • To reduced rate pensioners at a minimum interval of once every 2 years;
  • To all pensioners following full departmental review; and
  • To reduced rate pensioners affected by a global automatic reassessment of managed investments (MI) and/or shares (full MI and/or Share details).

The two yearly provision of full income and asset details to reduced rate pensioners is done via the June mailout when group certificates are issued.

guidelines for issuing obligations & income/asset details

Guidelines for Daily Advices

The following guidelines for issuing obligations and income/asset details with automatic daily advices following pension grant or review were developed in consultation with Income Support Managers.

The guidelines limit the sending of full obligations and/or income and asset details following a pensioner initiated review or a department initiated action.

It is recognised that the guidelines for the provision of income/asset details and obligation information may not always be appropriate and that staff require the flexibility to be able to choose other advice options in order to respond to individual pensioner circumstances.

New Claims

Full obligations and full income/asset details are to be provided upon grant of an income support pension.

For grants of service pension, income support supplement and age pension, obligations are to be suppressed on the PIPS/PC advice screen and the booklet You and Your Pension sent with the advice of grant. (DI C35/98 [38] refers)

Pensioner Initiated Reviews

Pension Variation: Pensioners should only be advised of the items in their assessment that have changed and the related obligations following a PIR that results in a change in rate of payment.  'Partial Income and Assets' and 'Partial Obligations' should be selected on the PIPS/PC advice screen..

Pension Reduction to Nil: Pensioners should only be advised of the items in their assessment that have altered following a PIR that results in a reduction to nil. No obligations are to be sent.

Pension Continuation: An advice is sent but no obligations or income/asset details are included.

Department Initiated Actions

Pension Variation: Pensioners should only be advised of the items in their assessment that have changed and the related obligations following departmental initiated actions which results in a change to the rate of payment (eg, DIAs, Fortnightly Manuals).

Pension Reduction to Nil: Pensioners should only be advised of the items in their assessment that have altered following departmental initiated actions that results in a reduction to nil.  No obligations are to be sent.

Pension Continuation: No advice should be sent

Full Departmental Review

Full obligations and full income/asset details are to be provided after a comprehensive departmental review, which updates all aspects of a pensioner's assessment.  Examples of a full review include targeted reviews and post bereavement reviews.

Summary of Advice Practices

A table summarising the expected advice practices for claims and review processing; and current advice practices for periodic automatic advices is at Attachment A.

Contact

Any queries regarding this instruction  should be referred to Sukey Angeloni

on (08) 9366 8463.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

16 April 2003
Advice Practices for Automatic Advices                      Attachment A

Type of Action

Obligations

Income & Assets

Advice Sent

Daily Automatic Advices

New Claim/ Grant

Full

(Issue You & Your Pension)

Full*

Yes

Pensioner Initiated Review

  • Variation
  • Reduction to nil
  • Continuation

Partial

Nil

Nil

Partial

Partial

Nil

Yes

Yes

Yes

Department Initiated Action

  • Variation
  • Reduction to nil
  • Continuation

Partial

Nil

N/A

Partial

Partial

N/A

Yes

Yes

No

Fortnightly Manual

  • Variation
  • Reduction to nil
  • Continuation

Partial

Nil

N/A

Partial

Partial

N/A

Yes

Yes

No

Full Departmental Review

  • Variation
  • Reduction to nil
  • Continuation

Full

Nil

Full

Full

Full

Full

Yes

Yes

Yes

Periodic Automatic Advices

Obligations

Income & Asset

Frequency

Automatic Fortnightly Manual

  • Variation
  • Reduction to nil
  • Continuation

Partial

Nil

N/A

Partial

Partial

N/A

Following Review

Following Review

No advice sent

Global Advices

(MI/Share refresh)

  • Variation
  • Reduction to nil
  • Continuation

Full

Nil

N/A

MIs & Shares only

MIs & Shares only

N/A

March & Sept

March & Sept

No advice sent

BRI & Super variation Advices

  • Variation
  • Reduction to nil
  • Continuation

Partial

Nil

N/A

Partial

Partial

N/A

Following Review

Following Review

No advice sent

2 & 5 year Obligation Advices

  • Maximum Rate Pensioners
  • Reduced Rate Pensioners

Full

Full

Nil

Full

5 yearly

2 yearly

*Selection of 'Full Income & Assets' on the PIPS/PC advice screen results in the production of either a complete or a tailored income & asset statement depending on the circumstances of the pensioner.

  • Assets tested pensioners and income tested pensioners who are within $10,000 of their asset threshold receive a complete income & assets list detailing all income & assets in the assessment.
  • Income tested pensioners who are more than $10,000 below their asset threshold are sent a tailored income & assets list which excludes miscellaneous assets such as vehicles that do not affect the pension rate.

C08/2003 MARCH 2003 GLOBAL REFRESH OF MANAGED INVESTMENTS (MIs) AND SHARES (SHs) MAILOUT

  • Log in [39] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  12 MARCH 2003

MARCH 2003 GLOBAL REFRESH OF MANAGED INVESTMENTS (MIs) AND SHARES (SHs) MAILOUT

Purpose of Instruction

This Departmental Instruction is to provide information about processing arrangements for the March 2003 Global Refresh of Managed Investments and Shares advice letter mailout.

BOB TURNER

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT

11 March 2003


Overview

Introduction

In March and September of each year the Department varies certain pension and allowance rates and thresholds in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and/or Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).  We do not send advice letters to all pensioners whose pensions are adjusted because of the CPI or MTAWE - information on these increases is contained in the latest edition of VetAffairs.  Letters are only sent to those pensioners on less than the maximum rate of income support pension who have managed investments (MIs) and/or shares (SHs) in their assessment.

This Departmental Instruction provides information about the mailout and advises of the significant issues relating to the exercise.  Letters will be sent to pensioners affected by the events as set out in the following paragraph.

Significant Issues- of Managed Investment and Share Global Refresh Mailout

The March 2003 Quarterly mailout will incorporate the following events for payday 3 April 2003 (WEF 20 March 2003).  Issues of significance with regard to this mailout are as follows:

  • Letters will be sent to all less than maximum rate income support recipients;
  • The asset value of managed investment (MI) and share (SH) data will be reassessed;
  • A Managed Investment and/or Share Information Attachment will be provided for all less than maximum rate income support recipients who have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment.  This Attachment will provide a full listing of the client's MIs and/or SHs regardless of what has been reassessed; 
  • If a treatment change occurs as a result of the reassessment a letter will be produced; and
  • Clients who are affected by the Period of Grace provisions will receive an advice.


Letter Content

Advice Letter Target Audience

A letter will be produced for the following clients:

  • All less than maximum rate service pensioners (SP), income support supplement recipients (ISS) and age pensioners (AP)
  • Max rate SP/ISS/AP recipients who move to less than max rate as a result of the reassessment
  • Less than max rate SP/ISS/AP recipients who move to max rate as a result of the reassessment
  • SP/ISS/AP recipients who are reduced to nil as a result of the reassessment
  • Treatment changes as a result of the Statutory Increase (SI) or global refresh of MIs and/or SHs reassessment.
  • Clients affected due to coming or going on or off the Period of Grace

Financial Assets Reassess-ment

The asset value of managed investment and/or share data will be reassessed as part of this process.  Clients with MI and/or SH data in their assessment will receive a paragraph advising them of the ...Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments...

CPI

There will be a brief reference made in the advice letters about the CPI increase after the 'Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments' paragraph.

Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE)

There will be a brief reference to MTAWE made in the advice letters after the 'Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments' paragraph.

Advice on CPI and MTAWE variations will be included in the March edition of VetAffairs - VetAffairs distribution is to commence on Wednesday, 19 — th March 2003 to be completed by Wednesday, 26 — th March 2003.


Obligations suppressed

Obligations are to be suppressed for all letters produced.  Reference will be made to previous obligations issued to clients and in the case of Service Pension and Income Support Supplement recipients, reference will also be made to obligations provided in the 'You and Your Pension' Booklet.

The Financial Obligations paragraph (including the Prescribed Rates) will be present in the advice for all clients (excluding Blinded pensioners and clients reduced to nil.)

$1 Minimum Variation Rules

The $1min rules will be applied to all less than max rate SP and ISS variation cases ie., an increase or reduction must be equal to or greater than a $1 amount to receive an advice.

$1min rules do not apply to Age Pensioners.

Continuation Cases

Cases where the 'old rate' resulting from the Statutory Increase (SI) processing and the 'new rate' resulting from MI/SH refresh end up being the same amount after the reassessment will not have an advice produced.

Treatment Advices to be Checked

As is the procedure for quarterly processing all Overseas and Enclosure (treatment changes) advice letters will be printed at the IBM printhub and sent via courier to each State Office.  We request that these letters be checked for accuracy prior to sending, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office.

Group Addressees/
Special Register  Advices

Special Register advices are to be streamed for the South Australian State Office only - they will be printed at the IBM Printhub in Sydney and forwarded to the South Australia State Office.  All other State's Special Register advices will form part of the bulk advices and be printed and sent from the mailing house.


Blinded Clients will not Receive an Advice

As blind persons are not subject to the income and assets test they will not receive an advice regardless of whether they have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment - as any changes to their MI/SHs as a result of the reassessment will not affect their rate of pension.  However, if they are in a joint assessment where their partner is not blind the non blind member of the couple will receive a single advice.

General Information Sheet

Each letter will contain a General Information Sheet (GIS).  This will act as the consistent last page for gatemarking purposes at the mailing house.  The GIS provides details of new rates and threshold information.

Single & Joint Letters

All Service Pensioners and Income Support Supplement recipient couples will receive a joint letter, provided the pensioner addresses are identical.

Age Pensioner couples will receive separate letters.


Production of Advice Letters

Processing

Processing is scheduled to run from PM Thursday, 13 — th March until AM Monday 17 — th March 2003.

