Place holder node for 2001
DATE OF ISSUE: 12 DECEMBER 2001
INCOME SUPPORT AAT REVIEW – POLICY INPUT AND NOTIFICATION OF PENDING APPEALS
Purpose of instruction |
This instruction clarifies the role of the Income Support Policy Section in providing policy input relevant to AAT review involving Income Support and outlines new reporting procedures applicable to Departmental Advocates and other procedures applicable generally to such matters. |
Reasons for request |
Clearly some AAT reviews involve cases which have implications under both the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA) and the Social Security Act 1991. One such case, which raises concerns about means test implications under both Acts only came to the notice of the Income Support Policy Section some weeks after the decision was handed down. In another matter, policy input was not requested until late in the afternoon on the day of the AAT hearing. These examples highlight the requirement for advocates to recognise the need for policy advice and for it to be obtained early in the case preparation stage. |
Other benefits of reporting process |
The reporting process should also improve the quality of cases being defended before the Tribunal as well as assisting the Income Support area to identify additional cases where policy input is warranted. |
Role of Income Support Policy |
The Income Support Policy Section is available to provide policy input on all Income Support matters other than those where the substantive issue involves Qualifying Service. Income Support Policy will liaise with the Department of Family and Community Services or the Legal Services Group as appropriate. |
How do I obtain policy advice? |
A request for policy advice on a particular AAT case can be sent by e-mail to NAT Policy Advisings Income Support. The critical date for a response should be specified. |
When should Policy direction be obtained? |
The following are examples of the types of cases in which policy advice should be sought:
|
Where it is unnecessary to seek policy input? |
The above list is indicative and it is recognised that some Income Support cases are less complex and do not warrant referral to Income Support Policy. However, as we wish to maintain a monitoring role for all Income Support AAT cases, they should be reported to Income Support Policy on the form attached. |
What matters need to be reported? |
An Income Support matter, excepting one where the substantive issue is Qualifying Service, involving an application for AAT review where the primary decision has been reviewed by a delegate under section 57 of the VEA. |
What matters do not need to be reported? |
It is not necessary to report details of cases to Income Support where the substantive issue is Qualifying Service. The Disability Compensation Branch monitors these issues and input is sought from Income Support as required |
What information needs to be provided? |
Please refer to the attachment for details that are required to be reported on an ongoing basis to Income Support Policy |
How do I report an IS case? |
By e-mailing the completed attachment to NAT Policy Advisings Income Support. |
Instructions required |
If the AAT or an Advocate wishes to have an Income Support matter determined by the AAT “on the papers”, specific approval to do so should be sought from either the Director Income Support Policy or the Branch Head, Income Support. The minute requesting instructions to have the matter determined on the papers should provide:
E-mail the request for these instructions to: NAT Policy Advisings Income Support. |
Authorised by |
Roger Winzenberg Branch Head INCOME SUPPORT |
REPORT OF INCOME SUPPORT AAT APPLICATION
Name of case
Brief outline of issue(s) including legislative references to the VEA.
Does your assessment of the reviewable decision indicate that it is sound, if not why not?
Next critical action (eg 1st preliminary conference, Directions Hearing, Hearing) and date.
Advocates comment
Advocates name and contact number
DATE OF ISSUE: 7 DECEMBER 2001
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$2.6961 |
The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.7871 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.6961 (ie A$1 = ?0.3709). This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 7 December 2001. |
Date of effect11 December 2001 |
Effective from 11 December 2001 the current exchange rate will change. On pension payday 27 December 2001 (pay period 13) 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 11 December 2001. |
Automaticsuperannuation 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 accordingly. |
Manual cases and MS cases |
Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed. 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 27 December 2001 – ie 11 December 2001. |
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 be producing the cartridge and will 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 17 December 2001. |
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 for the exercise will be: Nasreen Haque Telephone: (02) 6289 1125 |
7 December 2001
POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE
Foreign exchange periodExchange rate
29 Jan 98 |
to |
25 Feb 98 |
0.3972 |
2.5176 |
26 Feb 98 |
to |
6 May 98 |
0.4125 |
2.4366 |
7 May 98 |
to |
15 July 98 |
0.3997 |
2.5019 |
16 July 98 |
to |
12 August 98 |
0.3663 |
2.7300 |
13 August 98 |
to |
9 Sept 98 |
0.3817 |
2.6199 |
10 Sept 98 |
to |
21 October 98 |
0.3690 |
2.7100 |
22 October 98 |
to |
4 Nov 98 |
0.3505 |
2.8531 |
5 Nov 98 |
to |
2 Dec 98 |
0.3676 |
2.7203 |
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 |
10 December 01 |
0.3588 |
2.7871 |
|
11 December 01 |
To |
0.3709 |
2.6961 |
|
DATE OF ISSUE: 05 DECEMBER 2001
Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Card (Orange Card)
Purpose |
The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide legislation, policy and procedural systems information with regards to the 2001/2002 Budget Initiative, “Extend Access to the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) for British Commonwealth and Allied veterans (BCAL)”, commonly known as the BCAL or Orange Card initiative. |
Commencement |
The changes commence on 1 January 2002. |
Authorised by
ROGER WINZENBERGBranch Head INCOME SUPPORT |
Introduction |
From 1 January 2002, access to the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) will be extended to eligible Commonwealth and Allied veterans and Allied mariners (herein referred to as BCAL veterans). |
Legislation |
The Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (2001 Budget Measures) Act 2001, No. 102, 2001 received Royal Assent on 4 September 2001. Schedule 1 of this Act inserts new Part VA Extension of the Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Link to Act: http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/comact/11/6390/top.htm [5] |
New card |
BCAL veterans who are eligible for the RPBS under this extension of eligibility will receive a plastic Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Card (Orange Card). |
Eligibility for card |
To be eligible for the Orange Card a BCAL veteran must:
Legislative ref: s 93M VEA Note that the Orange Card is not subject to the income or assets tests. |
Card benefits – medicines |
The Orange Card will give BCAL veterans access to all medicines listed in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) as well as those items (including medicines and dressings) listed in the RPBS at the concessional rate. This means that BCAL veterans will have access to prior approval authorisation for non-listed items through the Veterans' Affairs Pharmaceutical Approval Centre (VAPAC). More info: for more detailed information on the benefits of the Orange Card, refer to HSV 69, Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Card (Orange Card) on DVA Facts: http://internet-mirror/factsheets/default.htm [6] |
Card benefits - PA |
The Orange Card entitles the holder to receive the Pharmaceutical Allowance (PA). Legislative ref: para 118A(1)(c) Some Orange Card holders may already receive PA as part of their Service Pension or Disability Pension entitlement, or in some cases if they already hold a Repatriation Health Card – for Specific Conditions (White Card) or receive it as part of a Centrelink entitlement. Note that in cases where PA is already received, it will not be paid twice. Legislative ref: ss 118B(1A), 118B(2). |
No treatment |
The Orange Card does NOT entitle the holder to receive any treatment benefits. Legislative ref: ss 93L(2) VEA |
Dual card eligibility –orange & white |
Where a veteran holds both a White Card and an Orange Card:
|
Dual card eligibility –orange & gold |
Some Gold Card holders will also be eligible for the new Orange Card. This group will have the new eligibility (PBB) recorded, but will not be issued with the Orange Card. If they lose eligibility for the Gold Card, the Orange Card will be automatically issued. |