Critical Dates

Processing Weekend within DVA (includes 'advices' processing)

Thursday, 13 — th March 2003 - Monday, 17 — th March 2003

Commence dispatch of Production Data to SMS

Monday, 17 — th March 2003

Commence printing Advice Letters

Tuesday, 18 — th March 2003

End Printing Advice Letters

Friday, 21 — st March 2003

National Lodgement of Advice Letters with Australia Post

On Friday, 21 — st March 2003

Client Numbers

The following is a summary of client numbers in each State.  The numbers are approximates only:

STATE

NO. OF LETTERS

(Approx Only and includes Special Register, Overseas and Enclosures)

New South Wales (incl ACT)

9,239

Victoria

7,013

Queensland

5,880

Western Australia

2,825

South Australia

2,679

Tasmania

930

TOTAL

28,566 (Based on Sept 2002 figures)

Printing of Letters

Security Mailing Services (SMS) Sydney, will print, fold and insert advice letters in the week from Tuesday, 18 — th March through until Friday 21 — st March 2003.


Lodgement of Letters

All State's letters will be lodged with Australia Post on Friday, 21st March 2003.  A representative from National Office will notify and confirm all lodgement details.

The State Office Contacts for this exercise will be given progress reports and advised of any changes to this timetable.


Issues Requiring State Office Action

Special Register, Overseas & Enclosures

Special Register (for SA State Office only), Overseas and Enclosure (treatment changes) advice letters will be printed at the IBM Printhub in Sydney and sent via courier to each State Office.  These should be checked for accuracy, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office.

Each State Office will receive a report detailing the advice letters produced in each of these categories.  We will advise SSOs in each State when to expect delivery of these letters, and it is essential that Systems Delivery is notified if they do not arrive.  It is also necessary to advise Renee Arkinstall, Systems Delivery on (02) 6289 6777 if the delivered letters do not match reports.

Reprints of selected letters

Reprints of individual Quarterly Advice letters can be requested via VIEW - Advices Tab reprint facility.

'HELD' Advices to be Forced

As part of the Batch processing run any advices in 'Held' status will be forced to print.  Forced held advices will print at each respective State Office's nominated printer as part of the production processing.  Please ensure your designated printer is fully operational during the processing period.  These advices will need to be checked to ensure the information in them is correct prior to posting.

Holding of daily advice letters

Daily payment advice letters produced after the processing run of 13 — th  - 17 — th March 2003 for clients who have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment, should be held pending notification that the quarterly letters have been dispatched.  This will ensure that pensioner's receive their advice letters in chronological order.


State Office Contacts

State Office Point of Contact

A contact person from each State has previously been identified to act as a liaison point for the National Office Advice's Team and will be the responsible person for distributing any information regarding the global refresh and mailout to staff.

State Office Contacts for the March quarterly processing are:

NSW: Ganes Jagadeeswaran - 02 9213 7106

VIC: David Price - 03 9284 6379

QLD: Steve Jensen - 07 3223 8835

SA: Graham Bate - 08 8290 0425

WA: Kim Gooding - 08 9366 8549/John Gliddon - 08  9366 8417

TAS: Bryon Kelly - 03 6221 6698

ACT: Kristie Chynoweth - 02 6289 6019

National Office Contacts

Feedback from State Offices

Any concerns regarding letters produced as part of this run should be directed to the National Office Contact Officer, Pat Webb.  Please forward your feedback on this exercise to the National Office Contact Officer, noting the nature of the query together with any relevant information - every effort will be made to develop solutions to address any concerns raised.  Please ensure that problems are reported as early as possible.


Contacts

There will be one National Office contact for this mailout.  Any queries regarding advice wording, data cartridges, mail house printing and  lodgement of letters with Australia Post should be referred to:

Pat Webb

(02) 6289 6444 (Phone)

(02) 6289 6553 (Fax)

pat.webb@dva.gov.au [14] (email)

Systems issues should be directed to:

Warren Walsh on (02) 6289 6030 or Renee Arkinstall on (02) 6289 6777


Letter Mockups

Letters

Prior to the issue of this Departmental Instruction, the State Office Contact Officers for this exercise and Manager's Income Support were provided with copies of the proposed paragraph sequencing and mock-ups of advice letters for this run.

All recommendations received have been taken into consideration for the final version of paragraphs and sequencing.  An email will be forwarded to the State Contact Officers advising of the changes in respect of all comments received.

Copies of the amended advice letters for this run are at Attachment A of this DI.

Attachment A – Paragraph sequencing and Advice Letter Examples

Example 1: Overall Decrease - either from Maximum  Rate to less than Maximum Rate or decrease in Less than Max Rate Amount,  Payment Information Attachment, MI/SH Information Attachment, General Information Sheet (GIS)

Example 2: Increase from Less than Maximum Rate to Maximum Rate  - WITH Managed Investments and/or Shares in Assessment.  Service Pension - Single advice

Example 3: Overall Increase - remaining on Less than Maximum Rate Income Support Supplement, WITH MIs/SHs in assessment.  Payment Information Attachment, MI/SH Information Attachment, and GIS

Example 4: Age Pension increase remaining on Less than Maximum Rate, Disability Pension in payment, WITH MIs/SHs in assessment.

Example 5: Reduction to Nil, with MIs/SHs in assessment, Single advice


Letter Variables

Please note, in the following samples:

  • Letterhead, DC name and signature block will change according to State;
  • The words “service pension”, “age pension”, “income support supplement” each represent variables which will appear for those clients in receipt of the applicable pension.
  • State specific 'closing' paragraphs with the preferred contact telephone number for Income Support related issues will be used for this mailout.


ATTACHMENT A

PARAGRAPH SEQUENCING AND TARGET AUDIENCE

Note: Advices will be produced for all clients receiving a less than maximum rate income support payment for clients WITH Managed Investments and/or Shares in their assessment.  These clients will receive the following paragraphs:

Paragraph

To Whom

State specific letterhead

All

Opening (Introduction) - RTRAIN

All

Change to value of shares and managed investments - Decrease - QTDECR

Increase - MCHPEN-

Red to Nils - QTLNIL

Only for those clients with Managed Investments and/or Shares in their assessment.

Effective Date - MSEFDT

All

Payment Information - PAYADV

All

Reduction to Nil para

Reduction to Nil cases

“You have been increased to the maximum rate of pension” - INCMAX

All increase to max rate cases

Fringe Benefits -Destroy PCC - FGNELS, FGNELJ

Reduction to Nil cases

Your Right to Re-Apply - RRARTN (Other Info)

Reduction to Nil cases

Treatment On/Off

Any cases where a change in treatment eligibility is detected (with or without MI/SHs in assessment)

Financial Obligations (incl Prescribed Rates) - IALMMJ, IALMMS, IALAPM, IALPAJ, IALMTW, IALMTJ, IALMAP, IALJAP, IAAILS, IAAILJ, IAAIAP

All (not Reduction to Nil cases or Blinded clients)

Other Obligations (Partial Obs) (reference to previous) - OBQTLY, OBQTAP

All (not Reduction to Nil cases)

Changes You Have Already Told Us About - THECAN (Other Info)

All

Your Right of Review - APPLAP, APPLSP

All

State specific closing paragraph and State Deputy Commissioner Signature

All

Payment Information Attachment including Payment Diversion Table - PAYINT/PADEST

All

Managed Investment and/or Shares Information Attachment

Only clients with MIs/SHs in their assessment.

General Information Sheet

All


EXAMPLE 1:

  • Overall Decrease - either from Maximum Rate to Less than Max Rate or Decrease in Less than Max Rate amount with MIs/SHs in assessment.
  • Service Pension - Joint advice

T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS _

_

Commonwealth Department of

Veterans' Affairs_

Contact:STATE OFFICE

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! (Barcode?)Postal Address:

JOHN SMITH — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

MARY SMITH — Telephone:

29 MARGARGET STREET — General inquiries: 133 254

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

17 March 2003

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS TX000112

Dear Mr and Mrs SMITH,

I am writing to you about your Service Pension payment from Veterans' Affairs

Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments

The asset value of your shares which are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and/or unit based managed investments has been reassessed.  The adjusted value of these investments has been used to work out your service pension payment and has resulted in an overall decrease to the amount of service pension paid to you.  Please note that the value of other income and assets you may have has not been affected by this reassessment.

Please refer to the 'Managed Investments and Shares Information' Attachment included in this letter.  This Attachment details all your managed investments and/or shares regardless of whether there has been a change to that managed investment or share.  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of service pension you are paid.

Your pension has also been adjusted in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).

This change will take effect from 20 March 2003.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance) if your income is more than $XXXX.XX per fortnight or the value of your assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'.  These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this variation to your pension, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you do decide to apply, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  Such a request for review must be in writing, and must set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner


PAYMENT INFORMATION ATTACHMENT

The Department calculates service pension payments on a daily basis.  This means that your fortnightly pension payment is made up of 14 days of entitlement of pension.  Therefore, when there is a change to your circumstances on any particular day in the fortnight - your pension will be adjusted from that day.  For that reason your pension payment may be different for one or two paydays after a reassessment.

03 APRIL 2003 VeteranPartner

TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx

- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx    x.xx    x.xx

17 APRIL 2003VeteranPartner

TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx

This is made up of:

- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx

- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx    x.xx    x.xx

Payment Destination

The following table shows where your pension payments are going.

Date

Name

Payment Destination

Amount Deposited

03/04/03

J SMITH

CBA 0302030

$xxx.xx

M SMITH

CBA 0302033

$xxx.xx

TOTAL

$xxx.xx

17/04/03

J SMITH

CBA 0302030

$xxx.xx

M SMITH

CBA 0302033

$xxx.xx

TOTAL

$xxx.xx

Please Note:  If you have an overpayment or lump sum advance which is currently being recovered, the amount paid into your account may be less than the total fortnightly payment shown above.


MANAGED INVESTMENTS AND SHARES INFORMATION

(Information current as at 17 March 2003)

You are receiving service pension at less than the maximum rate payable.

You are currently paid under the income test.  The total of your assessed gross fortnightly income is T-TOTAL-FORT-INCOME.  The total of all your assets (excluding any deductible assets) is T-TOTAL-ASSETS.

Information about your managed investments and shares is provided below.

Your managed investments and shares have been automatically updated.  The information below sets out the new values for these products.