Claim form |
A new claim form, Claim for a Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Card, D2622 is available on DVA Forms. |
Fact Sheet |
A new fact sheet, Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Card (Orange Card), HSV 69 is available on DVA Facts. |
RPBS |
A copy of the RPBS is available on CLIK, in the Legislation Library, under Health Schemes and Determinations. |
Processing a New Claim with Orange Card eligibility |
Processing a Service Pension New Claim through PIPS/PC alone will not automatically produce an Orange Card. Follow the process shown in the table below for Service Pension New Claims where the veteran is also eligible for an Orange Card. |
Step |
Action |
1 |
Register an RPB QS claim in CMS (in addition to the New Claim registration) |
2 |
Set attribute to 'Successful' |
3 |
Record 'PBB' eligibility in EATERS (using EN.BC) |
4 |
Process New Claim through PIPS/PC |
5 |
De-register DP Grant (this was automatically created when PBB eligibility was set) |
Important: Remember that the process to set PBB eligibility in EATERS will generate an Orange Card - it is not dependent on finalisation of a PIPS/PC case. This means that the card will still be produced and sent by HIC - for example if the claim results in a rejection (e.g. income/assets in excess), or for some reason the PIPS/PC case is not finalised for some weeks (e.g. perhaps further investigation in necessary). If you don't want the card to go out, PBB eligibility should be set to 'OFF' to prevent the card being printed. This must be done in a timely manner. |
SP entitlement code |
Remember that the SP entitlement code should be changed to an appropriate BCAL type code in Adult Details when processing the claim in PIPS/PC. |
New warning |
A new Warning will appear in PIPS/PC at create Worksheet and Authorise, for cases where certain SP entitlement codes exist. The warning is a reminder that EATERS has to be used to set Orange Card eligibility. |
Advice – doe pre 1/1/02 |
New Claims advices (where DoE is prior to 1 Jan 2002) will not have an Orange Card paragraph included in the daily advice. A standard letter should be sent to advise the veteran of Orange Card eligibility – SLS 'Grant from Claim Pre Jan02' may be used. |
Advice – doe on or after 1/1/02 |
New Claims advices (where DoE is on or after 1 Jan 2002) will have an Orange Card paragraph included in the daily advice, provided EATERS action has been done to set eligibility. |
BCAL claims (card only) determined after 28/11/01 |
Where a veteran lodges a claim for an Orange Card (card only) and the case is determined after 28 November 2001, follow the process shown in the table below. |
Step |
Action |
1 |
Register an RPB QS claim in CMS |
2 |
If eligible, set attribute to 'Successful' |
3 |
Record 'PBB' eligibility in EATERS (using EN.BC) |
4 |
'Record Decision' in EATERS |
5 |
Grant Pharmaceutical Allowance where appropriate |
6 |
Advise veteran – standard letter. |
Other eligibilities - no |
If there are no other eligibilities recorded for that veteran, a DP Grant will be automatically registered in CMS – this should be used to grant PA where appropriate. |
Other eligibilities - yes |
If other eligibilities are recorded for that veteran (e.g. a White Card), a CMS case will not be registered – a DP Data Change case will have to be registered manually. |
Interstate Transfers – new transaction EN.BC |
There is one minor change to the way in which Interstate Transfers are handled. From 1 January 2002, and only where the veteran has an Orange Card, an EATERS transaction must be completed prior to the transfer-in action in PIPS/PC. The transaction is exactly the same as for treatment card issue, except the transaction used to data collect in EATERS will be EN.BC. Records Administration staff and other staff who process Interstate Transfers need to be aware of this new transaction. |
PA processing |
The majority of Orange Card holders will already receive PA through another entitlement. Orange Card holders who require payment of PA are likely to be holders of a Commonwealth Seniors' Health Card, or in receipt of nothing at all from DVA or Centrelink. |
Other eligibilities - no |
If there are no other eligibilities recorded for a veteran, a 'DP Grant' will be automatically registered in CMS when EATERS action is completed – this should be used to grant PA. |
Other eligibilities - yes |
If other eligibilities are recorded for a Veteran, a CMS case will not be registered – a 'DP Data Change' case must be registered manually in CMS and PA granted using that registration. |
Daily advices |
Some changes have been made to daily advices to cater for the Orange Card. Additional paragraphs will be included in daily advices when card eligibility changes, when a New Claim is processed and when pensioners transfer interstate. |
Standard Letters |
A new batch of letters dealing with acknowledgments, grants and rejections are located under the new 'BCAL Card' tab in IS Standard Letters. Note that Standard letters relating to CSHC, where the claimant is also eligible for an Orange Card, are located in the new CSHC tab. |
EATERS – PBB elig type |
EATERS has been changed to recognise the new Orange Card. A new eligibility type 'PBB' has been created for the card. Eligibility for the Orange Card cannot be set to a date that is prior to 1 January 2002. |
EATERS – EN.BC |
A new screen 'EN.BC' has been created in EATERS – this screen should be used to set the new eligibility for the Orange Card. The Country Code field in this screen already exists and new country codes have been created for the BCAL group of Veterans. These new country codes are at Attachment A – Country Codes. The functionality of this new screen is no different to existing screens – to make changes to a veteran's eligibility, a CMS case has to be registered and 'Stage Completed' to “Await Prepare Record'. |
Entitlement Card (EC) Changes |
Changes have been made to accommodate the new card. The commands and the functionality in EC have not changed. There has been an additional field added to EC – 'RPBC card'. If you need to inquire on or update a veteran's record where that veteran holds an Orange Card, type Y in that field. If the field is left blank, other card eligibility will be displayed. |
VIEW changes |
VIEW changes include:
|
WAR PREFIX CODE |
ENTITLEMENT NAME |
COUNTRY CODE |
A |
Algeria - WW2 |
DZ |
A |
Argentina - WW2 |
AR |
A |
Belgium - WW1 |
BE |
A |
Belgium - WW2 |
BE |
A |
Brazil - WW2 |
BR |
BUR |
Burma |
BU |
A |
Bulgaria - WW2 |
BG |
A |
China - WW2 |
CN |
A |
Chile - WW2 |
CL |
CN |
Canadian - WW1 |
CA |
CNX |
Canadian - WW2 |
CA |
A |
Czechoslovakia - WW2 |
CZ |
A |
Denmark - WW2 |
DK |
A |
Egypt - WW2 |
EG |
A |
Estonia - WW2 |
EE |
A |
Ethiopia - WW2 |
ET |
A |
Finland - WW2 |
FI |
A |
France - WW1 |
FR |
A |
France - WW2 |
FR |
A |
Greece - WW1 |
GR |
A |
Greece - WW2 |
GR |
HKX |
Hong Kong - WW2 |
HK |
A |
Netherlands - WW2 |
NL |
A |
Hungary - WW2 |
HU |
IND |
INDIA (all conflicts) |
IN |
A |
Italy - WW1 |
IT |
A |
Italy - WW2 |
IT |
A |
Japan - WW1 |
JA |
A |
Latvia - WW2 |
LV |
A |
Liberia - WW2 |
LR |
MAL |
Malaysian Pensioners |
MA |
A |
Montenegro - WW1 |
YU |
MTX |
Malta - WW2 |
MT |
N |
New Zealand - WW1 |
NZ |
A |
Norway - WW2 |
NO |
WAR PREFIX CODE |
ENTITLEMENT NAME |
COUNTRY CODE |
NX |
New Zealand - WW2 |
NZ |
P |
British - WW2 |
GB |
A |
Panama - WW2 |
PA |
A |
Poland - WW2 |
PL |
PMS |
British Merchant Navy - WW1 |
GB |
A |
Portugal - WW1 |
PT |
PSW |
British Merchant Navy - WW2 |
GB |
PX |
British - WW2 |
GB |
RD |
Rhodesia - WW1 |
ZW |
RDX |
Rhodesia - WW2 |
ZW |
A |
Rumania - WW1 |
RO |
A |
Russia - WW1 |
RU |
A |
Russia - WW2 |
RU |
SA |
South Africa - WW1 |
SA |
SAX |
South Africa - WW2 |
SA |
A |
Serbia - WW1 |
YU |
A |
Syria - WW2 |
SY |
A |
Uruguay - WW2 |
UY |
A |
United States - WW1 |
US |
A |
United States - WW2 |
US |
A |
Venezuala - WW2 |
VE |
A |
Yugoslavia - WW2 |
YU |
DATE OF ISSUE: 6 DECEMBER 2001
Commonwealth Seniors Health Card: Changes to Claims Management System and Death Processing System
Purpose |
This Departmental Instruction is to advise of enhancements that will be introduced to further automate processing of Claims Management System (CMS) and Death Processing System (DPS) actions for Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders. |
Background |
A Stateline was circulated in September 2001 which described the introduction of system changes to facilitate the processing of CSHC claims. That Stateline indicated that further enhancements were being made to the system to further automate CMS and DPS processing capabilities. |
Implementation Date |
The enhancements to CMS and DPS will be introduced during the week commencing Monday 10 December 2001. Contact officers for the CSHC project will be informed when the promotions are made. |
Attachments |
There are two attachments which describe the CMS and DPS processing changes. |
Contact Officer |
Any questions regarding these changes should be directed to David Owen by e-mail or phone (02 6289 6685). |
Roger Winzenberg
Branch Head
INCOME SUPPORT
Introduction |
This attachment outlines the changes to the way CMS actions will be processed for CSHC claims. |
Current Processing |
Currently the recording of, and all changes to, a “Senior's Card” registration are totally manual . The following table provides the steps that are currently required. |
|||
Step |
Action |
|||
1 |
Register a CMS case via CM.CI screen in “Await Prepare Record” stage. |
|||
2 |
Update case attributes via CM.UA. Note either of the mandatory attributes; “Successful claim” or “Unsuccessful Claim”, must be set. |
|||
3 |
Update the stage via CM.SC screen. If the stage is progressed to:
|
|||
4 |
Update the stage from “Prepare Recording” via CM.SC screen. Note that the stage can only be progressed back to “Await Prepare Record”. |
|||
5 |
The case if now finalised and will be included in the appropriate CMS reports. |
|||
6 |
The case has been withdrawn. |
|||
Changes |
There is currently no interaction between CMS and the new CSHC recording facility in VIEW. The enhancements to be introduced will provide automatic case progression functionality as a part of the VIEW recording process. |
New Processing |
Following the introduction of the enhanced functionality there will be two options with regard to CMS actions. These two options are:
|
|||
If a CMS action ... |
... been manually created then when the CSHC eligibility is recorded in VIEW... |
|||
has |
|
|||
has not |
|
|||
Points to note |
There are several points to note regarding then new functionality:
|
Introduction |
This attachment outlines the changes to the way DPS actions will be processed for CSHC holder who die. |
Current Processing |
Currently the CSHC eligibility is only recorded in the database as a “SHC” BELI type. The recording of a date of death (DOD) for a CSHC holder triggers:
|
Changes |
The introduction of the new CSHC recording facility in VIEW and the (possible) eligibility of CSHC holders to telephone allowance has necessitated the introduction of extra database records. Unfortunately, technical issues with system environments preclude DPS from being able to update these new records upon a client's death. The changes that will be introduced will update these new records upon a client's death. |
New Processing |
A new program will be introduced to run immediately following DPS each evening. DPS will provide the same functionality as it currently does with the new program providing the required updates to the new records. For each CSHC client that has a DOD recorded and is processed by DPS the following will occur:
|
DPS Reports |
A new section has been added to the daily DPS report which lists the file number, client suffix and unique identifier for any client who has had the CSHC record turned off and TA recalculated. |
Points to note |
There are several points to note regarding then new functionality:
|
DATE OF ISSUE: 26 NOVEMBER 2001
ENHANCEMENT TO DEATH PROCESSING RELATING TO THE LOSS OF TREATMENT TO SURVIVING VETERANS FOLLOWING DPS REASSESSMENT
Purpose |
The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about system changes impacting treatment eligibility during the bereavement period for the surviving veteran. |
Start date |
The changes commenced on 26 November 2001. |
Issue |
Reassessments of the survivor's income and assets carried out at the time of death by the Death Processing System can result in the loss of treatment entitlement during the bereavement period. Under the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA), any determination by Commission to reduce entitlement as a result of death should take effect at the end of the bereavement period |
Aim of change |
The main aim is to stop veterans from losing their treatment from an incorrect date and also to make sure they are advised of any future loss of benefits. |
Who is affected? |
There are very few cases that this scenario affects. |
DPS |
DPS would reassess from the day of death the income and assets in the clients assessment. Where there were joint income and assets these generally were halved and held under the survivors' ownership. Income and Assets held under ownership of the deceased were deleted from the survivors' new assessment. |
Reassessment |
With the reassessment of income and assets the surviving veteran may have income or assets which would result in the loss of treatment, either TSP or TSD. If no other entitlement to treatment exists then DPS would put up an OFF date for the client's eligibility as being the day after death. No advice is produced that notifies the veteran of this loss. |
Commencement date |
The changes commence in the Production Environment on 26 November 2001. |
Enhancement |
Based on the low number of cases falling into this scenario, in addition to the complexities of DPS, the most cost effective option is for DPS to identify these cases and report them out for manual processing. Manual processing will require a PIPS transaction to terminate the deceased from the assessment, as well as additional work on the surviving client's assessment and/or treatment entitlement. |
Business Rules |
DPS will identify those surviving veterans who will lose their treatment entitlement because of the reassessment performed by DPS. DPS will report out for manual actioning, including creating a CMS case registration, the processing of the death of the partner. DPS will produce on the Processing Report and also on the Daily Report a message alerting the actioning officer of the reason for manual action. (The message will read “FOR INFO – SURVIVOR LOSING TREATMENT – PIPS CASE CREATED”) |
Treatment |
Because it is possible for a client to have more than one eligibility for Treatment we must be careful to only identify those clients that would actually suffer a true loss of treatment entitlement. Eg. a client who might lose TSP and TSD but still have eligibility under TDE, TQX or TDP should NOT be identified by DPS. If the client only had TSP, and is now reassessed to be above the limits for provision of Treatment, then he will be identified by DPS. |
Manual PIPS PC Action |
When the CMS case is created by DPS a PIPS PC case must be actioned to terminate the deceased client from the assessment. This should be done as per normal bereavement procedures. Losing TSP Where the client has lost TSP but retains a payment of Service Pension another case should be created to make the now single assessment a manual rates case. The correct rates of payment should be entered. This is to prevent any $FORT's, other BAL processes or accidental PIPS PC cases being actioned during the bereavement period that creates the need to be made manual rates. The actioning officer must also change the date on the EN.OT screen that relates to treatment OFF date to be the correct OFF date. That being date of death + 99 days. It is possible to use the POG facility within Manual Rates Screen to set up the TSP OFF date but care needs to be taken to have as the Effective date of the case the same date as the TSP OFF date created by the first PIPS case. Ie. The next available payday date as used by the BELI system. A Standard Bereavement advice should be produced and sent that includes the notification of loss of treatment at the end of bereavement period. At the end of the Bereavement period and usually as a result of the 13 week reassessment of income and assets the client should be removed from being manual rates and treatment cancelled. Losing TSD Where the client has lost TSD (has lost payment of Service Pension) there is no need for another case to be created to make the single assessment a manual rates case. The surviving client now has a method of assessment as DP Only. Having this method of assessment should prevent any $FORT's, other BAL processes or accidental PIPs PC cases being actioned during the bereavement period that might impact on the clients assessment. The actioning officer must change the date on the EN.OT screen that relates to treatment OFF date to be the correct OFF date. That being date of death + 99 days. It is advisable that States monitor these cases to ensure that treatment OFF dates are actioned properly and the correct advices produced. |
Contact |
Contact officer for enquiries relating to this topic is Steve Claypole on 02 6289 6792 |
Roger Winzenberg
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
DATE OF ISSUE: 13 NOVEMBER 2001
VETERANS' CHILDREN EDUCATION SCHEME (VCES) - RATES OF EDUCATION ALLOWANCE EFFECTIVE FROM 1 JANUARY 2002
The purpose of this instruction is to advise the rates of education allowance for VCES in 2002.