Managed Investments

Description

Units

Asset Amount

VVVVVVVVVV

XX

$XX.XX

CCCCCCCCCCCCC

XXX

$XX.XX

Listed Securities and Unlisted Public Securities

Description

No. of Shares

Asset Amount

XXXXXX

X,XXX

$XX,XXX.XX

QQQQQQQQQQQQQ

XXX

$    X,XXX.XX

Note: Income from financial assets is deemed.

Please note:  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged as a result of this reassessment.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of service pension you are paid.

You need to notify the Department if the list of your Managed Investments and/or Shares is incomplete or incorrect; or the number of shares or units you hold has changed.


This is an example of the General Information Sheet (GIS) for Service Pensioners that will be used in the March mailout.  There is a separate GIS for both income support supplement and age pensioner recipients. PLEASE NOTE:  Rates and thresholds have NOT been updated to reflect the March CPI or MTAWE changes to rates or thresholds as at the time of producing this document, changes had not been released.  The GIS will only be one page (2 images) in production.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON SERVICE PENSION RATES AND LIMITS

(Information current as at T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE)

MAXIMUM RATES OF SERVICE PENSION (excludes pharmaceutical allowance)

Singles Rate$429.40 (per fortnight)

Couples Rate (each)$358.40 (per fortnight)

PENSION INCOME LIMIT (per fortnight)

Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*

Singles Rate$116.00$1,204.00

Couples Rate (combined)$204.00$2,010.50

These limits may increase for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE, or if rent assistance is payable.

PENSION ASSETS LIMIT

Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*

Home Owner

Singles Rate$145,250$290,500

Couples Rate (combined)$206,500$447,500

Non Home Owner

Singles Rate$249,750$395,000

Couples Rate (combined)$311,000$552,000

These limits may increase for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE, or if rent assistance is payable.

NOTE: *Income and assets cut off limits apply to all service pensioners except blinded service pensioners.

GOLD CARD INFORMATION

NOTE 1: These income and asset limits apply to the Gold Card only.  Different income and asset limits apply to the pension.  These limits can be found at the top of the page.

NOTE 2: If your disability pension is from 50% - 95% of the general rate and you also receive any amount of service pension, the Gold Card income and asset cut off limits do not apply to you.  Should your service pension payments cease due to excess income or assets you will no longer be eligible for the Gold Card.

NOTE 3: If you are aged 70 years or over, and you are a veteran who served in Australia's Defence Force, and you have qualifying service from any conflict (or you are an Australian Mariner with qualifying service from World War II), the Gold Card income and assets cut off limits shown below DO NOT APPLY TO YOU as your Gold Card is NOT affected by your income and/or assets.

GOLD CARD INCOME CUT OFF LIMIT

Singles Rate$331.50 (per fortnight)

Couples Rate (combined)$576.00 (per fortnight)

Add $71.10 per fortnight for each dependent child or student to the age of T-CHILD-AGE.

GOLD CARD ASSETS CUT OFF LIMIT

Home Owner

Singles Rate$174,000

Couples Rate (combined)$256,250

Non Home Owner

Singles Rate$278,500

Couples Rate (combined)$360,750

Add approximately $6,250 for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE.

DEEMING

Deeming assumes that any money you have invested in financial assets is earning a particular amount of income regardless of the actual amount earned.  The deeming rates are:

Singles

Low Rate:- 2.5% interest up to the threshold of $34,400

High Rate:- 4% interest for the remaining balance

Couples

Low Rate:- 2.5% interest up to the threshold of $57,400

High Rate:- 4% interest for the remaining balance

ILLNESS SEPARATED COUPLES

Couples separated due to ill health are paid at the single rate of service pension, but have their income and assets assessed as a couple.

RENT ASSISTANCE

You may be eligible for rent assistance if you pay rent to a non-government body or landlord.  The amount of rent assistance you receive depends on the amount of rent you pay and your family circumstances.  Rent assistance is paid at the rate of 75 cents in the dollar for every dollar you pay over the set rent limits.

When calculating the amount of rent assistance payable to a service pension recipient, any disability pension received by that person or their partner, is counted as income and may reduce the rate of rent assistance payable.

Maximum Amount of Rent Assistance Payable (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more

children

Singles Rate$92.00$107.60$122.20

Couples Rate

(combined)$86.80$107.60$122.20

Rent Limits (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more

children

Singles Rate$81.60$107.40$107.40

Couples Rate

(combined)$133.00$159.00$159.00


EXAMPLE 2:

  • Increase from Less than Max Rate to Maximum Rate amount with MIs/SHs in assessment.
  • Service Pension - single advice

T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS _

_

Commonwealth Department of

Veterans' Affairs_

Contact:STATE OFFICE

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! (Barcode?)Postal Address:

JOHN SMITH — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

30 MARGARET STREET — Telephone:

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS T-FILE-NUMBER

T-ADVICE-SALUTATION,

I am writing to you about your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment from Veterans' Affairs.

Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments

The asset value of your shares which are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and/or unit based managed investments has been reassessed.  The adjusted value of these investments has been used to work out your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment and has resulted in an increase to the amount of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP paid to you.  Please note that the value of other income and assets you may have has not been affected by this reassessment.

Please refer to the Managed Investments and Shares Information Attachment included in this letter.  This Attachment details all your managed investments and/or shares regardless of whether there has been a change to that managed investment or share.  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP you are paid.

Your pension has also been adjusted in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).

You have been increased to the maximum rate of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP.

This change will take effect from T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE DATE.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance) if your income is more than $XXXX.XX per fortnight or the value of your assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'.  These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this variation to your pension, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you do decide to apply, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  Such a request for review must be in writing, and must set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner

ATTACHMENTS

  • Payment Information Attachment - YES
  • Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment - YES
  • General Information Sheet - YES


EXAMPLE 3:

  • Overall Increase - remaining on Less than maximum Rate Income Support Supplement with MIs/SHs in assessment.
  • Income Support Supplement- single advice
  • War Widows Pension payable

T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS _

_

Commonwealth Department of

Veterans' Affairs_

Contact:STATE OFFICE

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! (Barcode?)Postal Address:

MARY SMITH — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

33 MARGARET STREET — Telephone:

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS T-FILE-NUMBER

T-ADVICE-SALUTATION,

I am writing to you about your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment from Veterans' Affairs.

Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments

The asset value of your shares which are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and/or unit based managed investments has been reassessed.  The adjusted value of these investments has been used to work out your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment and has resulted in an increase to the amount of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP paid to you.  Please note that the value of other income and assets you may have has not been affected by this reassessment.

Please refer to the Managed Investments and Shares Information Attachment included in this letter.  This Attachment details all your managed investments and/or shares regardless of whether there has been a change to that managed investment or share.  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP you are paid.

Your pension has also been adjusted in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).

This change will take effect from T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE DATE.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance) if your income is more than $XXXX.XX per fortnight or the value of your assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'.  These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with this variation to your pension, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you do decide to apply, you must do so within three months of being advised of this decision.  Such a request for review must be in writing, and must set out your reasons for seeking this review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner

ATTACHMENT

  • Payment Information Attachment - YES
  • Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment - YES
  • General Information Sheet - YES - GIS for ISS is presented as follows - please note: bolded wording highlights changes to GIS for ISS.


This is an example of the General Information Sheet (GIS) for Income Support Supplement recipients that will be used in the March mailout.  There is a separate GIS for both service pensioner and age pensioner recipients. PLEASE NOTE: Rates and thresholds have NOT been updated to reflect the March CPI or MTAWE changes to rates or thresholds as at the time of producing this document, changes had not been released.  The GIS will print on one page (2 images) in production.

GENERAL INFORMATION SHEET ON INCOME SUPPORT SUPPLEMENT RATES AND LIMITS

(Information current as at T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE )

MAXIMUM RATES OF INCOME SUPPORT SUPPLEMENT

War Widows and Widowers$127.20

If you have continuously received income support supplement (ISS) since before 31 October 1986, the ceiling rate is the amount payable immediately prior to 1 November 1986.

INCOME LIMIT (per fortnight)

Before ISS ReducesCut Off*

Singles Rate$871.50$1,189.50

Couples Rate (combined)$1,360.00$1,996.00

These rates may increase for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE, or if rent assistance is payable.

War Widow(er)'s pension is income for the purposes of income support supplement.

ASSETS LIMIT

Before ISS reducesCut Off*

Home Owner

Singles Rate$246,000$288,500

Couples Rate (combined)$360,500$445,500

Non Home Owner

Singles Rate$350,500$393,000

Couples Rate (combined)$465,000$550,000

These rates may increase for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE or if rent assistance is payable.

NOTE: *Income and assets cut off limits apply to all income support supplement recipients, except blinded recipients.

DEEMING

Deeming assumes that any money you have invested in financial assets is earning a particular amount of income regardless of the actual amount earned.  The deeming rates are:

Singles

Low Rate:- 2.5% interest up to the threshold of $34,400

High Rate:- 4% interest for the remaining balance

Couples

Low Rate:- 2.5% interest up to the threshold of $57,400

High Rate:- 4% interest for the remaining balance

RENT ASSISTANCE

You may be eligible for rent assistance if you pay rent to a non-government body or landlord.  The amount of rent assistance you receive depends on the amount of rent you pay and your family circumstances.  Rent assistance is paid at the rate of 75 cents in the dollar for every dollar you pay the set limits.

Maximum Amount of Rent Assistance Payable (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more children

Singles Rate$92.00$107.60$122.20

Couples Rate (combined)$86.80$107.60$122.20

Rent Limits (per fortnight)

No children1-2 children3 or more children

Singles Rate$  81.60$107.40$107.40

Couples Rate (combined)$133.00$159.00$159.00

IMPORTANT: Please note although rent assistance may be payable, the maximum combined rate of income support supplement and rent assistance cannot exceed the maximum rate of income support supplement listed above.


EXAMPLE 4:

  • Age pension increase, remaining on Less than maximum Rate with MIs/SHs in assessment.
  • DP in payment
  • Single Advice

T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS _

_

Commonwealth Department of

Veterans' Affairs_

Contact:STATE OFFICE

Telephone:

AMP Place

10 Eagle Street

Brisbane Qld 4000

1!!11 IIIll l 111 1I!! (Barcode?)Postal Address:

DAVID SMITH — GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001

17 MARGARET STREET — Telephone:

IPSWICH   QLD   4010 — General inquiries: 133 254

Non-metropolitan callers: 1800 555 254

Dialling from interstate: 1800 13 1945

Facsimile: (07) 32238585

T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE

YOUR FILE NUMBER IS T-FILE-NUMBER

T-ADVICE-SALUTATION,

I am writing to you about your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment from Veterans' Affairs.

Change to Value of Shares and/or Managed Investments

The asset value of your shares which are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and/or unit based managed investments has been reassessed.  The adjusted value of these investments has been used to work out your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment and has resulted in an increase to the amount of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP paid to you.  Please note that the value of other income and assets you may have has not been affected by this reassessment.

Please refer to the Managed Investments and Shares Information Attachment included in this letter.  This Attachment details all your managed investments and/or shares regardless of whether there has been a change to that managed investment or share.  We have not provided you with a complete listing of any other income or assets you may have in your assessment, as they remain unchanged.  However, they continue to be used in assessing the amount of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP you are paid.

Your pension has also been adjusted in line with movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE).

This change will take effect from T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE DATE.

Payment Information

Details of your payments are provided in the Payment Information Attachment.

Financial Obligations

You need to tell us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas) if your income is more than $XXXX.XX per fortnight or the value of your assets, apart from your home, is more than $XXXXXX.XX.  Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.

Other Obligations

We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters. These obligations still apply.

Changes You Have Already Told Us About

If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent.  If this is the case, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment when that change has been finalised.  This normally takes no more than 4 weeks.

Your Right of Review

If you do not agree with a decision, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Review Officer at this office.  If you decide to apply it may be to your advantage to do so quickly.  If you apply for a review of the decision more than 13 weeks from the day this notice is given to you, arrears can only be paid from the date we receive your application.  A request for a review must be in writing and set out your reasons for seeking a review.

If you have any questions about matters concerning Income Support issues you should contact our Income Support Staff on 1300 550 452.  For any other inquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID MACKRELL

Deputy Commissioner as Delegate of the Secretary

ATTACHMENTS

  • Payment Information Attachment - YES
  • Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment - YES
  • GIS - YES


EXAMPLE 5:

  • Reduction to Nil with MIs/SHs in assessment.
  • Single Advice

C07/2003 DEATH PROCESSING SYSTEM - AUTOMATION OF PARTNERED AND ILLNESS SEPARATED SOCIAL SECURITY AGE PENSIONERS

  • Log in [40] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  11 MARCH 2003

DEATH PROCESSING SYSTEM - AUTOMATION OF PARTNERED AND ILLNESS SEPARATED SOCIAL SECURITY AGE PENSIONERS

Introduction

This is an amended version of  DI C53/2002 [41].

The amendments relate to the use of inaccurate terminology relating to the Social Security legislation by replacing the term Centrelink Rules with the more accurate term Social Security Law.

Purpose

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about system changes to automate the processing of partnered and illness separated Age Pensioners through the Death Processing System (DPS).

This change automates the processing, bereavement payment calculations and making of payment to the survivor of the deceased.

Structure of document

This document contains the following sections:

  1. Background.
  2. The application of the Social Security Law applying to bereavement payments for married couples.
  3. The application of the Social Security Law applying to bereavement payments for illness separated couples.
  4. The application of the Social Security Law applying to new single rate – surviving partner.
  5. Examples of cases processed using the Social Security Law.
  6. Scenarios demonstrating how the new arrangements apply regardless of when the case is processed.

Start date

The changes were implemented for the DPS run on the evening of Friday 22 November 2002.

Continued on next page

Background

Reason for change

Automatic processing of Age Pensioners has been an issue since Date of Effect legislation was introduced.  The Department is required to process Age Pensioners under rules defined in the Social Security Act rather than in accordance with the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA).  Given the complexity of the Social Security Law, all Age Pension deaths have in the past been processed as “manuals”.  However, a recent reinterpretation of the Social Security Law has meant that it is now possible to program DPS to process these cases automatically.

Summary of Old System

Prior to this enhancement DPS identified if the deceased was a Social Security Age Pensioner and if so turned off the deceased's eligibility for treatment.  It then reported the case for manual termination and calculation of bereavement payment.

Related changes

The automation of Age Pension cases has been divided into a two part enhancement:

The first change affected Single Age Pensioners and was implemented on 27 July 2002 (DI C36/2002 [42] refers).

The second change (covered in this DI) deals with the automation of Age Pensioners who are married or illness separated couples.

Which cases are affected?

The method of assessment (MOA) types affected by this change are :

  •     Married Age Pensioner, Spouse eligible as a Dependant (MOA 34) and
  •     Married Age Pensioner, Illness Separated, Spouse eligible as a Dependant (MOA 38)

This will mean 95% of Age Pension Assessments will now be automated.

Continued on next page


Background,  Continued

Expected savings

Based on the information available through AIS2000 it is expected that more than 95% of Age pension assessments will be automated by the enhancement of single, married and illness separated Age pensioner death processing.  The table below provides a breakdown of the case types affected by this change and indicates which will now be automated.

Continued on next page


Bereavement Payment for married Social Security Aged Pensioners

Overview

This Section contains a description of the Social Security Law relating to the calculation of bereavement payments for married aged pensioners and the application of these rules to partnered and illness separated aged pensioner couples within DVA.

Interpretation

Centrelink has advised that they interpret the above rule as follows:

The surviving partner of an Age Pensioner is entitled to receive as a lump sum a bereavement payment equivalent to the combined married rate of pension less the survivors new rate of pension, from the date of death to the end of the period that death occurred plus 6 fortnights (84 days) and also to be reassessed at the single rate from the date of death.

Centrelink Rule

Bereavement Payment for married couples - a surviving partner can claim a bereavement payment until the end of the 'bereavement period' (ie 98 days from date of death).

The Bereavement Payment is calculated using the following formula:

LBP = (7 minus NEPED) multiplied by (CMR minus NSR)
            (except where NEPED equals zero.  See Exception Rule below)

Where:

LBP is the lump sum bereavement payment.

NEPED is the number of entitlement period end days for which the deceased customer was paid after and including the date of death. If NEPED equals zero see exception below.

CMR is the combined fortnightly married rate. That is, the combined fortnightly amount that would have been payable to the couple if not for the death.

NSR is the new single fortnightly rate paid to the surviving customer.

Continued on next page


Bereavement Payment for married Social Security Aged Pensioners, Continued

Exception rule  -  NEPED equals zero

LBP Exception:  Calculation of the lump sum when NEPED equals zero

Where death is notified and actioned during the entitlement period in which the person died, NEPED equals zero. In this instance the following formula applies:

LBP = (6 multiplied by (CMR minus NSR)) plus (NDEP multiplied by
            (CMR minus NSR) then divided by 14).

Where:

NDEP is the number of days from and including the date of death until and including the end of the entitlement period.

Note:There are Age Pension notification Rules that require the notification of death to be within 28 days of death.  If the notification is outside the 28 days then the reassessment of the survivor could be from a different date.  The BP is still calculated the same however.

DVA Manual Action Required to process

Should a death relating to a married Age Pensioner require manual action the following rules should be followed:

  1. Cancel the deceased's assessment and payments from day of death (or day after death if the survivor becomes a war widow)
  2. Cancel deceased's entitlements to fringe benefits from day after death
  3. Identify if date of processing is during the pension period in which death occurred (see following paragraphs)

Continued on next page


Bereavement Payment for married Social Security Aged Pensioners, Continued

Processing during period of death

If processing is during the pension period in which death occurred:

  1. Calculate the number of days remaining from the day of death to last day of entitlement period (period in which the person dies)
  2. Calculate the number of fortnights remaining in the Bereavement period (if processing in the death period then the number of fortnights will be 6 or 84 days)
  3. Add that number of days remaining in the death period to the number of fortnights remaining and total as a number of days.
  4. Identify the combined married rate of payment immediately prior to the death
  5. Identify the new survivors rate of Age pension
  6. Subtract the survivors' rate of pension from the combined rate.  Divide by 14 to get a daily rate and multiply by the number of days previously calculated.  ie. 87 x CMR – NSR =  87 x  (450-385)/14.  This is the lump sum bereavement payment (LBP).
  7. Pay the LBP as lump sum amount to survivor's default bank account using the payability type of Age Pension Bereavement Payment.

Continued on next page


Bereavement Payment for married Social Security Aged Pensioners, Continued

Processing after the period in which death occurred

If processing is after the pension period in which death occurred:

  1. Calculate number of pension periods since date of death (A).  It is easiest to count the number of the end days of each pension period that have gone by.  Ie the Monday before the payday.
  2. Subtract the number of pension periods paid from 7 (B)
  3. Identify the combined married rate of payment immediately prior to the death
  4. Identify the new survivors rate of Age pension

Subtract the survivors' rate of pension from the combined rate. Multiply this by the number of pension periods remaining (B)     ie. (7 – 1)  x CMR – NSR =  6 x  (450-385).  This is the lump sum bereavement payment (LBP).

Disability Pension for Age Pensioners

There is no requirement to change any existing Rules for the calculation of Bereavement Payment for the Disability Pension component as a result of the death.  eg:

  • There continues to be a LBP of 6 x Veterans DP rate capped at 100%.
  • No DP is payable for and after the pension period in which the death occurs.
  • Pay the LBP as lump sum amount to the survivor's default bank account using the payability type of Disability Pension Bereavement Payment.
  • Where WW and Domestic Allowance is granted automatically, the grant is made on a daily basis with any spouse's dependant DP being cancelled on a daily entitlement as well.