Attachment A sets out the increased rates of education allowance. These rates are effective on and from the first payday in January 2002.
Attachment B sets out the methods used to set the education allowance rate for the age/education level categories.
The contact officer for enquiries on these rates is Ann Donnelly, Disability Compensation Branch, National Office on (02) 6289 6439.
W R MAXWELL
Division Head
Compensation and Support
...... November 2001
Attachment A
The annual education allowance for primary students is $181.80
Secondary/Tertiary Students (fortnightly rates)
Students |
At Home $ |
Living Away from Home $ |
Homeless $ |
Under 16 years |
37.40 |
199.41 |
301.70 |
16 – 17 years |
165.10 |
301.70 |
301.70 |
18 years and over |
198.60 |
301.70 |
301.70 |
Secondary/Tertiary Double Orphans (fortnightly rates)
Double Orphans |
$ |
Under 16 |
164.50 |
16 - 20 years |
301.70 |
21 years and over |
366.40 |
Attachment B
Age/Education Level |
Method of Indexation / Increase |
Primary students |
indexed annually in line with CPI for the previous financial year (in accordance with the provisions of section 1191(1) table item 3A of the Social Security Act 1991) |
Secondary/tertiary students aged under 16 and living at home |
indexed annually in line with CPI for the previous financial year (in accordance with the provisions of section 1191(1) table item 3A of the Social Security Act 1991) |
Secondary/tertiary students aged under 16 and living away from home |
aligned with the rate for Assistance to Isolated Children (AIC) as determined by the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs |
Secondary/tertiary students aged over 16 and living at home or away from home |
increased annually and aligned with the maximum rates for Youth Allowance as determined by the Department of Family and Community Services under part 3.5 of the Social Security Act 1991 |
Secondary/tertiary homeless students |
increased annually and aligned to the maximum rate for Youth Allowance for people who are independent as determined by the Department of Family and Community Services under point 1067G-B3 of the Social Security Act 1991 |
Double orphans aged under 16 |
set by using formula: VCES double orphan education allowance rate for 16 to 20 year olds less the amount of the double orphan's pension |
Double orphans aged 16 to 20 |
the equivalent of the Youth Allowance rate for 18 years and over living away from home |
Double orphans aged 21 and over |
the equivalent of the maximum rate of Youth Allowance Special Rate |
Double orphans at “frozen” rates |
students on “frozen rates” remain on that rate until such time as the frozen amount is equivalent to, or less than, the DO rate that they would be entitled to due to age (Refer to C31/98 [11] for origin of and need for “frozen” rates) |
DATE OF ISSUE: 13 NOVEMBER 2001
PROPERTY VALUATION EXERCISE – 2001/2002 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 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, they are forwarded back to DVA with the new valuation amount. The output is then forwarded to the State Offices for 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 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. |
Production run |
The data extraction was carried out on 3 November 2001. The data containing information on the automatic review was forwarded to the AVO on 13 November 2001. 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 years bulk run: |
State |
Auto |
Manual |
NSW |
646 |
210 |
VIC |
716 |
142 |
QLD |
550 |
128 |
SA |
140 |
41 |
WA |
166 |
64 |
TAS |
153 |
13 |
Total |
2,371 |
598 |
Criterion for extracting cases |
The following criteria was used for extracting cases:
All income support 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.
|
State Office to action manual cases |
Manual cases have been forwarded to the State Offices in an Excel format 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. |
AVO conduct valuations |
The AVO will conduct the necessary valuations in the period from December 2001 to April 2002. The AVO will update the valuation information and forward the updated information to DVA by the end of April 2002. |
Updated data forwarded to State Offices |
Printouts and an Excel spreadsheet of the updated property valuations will be provided to the contact officer in each State Office. These reports can be expected early May 2002. |
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 2002 (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 convenient payday. |
Date of valuation to be used |
All States should use 3 November 2001 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 [13]. |
Contact Officer |
The contact officer for this exercise is Nasreen Haque (02) 6289 1125, Business Operations and Support Section, Income Support Branch. |
ROGER WINZENBERG
Branch Head
INCOME SUPPORT
13 November 2001
DATE OF ISSUE: 29 OCTOBER 2001
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$2.7871 |
The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.9155 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.7871 (ie A$1 = ?0.3588). This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 26 October 2001. |
Date of effect30 October 2001 |
Effective from 30 October 2001 the current exchange rate will change. On pension payday 15 November 2001 (pay period 10) 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 30 October 2001. |
Automaticsuperannuation 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 accordingly. |
Manual cases and MS cases |
Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed. 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 November 2001 – ie 30 October 2001. |
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 be producing the cartridge and will 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 5 November 2001. |
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 for the exercise will be: Nasreen Haque Telephone: (02) 6289 1125 |
29 October 2001
POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE
Foreign exchange periodExchange rate
29 Jan 98 |
to |
25 Feb 98 |
0.3972 |
2.5176 |
26 Feb 98 |
to |
6 May 98 |
0.4125 |
2.4366 |
7 May 98 |
to |
15 July 98 |
0.3997 |
2.5019 |
16 July 98 |
to |
12 August 98 |
0.3663 |
2.7300 |
13 August 98 |
to |
9 Sept 98 |
0.3817 |
2.6199 |
10 Sept 98 |
to |
21 October 98 |
0.3690 |
2.7100 |
22 October 98 |
to |
4 Nov 98 |
0.3505 |
2.8531 |
5 Nov 98 |
to |
2 Dec 98 |
0.3676 |
2.7203 |
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 |
0.3588 |
2.7871 |
||
DATE OF ISSUE: 2 October 2001
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$2.9155 |
The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.7020 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.9155 (ie A$1 = 0.3430 Pounds). This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 28 September 2001. |
Date of effect2 October 2001 |
Effective from 2 October 2001 the current exchange rate will change. On pension payday 18 October 2001 (pay period 08) 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 October 2001. |
Automaticsuperannuation 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 accordingly. |
Manual cases and MS cases |
Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed. 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 October 2001 – ie 2 October 2001. |
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 be producing the cartridge and will 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 8 October 2001. |
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 for the exercise will be: Nasreen Haque Telephone: (02) 6289 1125 |
2 October 2001
POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE
Foreign exchange periodExchange rate
29 Jan 98 |
to |
25 Feb 98 |
0.3972 |
2.5176 |
26 Feb 98 |
to |
6 May 98 |
0.4125 |
2.4366 |
7 May 98 |
to |
15 July 98 |
0.3997 |
2.5019 |
16 July 98 |
to |
12 August 98 |
0.3663 |
2.7300 |
13 August 98 |
to |
9 Sept 98 |
0.3817 |
2.6199 |
10 Sept 98 |
to |
21 October 98 |
0.3690 |
2.7100 |
22 October 98 |
to |
4 Nov 98 |
0.3505 |
2.8531 |
5 Nov 98 |
to |
2 Dec 98 |
0.3676 |
2.7203 |
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 |
0.3430 |
2.9155 |
||
DATE OF ISSUE: 14 SEPTEMBER 2001
SEPTEMBER 2001 GLOBAL REFRESH OF MANAGED INVESTMENTS (MI) AND SHARES (SH) MAILOUT
Purpose of Instruction |
This Departmental Instruction is to provide information about processing arrangements for the September 2001 global refresh advice letter mailout. |
JEANETTE RICKETTS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
Introduction |
We do not send advice letters in September to all pensioners whose pensions are adjusted because of the CPI increase that applies for 20 September 2001. Information on these increases is contained in the latest edition of VetAffairs (distribution commences on 4 — th September 2001 - 13 — th September 2001). However, letters will be sent to pensioners affected by the events set out in the following paragraph. |
Significant Issues - of Managed Investment and Share Global Refresh Mailout |
The September 2001 Quarterly mailout will incorporate the following events for payday 4 October 2001 (WEF 20 September 2001):
|
Advice Letter Target Audience |