Continued on next page


Bereavement Payment for married Social Security Aged Pensioners, Continued

Differences between SP and AP

To assist in identifying the differences in how to treat a Service Pensioner and an Age Pensioner see below:

Married Service Pensioner

Married Age Pensioner

Bereavement notification period

98 days

28 days

LBP Calculation

98 x CMR – NSR

7 – NEPED x CMR – NSR

or

(6 x CMR – NSR) + (NDEP x CMR – NSR/14)

War Widow Grant

97 x CMR – NSR

7 – NEPED x CMR – NSR

or

(6 x CMR-NSR)  +  [(NDEP – 1)  x  (CMR-NSR)/14]

  Continued on next page


Bereavement Payment for Illness Separated Social Security Aged Pensioners

Illness separated and respite care couples

If the members of a couple were being paid at the single rate because they were an illness separated or respite care couple, bereavement payments are worked out as if they were living together.

In this case, an adjustment to the LBP is required using the following formula:

LBP = [(7 - NEPED) x (CMR - NSR)] - {[(combined single rates - CMR)
           x NEPED] - [(combined single rates - CMR) ? 14 x (14 - NDEP*)]}

*  For war widow grants the calculation must replace NDEP with (NDEP-1)

Where:

LBP is the lump sum bereavement payment.

NEPED is the number of entitlement period end days that elapse before conversion to the new single rate.

NSR is the survivor's new single rate after conversion.

CMR is the combined married rate. That is, the sum of the amounts that would have been payable to the couple if not for the death.

NDEP is the number of days from and including the date of death until and including the end of the entitlement period.

The LBP exception rule

If NEPED equals 0 then the same calculation used for ordinary married couples should be used (ie. “The  LBP Exception Rule described above**”) as there has not been any monies released at the incorrect rate.

** For war widow grants the calculation must replace NDEP with (NDEP-1)

Explanation: The amount subtracted at the end of the formula represents the 'overpaid' difference between the combined illness separated couple rates and the combined partnered rate.

Continued on next page


Calculation of new single rate for the surviving partner

Overview

This Section contains a description of the Social Security Law relating to the calculation of the new single rate for the surviving partner of aged pensioners and the application of these rules to partnered and illness separated aged pensioner couples within DVA.

Staff in the past have had difficulty manually calculating the bereavement payment and new rate for the surviving aged pension partner.  Since in future it will be rare for staff to manually process an aged pension case, for the benefit of staff a restatement of the rules is provided in this Section.

Social Security Law

Social Security Law -  New single rate - surviving partner (as described in Social Security Guide 3.1.5.30)

Following notification of the partner's death, the survivor's rate is immediately adjusted to the single rate from the LATER of the following, if the customer and their partner were in receipt of a benefit or pension:

  • The day of the partner's death, OR
  • The day after the date paid to, of the combined married rate, OR

if the customer's partner was NEITHER a long term social security recipient or a pensioner:

  • the payday on or after the death, provided the department was notified of the death within 4 weeks of the day after the person died, OR
  • the date of notification if the department was notified outside the 4 week period.

Continued on next page


Calculation of new single rate for the surviving partner, Continued

Application of Social Security Law

Given the complexities of Assessment Histories and the provision of Treatment Benefits, it has been determined that DVA will always reassess the survivor's rate from the day of the partner's death (or the day after death for War Widow grants).  Therefore, the date of death (or day after death) will always be used for the creation of the death Assessment History.

Note 1:As a continuation of existing DPS practices, any overpayment or arrears amounts will be taken into account in the final payment made as the LBP and passed as DPS Bereavement Payment to IPS.  (ie IPS will not calculate any overpayments or arrears as a result of DPS processing.)

Note 2:It is still possible that batch processing will identify a client who was in a valid assessment after the date of death and action it according to its own rules, possibly reinstating payment to the deceased.  However, the new IPS enhancement to prevent payment of recurring payments to someone who has a date of death recorded will identify these cases for subsequent action.

Future assessment history cases

A decision was made previously on how DPS should handle cases with future assessment histories where the pension rate changed on a date after the date of death.  These future assessment history cases were processed prior to the date of death being recorded.  (eg. A reduction that had a date of effect as 14 days after notification.)

With SP clients, DPS takes any payments that have been made after the date of death into account in the calculation of bereavement payment and arrears paid to the survivor.  The reassessment of the survivor from date of death then also follows through and the new single assessment is updated with the change effective after the date of death.

AP to adopt SP rules for future assessment history cases.

It has been determined that AP should take into account any changes in pension paid after death in the BP calculation.  DPS will therefore apply the above SP rule for Age Pension cases.

This decision is believed to impact on only a very small number of cases.  The majority of deaths are notified within 3-5 days of death.

Note:  this issue is only about cases processed prior to the date of death being recorded.  It is not related to any cases processed after the Department has been notified of death.  Social Security Law states “If the Lump Sum Bereavement Payment has already been made, it(the survivors assessment) is NOT adjusted for subsequent changes in income and assets.”  See also DI 21/99 relating to the Retrospective Reassessment of Age Pension.

Continued on next page

Contact for further enquiries

Contact

Any enquiries relating to this topic should be directed in the first instance to Steve Claypole, System Delivery, on 02 6289 6792.

JEANETTE RICKETTS

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

3 December 2002


Attachment A - Examples and Scenarios

Example 1

Veteran dies Day 1

Processed in pension period #1

Veteran on $280 pf Age Pension

$140 pf Disability Pension

Spouse on $280 pf Age Pension    NR = $400pf Age Pension

Veteran reduced to 0 on day of death

Spouse increased to $400 on day of death

Exception rule applies

6  x  (CMR – NR)  + 14  x  (CMR – NR/14)

6  x  160  +  14  x  (560 – 400/14)

6  x  160  +  14  x  11.428571

= 960  +  160

= 1120

Veteran gets 0 on payday #1

Spouse gets $400 on payday #1

Continued on next page


Attachment A - Examples and Scenarios, Continued

Example 2

Veteran dies on Day 9

Processed in pp#1

Veteran reduced to 0.00 on day of death

Spouse increased to $400 on day of death

Exception rule applies

  1. x  (CMR – NR)  + 6  x  (CMR – NR/14)
  1. x  (560 – 400)  +  6  x  (560 – 400/14)

6  x  160  +  6  x  11.428571

= 960  +  68.57

= 1028.57

Veteran gets $160  on payday #1  (8 days @ 280pf)

Spouse gets $331.42 on payday #1 (8 days @ 280pf and 6 days @ 400pf)

Continued on next page


Attachment A - Examples and Scenarios, Continued

Example 3

Veteran dies on day 6 of PP #1

Processed in PP #2

Veteran was paid $280pf on payday #1

Spouse was paid $280pf on payday #1

7 – NEPED  x  (CMR – NR)

= 7 – 1 — x  (560 – 400)

= 6 — x — 160

= 960

Continued on next page


Attachment A - Examples and Scenarios, Continued

Example 4

Veteran dies on day 6 of PP #1

Processed in PP #5

Veteran was paid $280pf on payday #1, 2, 3, and 4

Spouse was paid $280pf on payday #1, 2, 3, and 4

7 – NEPED  x  (CMR – NR)

= 7 – 4 — x  (560 – 400)

= 3 — x — 160

= 480

Note:   if the notification of death is greater than 28 days after the actual death then specific rules apply to the reassessment of the survivor and the date of effect of that reassessment.

Continued on next page


Attachment A - Examples and Scenarios, Continued

Example 5

WAR WIDOW GRANT

Veteran dies on day 6 of PP #1

Processed in PP #2

Veteran was paid $280pf on payday #1

Spouse was paid $280pf on payday #1

Spouse eligible for ISS of 124.90

7 – NEPED  x  (CMR – NR)

= 7 – 1 — x  (560 – 124.90)

= 6 — x — 435.10

= 2610.60

DP

WW Arrears of 8 days x 446.80pf

Veteran DP o/p of 14 days at the DP rate

Dependent DP o/p of 8 days at the DP rate

LBP of 6 x 100%(capped)DP rate

Continued on next page


Attachment A - Examples and Scenarios, Continued

Example 6

WAR WIDOW GRANT

Veteran dies on day 14 of PP #1

Processed in PP #2

Veteran was paid $280pf on payday #1

Spouse was paid $280pf on payday #1

Spouse eligible for ISS of 124.90

7 – NEPED  x  (CMR – NR)

= 7 – 1 — x  (560 – 124.90)

= 6 — x — 435.10

= 2610.60

DP

No WW Arrears

DP o/p of 14 days at the DP rate

No Dependent DP o/p

Continued on next page


Attachment A - Examples and Scenarios, Continued

Example 7

WAR WIDOW GRANT

Veteran dies on day 6 of PP #1

Processed in PP #1

CMR-NR)  +  [(NDEP – 1)  x  (CMR-NR)/14]

= 6 — x  (560 – 124.90)  + [(9 – 1) x (560 – 124.90)/14

= 6 — x — 435.10  +  (8 x 31.08)

= 2610.60  +  248.64

= 2859.24

DP

No WW Arrears

No Veteran DP o/p

No Dependent DP o/p

LBP of 6 x 100% (capped) DP rate


Attachment B  -  Illness Separated Examples

Example 1

Veteran on 416.30 (max single rate)

Spouse on 416.30

Spouse New Rate 416.30

Veteran dies day 6 and processed in period #2

Veteran received on pday#1 — 14 days @ 29.7357  416.30

Spouse received on pday#1 — 14 days @ 29.7357  416.30

Spouse receives next 6 pays — 6 x 416.30 — 2497.80

[7 – NEPED x (CMR – NR)]  -  {[(CSR – CMR)  x  NEPED] –
[(CSR – CMR)/14 x (14 – NDEP)}

=6 x 274.70-(141.60 – 50.57)

=1648.20- 91.03=1557.17

Total paid for 7 fortnights 4887.57

Continued on next page


Attachment B  -  Illness Separated Examples, Continued

Example 2

Veteran on 416.30

Spouse on 416.30

Spouse New Rate 416.30

Veteran dies day 6 and processed in period #3

Veteran received on pday#1,2 — 28 days @ 29.7357  832.60

Spouse received on pday#1,2 — 28 days @ 29.7357  832.60

Spouse receives next 5 pays — 5 x 416.30 — 2081.50

[7 – NEPED x (CMR – NR)]  -   {[(CSR – CMR)  x  NEPED] – [(CSR – CMR)/14 x (14 – NDEP)}

=5 x 274.70- (283.20 – 50.57)