A letter will be produced only for those clients who have Managed Investments (MIs) and/or Shares (SHs) in their assessment and who meet the following:
|
New Advice Format and Content - replacement of Full Income and Asset Attachment with a Managed Investment and Shares Information Attachment |
A 'new' Attachment listing ALL Managed Investments and/or Shares a client has in their assessment has been included for the September 2001 processing run. A paragraph explaining the 'new' Attachment will also print in the body of the letter. This Attachment replaces the Full Income and Assets Listing that has been used previously. We have advised clients that we have not provided them with a complete listing of any other income or assets they may have in their assessment as they have not changed, but they continue to be used in assessing the amount of pension they are paid. |
Financial Assets Reassessment |
The asset value of managed investment and 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 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 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 managed investments' paragraph. Advice on CPI and MTAWE variations will be included in the September edition of VetAffairs. |
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 Special Register, Overseas and Enclosure (treatment changes) advice letters will be printed by IBM in Melbourne and sent via courier to each State Office. We always request that these be checked for accuracy, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office. There is a known problem with 'treatment entitlement' processing which will require you to check all enclosure advices. You will need to check the client's treatment entitlement to ensure they have received the correct treatment card information in their advice appropriate to the client's change in treatment eligibility. The program in processing these cases, applies the period of grace (POG) provisions against all clients, and if there is a TSP change then the advice will be streamed as an enclosure advice. The program does not look at any higher priority treatment eligibility such as TQX or TDP. As a result, in some cases the advice may not have a treatment paragraph - this may be appropriate to the particular case as the client may have a higher priority treatment eligibility precluding him/her from any changes to treatment. Letters should only be sent in this instance if the client has MIs/SHs in their assessment. However, for those clients who have had a valid treatment change, regardless of whether they have MIs/SHs in their assessment - their letter should be sent. |
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. |
Processing |
Processing is scheduled to run from Thursday evening 20 — th September until Monday evening 24 — th September 2001. |
Critical Dates |
Processing Weekend within DVA (includes 'advices' processing) |
Thursday (pm), 20 — th September 2001 - Monday (pm), 24 — th September 2001 |
Dispatch Production Data to SMS |
Tuesday, 25 — th September 2001 |
Commence Printing Advice Letters |
Wednesday, 26 — th September 2001 |
End Printing Advice Letters |
Thursday, 27 — th September 2001 |
Lodgement of Advice Letters with Australia Post |
Friday, 28 — th September 2001 |
Client Numbers |
The following is a summary of client numbers in each State. The numbers are approximates only: |
STATE |
NO. OF LETTERS (Approx Only Based on March 2001 SI Statistics and includes Special Register, Overseas and Enclosures) |
New South Wales |
10,722 |
Victoria |
7,748 |
Queensland |
6,143 |
Western Australia |
2,766 |
South Australia |
3,020 |
Tasmania |
1,194 |
TOTAL |
31,593 |
Printing of Letters |
Security Mailing Services (SMS) Sydney, will print, fold and insert advice letters in the week from Tuesday 25 — th September thru till Friday 28 — th September 2001. |
Lodgement of Letters |
All letters will be lodged with Australia Post on Friday 28th September 2001. A representative from National Office will notify details of lodgement for each State as they occur. The State Office Contacts for this exercise will be given progress reports and advised of any changes to this timetable. |
Special Register, Overseas & Enclosures |
Special Register, Overseas and Enclosure (treatment changes) advice letters will be printed by IBM in Melbourne and sent via courier to each State Office. These should be checked for accuracy, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office. This arrangement is the same as for daily advice letters. 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 Carol Walsh, Systems Delivery on (02) 6289 6729 if the delivered letters do not exactly match the reports. Please note the reference to the section on 'Treatment Advices to be Checked' mentioned earlier in this Departmental Instruction. We request that all treatment advices be checked for accuracy prior to posting. |
Monitoring of Pensioner Contact Following Mailout |
The intake of pensioner initiated reviews (PIRs) increases significantly following the quarterly advice mailouts, and anecdotal evidence suggests that a proportion of PIRs received following the quarterly mailout produce nil, or low outcomes for the pensioner. The inclusion of Full Income and Asset listings is considered to be a major factor contributing to this increased workload. As part of the review strategy to reduce the volume of low outcome pensioner review work we have replaced the Full Income and Asset listing with a Managed Investment and Share Information Attachment. To ascertain the effectiveness of this strategy we will be monitoring the intake of PIRs following the quarterly mailout. We also require feedback from staff on the level of pensioner contact following the mailout. In particular, we need information to gauge the impact that the new MI/SH Information Attachment has had on the number of phone calls received in comparison to what you would 'normally' expect to receive. Managers will be contacted in the weeks following the mailout in respect of feedback received. |
Reprints of selected letters |
Any requests for reprints of individual Quarterly Advice letters should be referred to System Support Officers to organise a reprint. |
'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 20 - 24 September 2001, may be sent to clients who do not have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment and therefore have not been updated as part of the Global Refresh. However, payment advice letters produced for clients who have MIs and/or SHs must be withheld pending notification that the quarterly letters have been dispatched. This will ensure that pensioner's receive their advice letters in chronological order. |
$FORT run - Monday 17 September 2001 |
$FORT has been scheduled to run on Monday night 17 September 2001. Advices from this run should be sent immediately. |
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 mailout to staff. State Office Contacts for the September quarterly processing are: NSW: Genia Sacharczuk VIC: Peter Rogers QLD: Steve Jensen/ Roger Vickerstaff SA: Graham Bate WA: Kim Gooding/John Gliddon TAS: Chris Craven ACT: Martin McGlashan |
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. At the end of this process we will be collecting and collating all State feedback to analyse issues raised and develop solutions to address any concerns raised. Any problems noted should be reported to the National Office Contact Officer with the nature of the query and any relevant information pertaining to the query. 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 letters lodgement should be referred to: Pat Webb (02) 6289 6444 (Phone) (02) 6289 6553 (Fax) Systems issues should be directed to: Carol Walsh on (02) 6289 6729 |
Letters |
Prior to the issue of this Departmental Instruction, System Support Officers and Manager's 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. An email will be forwarded to the September SI State Contact Officers advising of the changes in respect of all comments received. Copies of the amended advice letters for this run are at Attachments A and B of this DI. Attachment A – Paragraph sequencing Attachment B – Advice Letter Examples Example 1: Overall Decrease - either from Max Rate to less than Max Rate or decrease in Less than Max Rate Amount, Payment Attachment, MI/SH Information Attachment, General Information Sheet (GIS) Example 2: Increase from Less than Max Rate to Maximum Rate, Payment Attachment, MI/SH Information Attachment, and GIS Example 3: Overall increase - remaining on Less than maximum rate, Payment Attachment, MI/SH Information Attachment, and GIS Example 4: Age Pension increase remaining on Less than Max Rate, Disability Pension in payment, Payment Attachment, MI/SH Information Attachment, and GIS Example 5: Reduction to Nil as a result of MI/SH reassessment, Payment Attachment, MI/SH Information Attachment, GIS |
Letter Variables |
Please note, in the following samples:
|
ATTACHMENT A
PARAGRAPH SEQUENCING AND TARGET AUDIENCE
Note: Advices will only be produced for clients with Shares and/or Managed Investments in their assessment or those with treatment entitlement card changes.
Paragraph |
To Whom |
State specific letterhead |
All |
Opening |
All |
Change to value of shares and managed investments |
All |
Effective Date |
All |
“You have been increased to the maximum rate of pension” |
All increase to max rate cases |
Your DP has/has not been varied |
Those with DP,WWP |
Reduction to Nil para |
Reduction to Nil cases |
Payment Information |
All |
Payment Diversion Table |
All |
Fringe Benefits |
Reduction to Nil cases |
Your Right to Re-Apply |
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) |
All (not Reduction to Nil cases or Blinded clients) |
Your Obligations (reference to previous) |
All (not Reduction to Nil cases) |
Changes You Have Already Told Us About |
All |
Your Right of Review |
All |
State specific closing paragraph and Signature |
All |
Payment Information Attachment |
All |
Managed Investment and/or Shares Information Attachment |
All |
General Information Sheet |
All |
ATTACHMENT B
EXAMPLE 1: Overall Decrease - either from Maximum Rate to Less than Max Rate or Decrease of Less than Max Rate amount.
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS _
_
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact:STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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
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 overall decrease 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.
Please refer to the enclosed Payment Information Attachment to see a breakdown of your payments.
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
T-PAYDIVER-DATE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYEE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYDEST |
T-PAYDIV-AMOUNT |
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.
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'. These obligations still apply.
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.
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 for a review, you must do so within the next three months. 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,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
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.
Listed below are the payment tables showing the different amounts of pension you will receive on the paydays that are affected, with the final payment table showing your ongoing payment.
PAYMENTS TO XXXXX XXXXXXX and XXXXX XXXXXXX for
Pension Payday 04 OCTOBER 2001
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx x.xx
PAYMENTS TO XXXXX XXXXXXX and XXXXX XXXXXXX for
Pension Payday 18 OCTOBER 2001
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx x.xx
MANAGED INVESTMENTS AND SHARES INFORMATION
Information current as at T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE
You are receiving T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP at less than the maximum rate payable.
You are currently paid under the T-INCOME-ASSET-TEST test. The total of your fortnightly income is T-TOTAL-FORT-INCOME. The total of all your assets (excluding any deductible assets) is T-TOTAL-ASSETS.
Information about your T-SHARES-AND-OR-MIS is provided below.
Your T-SHARES-AND-OR-MIS have been automatically updated. The information below sets out the new values for these products.
Listed Securities and Unlisted Public Securities
Description |
No. of Shares |
Asset Amount |
XXXXXX |
X,XXX |
$XX,XXX.XX |
QQQQQQQQQQQQQ |
XXX |
$ X,XXX.XX |
Managed Investments
Description |
Units |
Asset Amount |
VVVVVVVVVV |
XX |
$XX.XX |
CCCCCCCCCCCCC |
XXX |
$XX.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 T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP 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 September mailout. There is a separate GIS for both income support supplement recipients and age pensioners. PLEASE NOTE: The rates and thresholds have been updated to reflect all changes.
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$410.50 (per fortnight)
Couples Rate (each)$342.60 (per fortnight)
PENSION INCOME LIMIT (per fortnight)
Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*
Singles Rate$112.00$1,152.75
Couples Rate (combined)$200.00$1,927.50
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$141,000$280,000
Couples Rate (combined)$200,500$431,000
Non Home Owner
Singles Rate$242,000$381,000
Couples Rate (combined)$301,500$532,000
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 applies to all service pensioners except blinded service pensioners.
GOLD CARD INFORMATION
GOLD CARD INCOME CUT OFF LIMIT
Singles Rate$321.50 (per fortnight)
Couples Rate (combined)$561.50 (per fortnight)
Add $68.60 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$169,000
Couples Rate (combined)$248,750
Non Home Owner
Singles Rate$270,000
Couples Rate (combined)$349,750
Add approximately $6,000 for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE.
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 you are a World War II veteran or mariner aged 70 years or over, who served in Australia's Defence Forces or Australia's Merchant Navy between 3 September 1939 and 29 October 1945, and have qualifying service from that conflict, the above Gold Card income and asset cut off limits do not apply to you as your Gold Card is not affected by your income and assets.
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:- 3% interest up to the threshold of $33,400
High Rate:- 4.5% interest for the remaining balance
Couples
Low Rate:- 3% interest up to the threshold of $55,800
High Rate:- 4.5% 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$89.60$104.80$118.80
Couples Rate
(combined)$84.40$104.80$118.80
Rent Limits (per fortnight)
No children1-2 children3 or more
children
Singles Rate$79.40$104.60$104.60
Couples Rate
(combined)$129.40$154.60$154.60
EXAMPLE 2: Increase from Less than Maximum Rate to Maximum Rate, MI/SH in assessment.
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS _
_
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact:STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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.
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.
Please refer to the enclosed Payment Information Attachment to see a breakdown of your payments.
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
T-PAYDIVER-DATE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYEE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYDEST |
T-PAYDIV-AMOUNT |
You have been increased to the maximum rate of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP.
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.
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'. These obligations still apply.
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.
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 for a review, you must do so within the next three months. 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,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
ATTACHMENT
Payment Information Attachment
Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment
General Information Sheet
EXAMPLE 3: Overall Increase remaining on Less than Maximum Rate, MI/SH in assessment
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS _
_
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact:STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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.
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.
Please refer to the enclosed Payment Information Attachment to see a breakdown of your payments.
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
T-PAYDIVER-DATE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYEE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYDEST |
T-PAYDIV-AMOUNT |
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.
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and the booklet 'You and Your Pension'. These obligations still apply.
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.
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 for a review, you must do so within the next three months. 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,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
ATTACHMENT
Payment Information Attachment
Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment
General Information Sheet
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS _
_
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact:STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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.
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.
The amount of disability pension paid to you has varied.
Please refer to the enclosed Payment Information Attachment to see a breakdown of your payments.
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
T-PAYDIVER-DATE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYEE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYDEST |
T-PAYDIV-AMOUNT |
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.
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters. These obligations still apply.
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,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
Payment Information Attachment
ATTACHMENT
Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment
ATTACHMENT
General Information Sheet
EXAMPLE 5: Reduction to Nil, MI/SH Information Attachment
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS _
_
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact:STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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.
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.
The amount of disability pension paid to you has varied.
Please refer to the enclosed Payment Information Attachment to see a breakdown of your payments.
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
T-PAYDIVER-DATE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYEE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYDEST |
T-PAYDIV-AMOUNT |
Fringe Benefits
As you are no longer eligible for a T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP you no longer qualify for fringe benefits from this Department. Please destroy your existing Pensioner Concession Card.
Your Right of Re-Apply
You may re-apply to have your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP restored at any time if your income and/or assets fall below the limits that would allow for payment of the pension.
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.