=1373.50-232.63=1140.87

Total paid for 7 fortnights 4887.57

Continued on next page


Attachment B  -  Illness Separated Examples, Continued

Example 3

Veteran on 421.80 (max single rate)

Spouse on 421.80

Spouse New Rate 124.90 (War Widow and ISS)

Veteran dies day 12 and processed in period #2

Veteran received on pday#1 — 14 days @ 30.1286  421.80

Spouse received on pday#1 — 14 days @ 30.1286  421.80

Spouse receives next 6 pays — 6 x 124.90   749.40

[7 – NEPED x (CMR – NR)]  -   {[(CSR – CMR)  x  NEPED] – [(CSR – CMR)/14 x (14 – NDEP-1)}

=6 x 579.30-(139.40 – 119.49)

=3475.80-19.91=3455.89

Total paid for 7 fortnights 5048.89

Continued on next page


Attachment B  -  Illness Separated Examples, Continued

Example 4

Veteran on 421.80 (max single rate)

Spouse on 421.80

Spouse New Rate 124.90 (War Widow and ISS)

Veteran dies day 12 and processed in period #1

Use War Widow Exception rule

6 x CMR – NR + {(NDEP-1) x CMR – NR/14}

=  6 x 704.20 – 124.90  +  2 x 41.38

=  6 x 579.30  +  82.76

=  3558.56

Veteran paid 12 days @ 30.1286  361.54

Spouse paid 12 days @ 30.1286  361.54

Spouse (WW) paid 2 days @ 8.9214    17.84

Spouse gets 6 payments @ 124.90  749.40

LBP3558.56

TOTAL paid over 7 pays5048.88

Continued on next page


Attachment C - Scenarios

Overview

The following scenarios demonstrate how the rules apply regardless of when the case is processed.

For each scenario the total of all payments (not including DP) made for the Bereavement period is the same.

For all following scenarios the veteran and spouse were on 266.55 AP and 2.90 PA.  The reassessed rate for spouse is 300.70 AP and 5.80 PA

Clarification – weeks vs days

Note that the Centrelink legislation talks in terms of weeks while in DVA we use days and days are the figure included in the reports.

6 weeks equals 84 days.

The scenario calculations follow the Social Security Law and use weeks.

Continued on next page


Attachment C - Scenarios, Continued

Scenario 1

Veteran dies day 3 of pp#1.  Processed in pp#1.

Veterans AP is stopped from day of death and spouse is reassessed from day 3.  Payments are passed to RECORD and CRASS with no arrears calculated.

Veteran receives on pday#1 — 2 days @ 19.2464    38.50

Spouse receives on pday#1 — 2 days @ 19.2464    38.50

Spouse receives on pday#1 — 12 days @ 21.8928  262.71

Spouse receives next 6 pays — 6 x 306.501839.00

              2178.71

BP=6 x CMR – NR**

=12 x (CMR-NR)/14 — 6 x 232.40=  1394.40

=12 x 232.40/14=  199.20

              1593.60

Total paid for 7 fortnights 3772.30

(266.55 + 2.90) x 2 x 7 = 3772.30

Display on Processing Report

Continued on next page


Attachment C - Scenarios, Continued

Scenario 2

Veteran dies day 3 of pp#1.  Processed in pp#2.

Veterans AP is terminated from day of death and spouse is reassessed from day 3.  Payments are passed to RECORD and CRASS with no arrears or overpayment calculated by CRASS.

Veteran received on pday#1 — 14 days @ 19.2464  269.45

Spouse received on pday#1 — 14 days @ 19.2464  269.45

Spouse receives next 6 pays — 6 x 306.501839.00

              2377.90

BP =6  x CMR – NR**

=6  x 232.40 — 1394.40

Total paid for 7 fortnights 3772.30

Display on Processing Report

Continued on next page


Attachment C - Scenarios, Continued

Scenario 3

Veteran dies day 3 of pp#1.  Processed in pp#4

Veterans AP is terminated from day of death and spouse is reassessed from day 3.  Payments are passed to RECORD and CRASS with no arrears or overpayment calculated by CRASS.

Veteran received on pday#1,#2 & #3 — 42 days @ 19.2464  808.35

Spouse received on pday#1,#2, & #3 — 42 days @ 19.2464  808.35

Spouse receives next 4 pays — 4 x 306.501226.00

                                                        2842.70

BP = 4 x CMR – NR

=4 x 232.40                                929.60

Total paid for 7 fortnights 3772.30

Display on Processing Report

Continued on next page


Attachment C - Scenarios, Continued

Scenario 4

Auto WW grant.  Veteran dies day 3 of pp#1.  Processed in pp#2.

Veterans AP is terminated from day after death and spouse is reassessed as WW and ISS from day 4.  Payments are passed to RECORD and CRASS with no arrears or overpayment calculated by CRASS.

Veteran received on pday#1 — 14 days @ 19.2464  269.45

Spouse received on pday#1 — 14 days @ 19.2464  269.45

Spouse receives next 6 pays — 6 x 124.90  749.40

BP = 6 x CMR – NR**

=6 x 414.00 — 2484.00

Total paid for 7 fortnights 3772.30

Display on Processing Report

C06/2003 EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

  • Log in [43] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  28 FEBRUARY 2003

EXCHANGE RATE VARIATION OF POUNDS STERLING - EFFECT ON INCOME SUPPORT PENSIONERS IN RECEIPT OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)

Purpose of Instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the Pounds Sterling exchange rate variation exercise.

Introduction

Following the recent variation in foreign exchange rates, it is appropriate for DVA to apply a new exchange rate for income support pension assessment purposes.

New exchange rate A$2.6205

The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.7624 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.6205 (ie A$1 = ?0.3816).

This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 28 February 2003.

Date of effect
4 March 2003

Effective from 4 March 2003 the current exchange rate will change.

On pension payday 20 March 2003 (pay period 45) pensioners will receive a full instalment at the new assessed rate.

Date of processing run

Processing to implement the new exchange rate is scheduled for the evening of Monday 03 March 2003.

Continued on next page

Automatic superannuation processing

The amount recorded as BRI non-indexed super type 08 or BRI indexed super type 09 will be varied by applying the exchange rate to the amount recorded, to find the new rate of superannuation.  The pension amount will then be reassessed automatically.

Manual cases and MS cases

Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed automatically.  These cases will be listed on the manual listing for follow up action, and CMS/PIPS cases will be created automatically for State Office action.  Any cases processed through PIPS/PC should be reassessed from the beginning of the pension period for pension payday 20 March 2003 – ie 4 March 2003.

Advice letters

The advice letters for this exercise will be joint advices where both members of a couple are in receipt of BRI and their pension payment varies.  Age Pensioners will receive separate advices.

The letter will advise the new exchange rate, the amount of income and a payment box.  An advice will only be produced for cases where a variation in payment results.

IBM GSA implications

IBM GSA will produce the cartridge and forward it to Security Mailing in Sydney.

Overseas, Special Register and Enclosure Advices

Overseas, Special Register, Enclosure Advice letters (ie cases where a change to treatment entitlement occurs) and reduction to nil cases will be separated by IBM GSA and despatched to the State Office for manual distribution.  This arrangement is the same for daily advice letters.

Mail out of bulk advices

Security Mailing will print and prepare the advices for lodgement with Australia Post by 10 March 2003.

British DP case paid Rent Assistance

Income Support pensioners who are in receipt of Rent Assistance (RA) and who also receive British Disability Pension direct from Britain (not EATS and Composite cases) should have that Disability Pension converted to $A using the BRI exchange rate.  RA should be manually recalculated.  These cases can be extracted through AIS by each state.  If you have any problem please contact Andrew Purcell on the number below.

Note: If DP has already been assessed as income in determining Hardship cases it should not also be assessed as income for RA.

Contact officer

The Income Support Branch contact officer is:

Andrew Purcell           Telephone:   (02) 6289 4832

Jeanette Ricketts
Branch Head
INCOME SUPPORT

28 February 2003


POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE

Foreign exchange periodExchange rate

3 Dec 98

to

27 January 99

0.3834

2.6082

28 January 99

to

10 Feb 99

0.3719

2.6889

11 Feb 99

to

19 May 99

0.3905

2.5608

20 May 99

to

28 July 99

0.4079

2.4516

New Date of Effect Rules

13 July 99

to

9 August 99

0.4271

2.3414

10 August 99

to

1 Nov 99

0.4105

2.4361

2 Nov 99

to

10 Jan 00

0.3952

2.5304

11 Jan 00

to

6 March 00

0.4069

2.4576

7 March 00

to

1 May 00

0.3927

2.5465

2 May 00

to

29 May 00

0.3807

2.6267

30 May 00

to

10 July 00

0.3907

2.5595

11 July 00

to

16 Oct 00

0.4022

2.4863

17 Oct 00

to

2 April 01

0.3737

2.6759

3 April 01

to

14 May 01

0.3550

2.8169

15 May 01

to

23 July 01

0.3674

2.7218

24 July 01

to

6 August 01

0.3803

2.6295

7 August 01

to

1 October 01

0.3701

2.7020

2 October 01

to

29 October 01

0.3430

2.9155

30 October 01

to

10 December 01

0.3588

2.7871

11 December 01

to

7 January 02

0.3709

2.6961

8 January 02

to

18 March 02

0.3612

2.7685

19 March 02

to

27 May 02

0.3723

2.6860

28 May 02

to

10 June 02

0.3830

2.6110

11 June 02

to

08 July 02

0.3928

2.5258

09 July 02

to

22 July 02

0.3758

2.6610

23 July 02

to

05 August 02

0.3643

2.7450

06 August 02

to

02 September 02

0.3503

2.8547

03 September 02

to

03 March 03

0.3620

2.7624

04 March 2003

to

0.3816

2.6205

C05/2003 Assessment of pensions for special rate-blinded pensioners

  • Log in [44] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  25 FEBRUARY 2003

Assessment of pensions for special rate-blinded pensioners

Purpose

This instruction provides information and action required regarding the assessment of income support pension for special rate-blinded pensioners.