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,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
ATTACHMENT - Payment Information Attachment
ATTACHMENT - Managed Investments and/or Shares Information Attachment
ATTACHMENT - General Information Sheet
DATE OF ISSUE: 4 SEPTEMBER 2001
2002 ISSUE OF PENSIONER CONCESSION CARDS (PCCs)
Purpose of Instruction |
This Departmental Instruction provides information on The format and issuing of the 2002 PCCs; Procedures for applying for replacement travel vouchers; and Arrangements for the ongoing daily issuing of PCCs. |
JEANETTE RICKETTS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
September 5, 2001
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 |
8 – 9 September |
|||
Bulk Printing of PCCs |
17 September – 12 October |
|||
Lodgement with Australia Post |
From 4 October |
|||
Concession Information Sheet |
A State specific “Concessions Information” sheet will be inserted during the bulk printing for VIC, TAS and QLD 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 2002 PCC bulk issue will be issued in the payment (ie cross referenced) number. |
Partner's on PCCs |
The PCC program will include the following in order to follow current DFACs policy regarding the issue of Centrelink PCC's: 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 then 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 number of children that will be listed on a PCC is six. If there are more than six dependant children in the assessment, a separate card will be issued listing the veteran and remaining children. |
What remains the same |
|
Card Production |
The printing of the approximately 370,000 2002 PCCs will commence on Thursday 20 September, following the extract of client data on the weekend of 8 - 9 September. The 2002 PCC will be personalised, enveloped and despatched by the mailing house – Security Mailing Services in Sydney. Lodgement with Australia Post will commence on 4 October and expected to be completed by Friday 12 October. |
Card Numbers |
The approximate numbers for each State/Territory for the bulk issue in September 2001 are as follows: |
State/Territory |
No. of PCCs |
New South Wales |
124,256 |
Victoria |
82,873 |
Queensland |
74,952 |
South Australia |
34,761 |
Western Australia |
34,076 |
Tasmania |
13,188 |
NT |
610 |
ACT |
2,998 |
TOTAL |
367,714 |
2002 PCC Stock |
For the 2002 bulk PCC issue, there will be 2 different carriers – one for couples (to be used in the bulk issue only) and one for singles. The pre-printed format of the rear of the card for both singles and couples cards will be the same as the 2001 card with a “Valid from Oct 2001 to Dec 2002” date. The DVA National contact numbers, State Office street locations and postal addresses will be included on the carrier. |
Carrier Layout |
The 2002 carrier layout for single pensioners remains the same as the layout for the 2001 carrier, with the vouchers printed at the bottom of the carrier. The 2002 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 on 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 person's partner details). |
Blind Pensioners – Special PCCs |
The word 'BLIND' will be printed in 14 point lettering on the top centre of the 2002 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 for checking prior to dispatch to the Special Register addresses. |
Fridge Magnet Calendar |
A State specific 2002 magnetic refrigerator calendar will be included with the bulk issue of PCCs. |
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 numbers, and in the case of Tasmania will also contain the pensioner's 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 (Single & Couples) |
NIL |
ACT |
NIL (Single & Couples) |
NIL |
NT |
NIL (Single & Couples) |
NIL |
VIC |
Single (2 vouchers) |
Name Entitlement Number |
VIC |
Couple (4 vouchers) |
Names Entitlement Numbers |
QLD |
Single (4 vouchers) |
Name Entitlement Number |
QLD |
Couple (8 vouchers) |
Names Entitlement Numbers |
SA |
Single (2 vouchers) |
Name Entitlement Number |
SA |
Couples (4 vouchers) |
Names Entitlement Numbers |
WA |
Single (1 voucher) |
Name Entitlement Number |
WA |
Couples (2 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 |
Reports |
State offices will be provided with the following listings of cases following the bulk extract:
|
The reports will be addressed to the State Office PCC contact officers. You should expect the reports on Monday 10 September, following the data extraction processing on the weekend of 8-9 September. |
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 by the end of October. The CD-ROM files (*.pdf format) can be accessed via Acrobat Reader 3.0 which can be found on the DVA LAN. From the Start up menu select Departmental/Applications/Internet Tools/Acrobat Reader 3.0. |
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 2001 PCCs will be on Friday, 7 September 2001. Formatting and any re-alignment of local printers to accommodate the 2002 PCC will be addressed by the PCC National Office, IMU programmers. Please advise Robert Krajina on 02 6289 6044 as soon as possible if you experience any difficulties in printing replacement or new grant PCCs. |
Manual Voucher Issue |
From Monday, 10 September 2001, all new grant and card replacement transactions will generate a 2002 PCC record on the client data base with an expiry date of 31/12/2002 for all States. The 2001 PCC stock must not be used for daily issues, from and including Monday, 10 September 2001. However, any new grant or transfer-in between 10 September and 31 December 2001 still requires manually issued 2001-travel voucher/s and 2001 stock is to be used. |
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:
|
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. 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 inS A & VIC |
As in previous years SA Rail have 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 have 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 2002 PCCs by 31 August. The fridge magnet calendar stocks will be supplied to the State Offices 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 Robert Krajina on 02 6289 6044 or fax 02 6289 6553. |
ATTACHMENT A
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.
QLD(07) 3235 2222
For a period after the bulk issue Queensland Rail have given authority to our QLD State Office to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf. System changes will enable QLD State Office to issue these vouchers until 30 November 2001 without the system automatically voiding the vouchers.
Queensland Rail (QR) have set up a Rail Concession Unit where people can apply for replacement vouchers and sign a Statutory Declaration in respect of lost/damaged vouchers. A photocopy of the pensioner's PCC is also required. QR do a computer check and only replace unused vouchers. The vouchers can only be replaced once in a calendar year.
For non-metropolitan clients, the unit has an arrangement with local rail stations to fax the Statutory Declaration to the RCU, and send the original letter. Alternatively, people can get a Statutory Declaration at the local police station, pay their half fare concession and apply for a refund to the voucher equivalent after their travel. This procedure should be confirmed by ringing the above number in the first instance.
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 – Westrail Switch
For a period up until the 31 — st January 2002, Westrail have given authority to our WA State Office to issue replacement vouchers on their behalf.
After this date people can phone Westrail to apply for replacement vouchers.
Note: Westrail may charge for replacement vouchers.
DATE OF ISSUE: 10 AUGUST 2001
Pension Impact of changes to taxation imputation credit rules
Purpose |
This Departmental Instruction provides assessment information relating to franked dividends. |
Background |
Prior to 1 July 2000, for taxation purposes Centrelink and Veterans' Affairs income support payment recipients could only take advantage of the imputation credits from franked dividends if they lodged tax returns and paid income tax. The credits were used by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to reduce a persons tax liability. Customers below the taxable income thresholds could not take advantage of the credits because they had no tax liability to be reduced. Also those on lower marginal rates of tax could not fully utilise the credit. The imputation credit rules were changed with the introduction of the new tax system to enable shareholders to access imputation credits regardless of whether they pay income tax or not. Pensioners and others holding shares that attract imputation credits can access the value of the imputation credit from tax refunds for the 2000/01 financial year. From 1 July 2001 companies will be able to provide early refund to a shareholder at the time the dividend is paid. |
What is a franked dividend? |
Franked dividends are defined in section 160AQF of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (see attachment). They are dividends, or shares of company profits, paid or credited by an Australian resident company from profits that have had Australian company tax paid on them. Franked dividends can be wholly or partially franked, that is, either the whole or part of the amount of the dividend carries an imputation credit. |
What is an imputation credit? |
An imputation credit is a credit to a person owning shares for the tax that has already been paid by the issuing company on their dividends. These are known as franking credits. |
Pre 1 January 2002 income test assessment |
Publicly Listed Shares Shares in a publicly listed company are part of a person's financial assets. The assessable income for income support pension purposes is the deemed income. The changes to imputation credits will not change these rules. Private Trust or Private Company Shares Under current rules, dividends on shares including franking credits from a private company or private trust should be held as income for the individual for 12 months from the date of the distribution/refund. The gross amount of the dividend payment is assessable. It is important that income support pensioners advise of receipt of dividends and imputation credits from private trusts and private companies at the time they are received. |
1 January 2002 rule change. |
Private Trusts & Private Company Shares From 1 January 2002, if a pensioner is attributed with the assets or income of a private trust or private company, there will be no need to advise of the receipt of imputation credits. This is because the net assessable income of the private trust or private company will be attributed to the attributable stakeholder(s). |
JEANETTE RICKETTS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
s160AQFITAA 1936 |
INCOME TAX ASSESSMENT ACT 1936 Part IIIA Franking of Dividends Division 5 Franking of Dividends Subdivision A Franking 160AQF What constitutes franking with a franked amount. (1) Current class A franked dividend multiplied by specified percentage Where: (a) a frankable dividend (in this subsection called the "current dividend") is paid to a shareholder in a company; and (b) the company is a resident at the time of payment; and (c) if the current dividend is paid under a resolution:
(d) if the current dividend is not paid under a resolution - the company makes a declaration before the reckoning day for the current dividend that the current dividend is a class A franked dividend to the extent of a percentage (not exceeding 100%) specified in the declaration; the current dividend shall be taken to have been class A franked to the extent of the amount calculated in accordance with the formula: |
DATE OF ISSUE: 10 AUGUST 2001
ISSUE OF 2001/02 COMMONWEALTH SENIORS HEALTH CARD (CSHC)
To provide information about the bulk issue of the 2001/02 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC).