Background

Income support pensions paid to blind pensioners are not subject to the income and assets tests.  The vast majority of blind pensioners should be receiving the maximum rate of income support pension.

The exceptions include:

  • war widow(er)s who receive a ceiling rate income support pension; and
  • those who are affected by compensation recovery provisions such as those contained in Part IIIC of the Veterans' Entitlements Act, 1986 (VEA).

It should also be noted that although income support pensions paid to blind pensioners are paid free of the income and assets tests, the income test applies when determining the level of income tested residential aged care fees payable.  This means that income and assets details must be recorded.

Issue

A recent review of blinded pensioners who are in receipt of Special Rate disability pension, has revealed that many are not in receipt of income support from DVA or the income support that they are receiving may be incorrectly recorded or assessed.

These cases must be investigated, and where appropriate, pension review action must be taken to ensure that these pensioners receive their full entitlements to income support.

Target population

A total of 556 special rate-blinded pensioners were identified. Of these, 194 cases may be incorrectly assessed or recorded because they are:

  • not receiving maximum rate of income support pension; or
  • not receiving any amount of DVA income support pension; or
  • receiving income support pension at the maximum rate but the 'blind' indicator has not been recorded.

The risk with the later group is that if income or assets are recorded the rate may be reduced due to an automatic review.

Action

A list of cases specific to each state will be forwarded under separate cover to income support managers.  The following pages provide instructions on what action needs to be taken with each group.

Procedures should be put in place to ensure that in the future, if a veteran is determined to be blind under Part II or Part IV of the VEA, the case is referred to the income support section for grant/review action if this has not already occurred.

Q&A

A Question and Answer sheet is at Attachment A.

Contact officer

Please contact Kirrily Williams on (02) 6289 6525 for any further information on this matter.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

25 February, 2003
Special rate-blinded not receiving maximum rate

Number in this group

There are 7 special rate-blinded pensioners who are receiving less than the maximum rate of income support.  The list of this group will be forwarded to Income Support Managers separately.

Action

Each case will need to be individually investigated to determine whether there is a valid reason for the veteran receiving a reduced rate of income support.  For example, the person may receive a compensation affected pension that is being reduced as a result of economic loss compensation.

If, however, the pensioner's income and assets are resulting in the reduced rate of income support pension, the blinded indicator must be set (see Attachment B) the pension increased to maximum rate and any arrears paid.

Arrears

If the rate is found to be incorrect, that is, the income and assets exemptions have not been applied to the pension calculation, the correct amount should be backdated to whichever is the later of:

  • the date the pensioner advised the department he/she was blind; or
  • the date the pensioner started receiving service pension.*

The arrears amount will be:

  • the difference between the maximum rate payable at the time; and
  • the rate at which the pensioner was being paid at any given time since being classified as blind and in receipt of service pension.

*Note: If the pensioner is an age pensioner, the incorrect assessment may predate their commencement date with DVA.  If this is the case DVA arrears should be calculated only to the date of transfer.

Arrears from Centrelink

Those age pensioners who were receiving a reduced rate pension while they were at Centrelink must contact Centrelink to pursue the arrears amount. DVA do not have the authority or responsibility to assess this.

Draft letter

If, after investigation, the pension rate needs to be adjusted and arrears paid, the pensioner must be advised in writing.  A draft letter to be used when writing to these pensioners is at Attachment D.

Reporting

In order to advise the Executive of the outcome of the review Managers should arrange to record details of cases that required a change of pension rate.  The information required for each case is the total dollar amount of arrears paid and the effective dates for the retrospective reassessment.

A report pro-forma has been prepared and is at Attachment C.

Please forward this information via email to Kirrily Williams, Income Support Policy Section.


Special rate-blinded receiving nil rate of income support at DVA

Number in this group

There are a total of 65 special rate-blinded pensioners who are receiving nil rate of income support pension from DVA.  The list forwarded under separate cover will identify each case in this group.

Within this group there are two possible situations:

  • those who are receiving no income support; and
  • those who are receiving a social security payment paid by Centrelink.

If there is insufficient information on file to determine the circumstances for the individual, the veteran will need to be contacted in order to establish which situation applies.

Situation 1

The first type are those who are not receiving any income support from DVA or Centrelink.

It will be necessary to establish whether or not individuals have qualifying service and satisfy other service pension eligibility criteria; or whether they satisfy eligibility for the age pension payable by DVA.

If the individuals satisfy either circumstances they should be invited to claim service pension/age pension as appropriate.  Partners should also be provided with information regarding possible entitlement subject to satisfying eligibility and payability criteria.

When a claim has been lodged and the person satisfies the eligibility criteria, the maximum basic rate of pension should be granted and the 'blind' indicator recorded.

Situation 2

The second group are those who are in receipt of a social security pension.

If individuals have qualifying service and satisfy the service pension eligibility criteria or they are eligible for age pension, they should be invited to transfer to the appropriate DVA pension.

The benefit for this group would be that they only need to deal with one Department.

Referrals to National Office

Files in this group also need to be investigated to determine whether the pensioner has previously inquired about their eligibility for an income support pension.  In cases where incorrect or misleading advice has been given, for example no clear statement that income support is free of income and assets testing and the blind pensioner can be in full time employment and still qualify, the files should be forwarded to Income Support Policy Section so that a legal opinion can be obtained and appropriate action taken.

Draft letter

A draft letter to be used when writing to these pensioners is at Attachment E.

Reporting

Managers are requested to keep a record of how many pensioners were:

  • contacted by phone; or
  • contacted by letter; and
  • how many of those contacted have applied for a service pension or age pension; and
  • how many have transferred their age pension to DVA; and
  • how many, if any, are forwarded for consideration for by National office.

A report pro-forma has been prepared and is at Attachment C.

Please return this information via email to Kirrily Williams, Income Support Policy Section.


Special rate-blinded receiving maximum rate but no 'blind' indicator

Number

There are a total of 122 special rate-blinded pensioners who, although correctly receiving the maximum rate of pension, do not have the 'blind' indicator recorded in their assessment.

Action

State Offices are requested to ensure that all special rate-blinded pensioners, both those identified via this process and all future grants, are flagged as 'blinded' in PIPS on the Adult Details screen (see Attachment B).

Reason

When a blind pensioner reports an income or assets increase, which would, if the exemption rules did not apply, result in a reduction to their rate of pension, the 'blinded' indicator prevents the exemption being overlooked.  It is a vital step that must be taken when granting all blinded income support pensions.

The 'blinded' flag is also essential for ensuring the accuracy of statistical information for projections.

Partner's assessment

While the blinded income support pensioner receives their income support without regard to the means test, the income and assets of the couple still impacts on the partner and obligations still apply to them.


Attachment A

Questions & Answers

Why has my pension increased?

A person who is blinded does not have the income and assets tests applied to the assessment of their income support pension. This generally means that you should be receiving the maximum rate payable because we don't take into account any income you receive, or assets you own.

Previously, your income and assets have been taken into account.  This has now been amended.

Why wasn't I receiving a pension/max rate pension previously?

When a blind pensioner is granted an income support pension, a 'blind' indicator is recorded on the system, which ensures that any income and assets you have are exempted and that maximum rate pension is payable.

With regard to your situation, this has now been resolved and in future you will receive the maximum rate of income support pension, regardless of your income and assets levels.

Will I receive any arrears?

Yes.  You received arrears of $...... for the period -/-/- to -/-/-.

What is the advantage of receiving AP from DVA?

Although there are no financial benefits to transferring your age pension from Centrelink to DVA, one advantage would be receiving all of your pensions from the one department.

Will Centrelink pay my arrears for the time I was receiving an age pension from them?

If you were blinded while you were receiving age pension from Centrelink you should have been receiving the maximum rate. If you were receiving a reduced rate you should contact Centrelink who will determine what amount of arrears is owing.


Attachment B

Adult Details screen

See the following screen dump, under Options, for the location of the 'blinded' indicator.



Attachment C

Report 1

Use this table to collate information on special rate – blinded veterans who were receiving a reduced rate of income support pension.

FILE NO.

AMOUNT OF ARREARS PAID

BACKDATED TO:

CONTACT BY LETTER

CONTACT BY PHONE

Report 2

Use this table to collate information on special rate – blinded cases who were receiving nil rate of income support at DVA.

FILE NO

PENSIONER HAS APPLIED FOR SP

PENSIONER HAS APPLIED FOR AP

PENSIONER HAS TRANSFERRED AP TO DVA

REFERRED TO NATIONAL OFFICE? YES/NO

CONTACT BY LETTER

CONTACT BY PHONE


Attachment D

Dear Veteran

I am writing to you concerning your income support pension.

A recent review has shown that you are not receiving the correct rate of income support pension.  A person who is blinded is entitled to receive their income support pension free from income and assets testing.

From ../../.. you will start to receive your income support pension at the maximum rate of $???.??.

I have calculated that you were entitled to receive the maximum rate of income support pension from ../../.., and have accordingly calculated your arrears payment of $   for the period of ../../.. to ../../.. The arrears payment may have an income tax implication for you. If so it will appear on your group certificate at the end of the financial year. The Australian Taxation Office will determine if any income tax is payable.

If you have any questions concerning this letter please do not hesitate to contact me on <R>>.

Yours sincerely

Delegate


Attachment E

Dear Veteran

I am writing to advise you that you may be entitled to receive an income support pension in addition to your special rate disability pension.  You may not be aware that people who are blind may receive an income support payment free of the income and assets tests (subject to satisfying certain eligibility criteria).

If you are not in receipt of a Centrelink or DVA payment of income support you may be entitled to claim.

In order to receive an age or invalidity service pension from DVA you must have qualifying service.  If you wish to test your qualifying service please contact me on the number at the top of this letter.

If you do not have qualifying service and you have reached pension age you may be entitled to a social security age pension payable by DVA.  If you are under pension age and do not have qualifying service you may wish to contact Centrelink to claim a payment from that Agency.

If you have any questions concerning this letter please do not hesitate to contact me on <R>>.

Yours sincerely

Delegate

C04/2003 Self Funded Retiree with QS and DP - Partner's income assessment for Residential Aged Care fees

  • Log in [45] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  17 FEBRUARY 2003

Self Funded Retiree with QS and DP - Partner's income assessment for Residential Aged Care fees

Purpose

The purpose of this departmental instruction is to provide instructions on how to register the partners of self funded retiree (SFR) veterans who have qualifying service (QS) and are in receipt of disability pension (DP), in order to exempt the disability pension from the partner's residential aged care income assessment.

Background

A self funded retiree who:

  • receives a disability pension from DVA, and
  • has qualifying service;

automatically has their disability pension excluded from the income assessment for the purpose of residential aged care income tested fees.

The partner of a veteran in this situation also has the veterans' disability pension excluded from their residential aged care income assessment.  However, as the veteran is only receiving DP, the partner will not appear in any PIPS PC assessment (unless they are also receiving disability pension).

Under these circumstances the partner's data needs to be manually entered in to PIPS PC to ensure that DP is not included in their residential aged care income assessment.

How to enter partner's details

The following steps should be followed to manually enter in to PIPS PC the personal details of a partner of a veteran with QS receiving DP.

  1. Register a Department Initiated Action (DIA).
  2. Create a PIPS case using “Date of Effect Rules don't apply”.
  3. ADD the spouse into the assessment. 
  4. On the Adult Details screen for the spouse select “Not paid DSS or DVA”.
  5. Suppress the advice as this should be a Nil Variation.
  6. Finalise the case.
  7. The spouse will now appear on the PIPS PC Residential Care Details screen.

How to enter partner's income details

For cases involving a person with qualifying service (or their partner) the aged care income test is the service pension income test.  The following steps should be followed to enter the assessable income data of the partner in the PIPS PC Residential Care screen (once the partner's personal data has been entered as per above instructions).

  1. Bring up the “What If” screen in PIPS/PC.
  2. Enter the couple's combined income.
  3. Subtract the Income Free Area.  Half of this amount is the partner's income amount.
  4. Re-enter the Residential Care Details screen.
  5. Enter the partner's income amount and the date.

Note: It is very important to record and act on any adjustments to income where a SFR discloses a change in their income.  It is also important to manually review cases when indexation of the ordinary income free area occurs and when changes to deeming rates and thresholds occur.

Contact

Should you require further information please contact Kirrily Williams in Income Support Policy, National Office, on (02) 6289 6525.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT BRANCH

14 February 2003

C03/2003 Amendment to ACT Emergency Financial Relief Assistance

  • Log in [46] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  28 JANUARY 2003

Amendment to ACT Emergency Financial Relief Assistance

Purpose

The purpose of this departmental instruction is to amend the background information contained in previous departmental instruction C02-2003 – ACT Emergency Financial Relief Assistance.

Background

On Monday 20 — th January, the ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, announced that immediate assistance would be made available to people who have been made homeless as a consequence of the recent ACT bush fires.

Initial short-term assistance has been available to those who have been required to leave their homes.  An amount of $75 has been made available to people for immediate personal expenses.

At that time, further assistance was offered of $10,000 per household for essential household and personal items for those householders whose homes have been destroyed or are no longer habitable, where insurance is not available.

Late last week this announcement was revised and assistance is now available as:

  • $75 available to people for immediate personal expenses; and
  • $5,000 per household for all households who are owner occupiers or renters in the ACT whose homes are uninhabitable; and
  • a further $5,000 per household (a total of $10,000) for those who do not have household contents insurance.

The link below provides additional information.

http://www.esb.act.gov.au/media/fireinfo/disastera... [47]

Assessment

The assessment of this assistance remains the same as per the original instructions contained in DI C02/2003 [48]

Contact

Should you have any further queries please contact Kirrily Williams in National Office on (02) 6289 6525.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

29 January, 2003

C02/2003 ACT Emergency Financial Relief Assistance

  • Log in [49] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  28 JANUARY 2003

ACT Emergency Financial Relief Assistance

Note:  This DI has been amended by DI C03/2003 [50] — Amendment to ACT Emergency Financial Relief Assistance

Purpose

This departmental instruction is to provide advice relating to the income support assessment when a pensioner is granted an ACT emergency financial relief assistance payment.

Background

On Monday 20 — th January, the ACT Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, announced that immediate assistance is available to people who have been made homeless as a consequence of the recent ACT bush fires.

Initial short-term assistance has been available to those who have been required to leave their homes.  An amount of $75 has been made available to people for immediate personal expenses.

Further assistance of up to $10,000 per household for essential household and personal items for those householders whose homes have been destroyed or are no longer habitable, where insurance is not available.  The link below provides additional information.

http://www.esb.act.gov.au/media/fireinfo/disastera... [47]

Assessment

Paragraph 5H(8)(j) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act, 1986 and paragraph 8(8)(c) of the Social Security Act 1991 states that the value of emergency relief or like assistance is NOT income for income support pension and social security purposes, respectively.

This means that the $75 and the $10,000 financial assistance made to victims of the current bushfire will not be assessed as income for social security purposes.

The amount will not be directly assessable as an asset.  However, if the person chooses not to utilise the funds to remedy their short-term situation, the assets test rules must be considered.  It is important to ascertain how the person intends to utilise the funds.  If it is temporarily banked for security purposes but soon to be dissipated on the purchase of clothing, household goods and for accommodation the amount should not be assessed.  If however, for example, the person invests some or the whole amount in a financial asset, the amount invested will form part of the total financial assets of the person and be deemed.  It should be noted that any income derived from the asset would not be exempt from the income test.

Contact

Should you have any further queries please contact Kirrily Williams in National Office on (02) 6289 6525.

Jeanette Ricketts

Branch Head

INCOME SUPPORT

28 January, 2003

C01/2003 REASSESSMENT OF COMSUPER AND DFRDB SUPERANNUATION PENSIONS - JANUARY 2003

  • Log in [51] to post comments

DATE OF ISSUE:  7 JANUARY 2003

REASSESSMENT OF COMSUPER AND DFRDB SUPERANNUATION PENSIONS - JANUARY 2003

Purpose of instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the January 2003 reassessment of Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions.

Background

Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions are adjusted bi-annually in January and July.  The CPI increase to be applied to the January 2003 adjustment is 1.4%

Processing date

Reassessment processing to reflect the January 2003 CPI increase to Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions will be conducted on the weekend of 11-12 January 2003.

Effective date

The effective date of the reassessment will be 7 January 2003.

On pension payday 23 January 2003, pensioners will receive a full installment at the new assessed rate.

Advice letter target audience

A letter will be produced for Income Support pensioners in receipt of Commonwealth Superannuation and/or DFRDB and following the reassessment have a variation to their pension payment.  There will be approximately 20,000 advice letters produced nationally.

Printing and mailing of advice letters

The advice letters will be printed and mailed through the Department's bulk mailing house, Security Mailing Services (SMS) in Sydney.  All letters will be lodged with Australia Post by COB Friday, 17 January 2003.

Streamed advices requiring state office action

The following advices will be streamed and printed by IBMGSA, and sent via courier to each State Office for checking and despatch:

  • special register - SA only
  • overseas
  • reductions to nil
  • cases which result in multiple payment boxes (ie., Payment Information Attachment); and
  • enclosure (treatment changes).

'Held' advices to be forced

As part of the batch processing run any advices in 'held' status will be forced to print.  Forced 'held' advices will print at each respective State Office's nominated printer.

Contacts

Advice issues - Pat Webb (02) 6289 6444.

Systems issues - Kevin Chapman (02) 6289 6749.

JEANETTE RICKETTS

Branch Head

Income Support

7 January 2003

0/00/00 — Page 1


Source URL (modified on 13/10/2014 - 10:46am): https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2003

Links
[1] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=comment/reply/24587%23comment-form
[2] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21969%23comment-form
[3] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22563%23comment-form
[4] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2002/c492002-revised-procedures-centrelink-clearances
[5] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22477%23comment-form
[6] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22549%23comment-form
[7] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/1996/c541996-property-valuation-exercise
[8] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21935%23comment-form
[9] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22154%23comment-form
[10] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22596%23comment-form
[11] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2003/c092003-guidelines-issuing-obligation-and-incomeasset-information-automatic-advices
[12] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22459%23comment-form
[13] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22069%23comment-form
[14] mailto:pat.webb@dva.gov.au
[15] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22449%23comment-form
[16] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22492%23comment-form
[17] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21965%23comment-form
[18] mailto:belen.mansford@defence.gov.au
[19] mailto:Belen.Mansford@defence.gov.au
[20] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22115%23comment-form
[21] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22046%23comment-form
[22] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22017%23comment-form
[23] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21849%23comment-form
[24] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21714%23comment-form
[25] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21762%23comment-form
[26] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22039%23comment-form
[27] http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/
[28] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2002/c562002-saved-child-related-payments
[29] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22143%23comment-form
[30] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2001/c082001-enhance-debt-recovery
[31] http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/instruments/0/34/0/2001090502.htm
[32] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/24587#Year
[33] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22699%23comment-form
[34] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21686%23comment-form
[35] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22341%23comment-form
[36] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22178%23comment-form
[37] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/1999/c321999-guidelines-issuing-obligation-and-incomeasset-information-daily-advices
[38] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/1998/c351998-including-you-and-your-pension-grants-service-pension-and-income-support-supplement
[39] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22522%23comment-form
[40] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22281%23comment-form
[41] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2002/c532002-death-processing-system-automation-partnered-and-illness-separated-social-security-age-pensioners
[42] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2002/c362002-automation-death-processing-cases
[43] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21981%23comment-form
[44] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21727%23comment-form
[45] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21945%23comment-form
[46] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/22513%23comment-form
[47] http://www.esb.act.gov.au/media/fireinfo/disasterapplic.doc
[48] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2003/c022003-act-emergency-financial-relief-assistance
[49] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21805%23comment-form
[50] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2003/c032003-amendment-act-emergency-financial-relief-assistance
[51] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/21791%23comment-form