The CSHC was introduced on 1 July 1994 and currently provides entitlement to Commonwealth Concessions only. This entitlement is currently limited to concessional pharmaceuticals listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Access to the Commonwealth Dental Program by the CSHC holders ceased on 1 January 1997 and eligibility for hearing services became unavailable from 1 July 1997.
The income test limits for the CSHC changed on 1 July 2001. As at 1 September 2001, all CSHC holders will be eligible for Telephone Allowance (TA) with payment occurring on 20 September. This will have a significant effect on the amount of CSHCs issued as many Gold Cardholders who were eligible for a CSHC but did not previously apply, may now apply in order to obtain the TA.
The CSHC is intended to assist those retirees and other eligible veterans of pension age who fail to qualify for pension due to assets or income in excess of the current limit.
To be eligible for the CSHC, a person must:
Eligibility is determined manually by State Office staff.
Pension age for males is 60 years of age (or greater) with QS, and 65 years of age (or greater) without QS.
Pension age for female veterans is:
Pension age for female non-veterans is:
A detailed table of Pension Age can be found at section 5R and 5QB of the VEA.
The current CSHC taxable income test limits have been increased as a result of recent Budget changes and are as follows:
The bulk printing of the 2001-02 cards will commence on 22 August 2001. The amount of cards as at 3 August was 5,504, however this number is expected to increase prior to the bulk run with the introduction of the TA that is available to CSHC holders. The live data extract will be undertaken on 16 August and CSHC recipients should receive their cards no later than 14 September.
Following is the State by State breakdown of the expected numbers of CSHCs to be issued in the bulk run and the quantity of the blank stock to be supplied to the State Offices for daily card issue. You will notice the blank supply for daily issue is very high in relation to the bulk issue amounts, this is to allow for the anticipated increase in new grants.
State |
No. - Bulk issue |
Blank supply for daily issue |
NSW |
1945 |
800 |
VIC |
1309 |
800 |
QLD |
826 |
500 |
WA |
922 |
400 |
SA |
409 |
400 |
TAS |
93 |
300 |
TOTAL |
5504 |
3200 |
The card has not changed from last year. The carrier will continue to be a single A4 cut sheet format stationery, printed on the front and back. The card and carrier is identical for each State. However, during the personalising process, slightly different information will be printed on the carrier for each State.
The expiry date for all CSHCs will be 30 September 2002.
A copy of the post-production schedule reports will be sent to each office by National Office. IMU Branch will forward all reports to Business Operations & Support in National Office who will then forward them on to the respective State Office contacts.
The new templates for the daily issue are to be used from Friday 17 August. The new templates have the expiry date of 30 September 2002. This means States will only need to issue one card for any new grants after 17 August 2001. ie the card will show: “Valid from: 17 August 2001 to 30 September 2002.
The blank stock for the daily issue of CSHCs will be forwarded by SMS to the State Office's nominated officers by 15 August.
STATE |
QUANTITY |
CONTACT |
PHONE |
FAX |
NSW |
800 |
Sue Cooney |
(02) 9213 7874 |
(02) 9212 7885 |
VIC |
800 |
Peter Rogers |
(03) 9284 6379 |
(03) 9284 6797 |
QLD |
500 |
Carolyn Lindsay |
(07) 3223 8842 |
(07) 3223 8533 |
WA |
400 |
John Gliddon |
(08) 9366 8417 |
(08) 9366 8239 |
SA |
400 |
Maria Lewandowski |
(08) 8290 0439 |
(08) 8290 0412 |
TAS |
300 |
Bryon Kelly |
(03) 6221 6684 |
(03) 6221 6601 |
Any difficulties in relation to daily issues should be reported to the contact officers in National Office.
Robert Krajina David Hollaway
Tel: (02) 6289 6044 OR Tel: (02) 6289 6347
Fax: (02) 6289 6553 Fax: (02) 6289 6553
JEANETTE RICKETS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT BRANCH
August 2001
DATE OF ISSUE: 8 AUGUST 2001
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$2.7020 |
The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.6295 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.7020 (ie A$1 = 0.3701 Pounds). This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 6 July 2001. |
Date of effect7 August 2001 |
Effective from 7 August 2001 the current exchange rate will change. On pension payday 23 August 2001 (pay period 04) 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 6 August 2001. |
Automaticsuperannuation 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 accordingly. |
Manual cases and MS cases |
Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed. 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 23 August 2001 – ie 7 August 2001. |
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 be producing the cartridge and will 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 13 August 2001. |
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 for the exercise will be: Nasreen Haque Telephone: (02) 6289 1125 |
August 2001
POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE
Foreign exchange periodExchange rate
29 Jan 98 |
to |
25 Feb 98 |
0.3972 |
2.5176 |
26 Feb 98 |
to |
6 May 98 |
0.4125 |
2.4366 |
7 May 98 |
to |
15 July 98 |
0.3997 |
2.5019 |
16 July 98 |
to |
12 August 98 |
0.3663 |
2.7300 |
13 August 98 |
to |
9 Sept 98 |
0.3817 |
2.6199 |
10 Sept 98 |
to |
21 October 98 |
0.3690 |
2.7100 |
22 October 98 |
to |
4 Nov 98 |
0.3505 |
2.8531 |
5 Nov 98 |
to |
2 Dec 98 |
0.3676 |
2.7203 |
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 |
0.3701 |
2.7020 |
||
DATE OF ISSUE: 24 JULY 2001
AMENDMENT TO DEPARTMENTAL INSTRUCTION (DI) C06/2001 - 'JUNE 2001 STATUTORY INCREASE ADVICE LETTER, PAYMENT SUMMARY AND MEDICARE LEVY EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE MAILOUT'
Purpose of Instruction |
The purpose of this departmental instruction is to amend Departmental Instruction C06/2001 [22] issued on 21/06/2001 which provided information about processing arrangements for the June 2001 Statutory Increase letter, Payment Summary (formerly named Group Certificate), and Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate mailout. |
Amendment |
Department Instruction C06/2001 [22] advised that all pensioners would receive a full Income and Asset Attachment as part of their June Statutory Increase advice letter. Pensioners were not issued with a full Income and Asset Attachment as part of this advice mailout. |
Contact Officer |
Any queries on this matter should be directed to Pat Webb on telephone (02) 6289 6444. |
JEANETTE RICKETTS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
DATE OF ISSUE: 19 JULY 2001
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$2.6295 |
The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.721 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.6295 (ie A$1 = 0.3803 Pounds). This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 22 June 2001. |
Date of effect24 July 2001 |
Effective from 24 July 2001 the current exchange rate will change. On pension payday 9 August 2001 (pay period 03) 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 23 July 2001. |
Automaticsuperannuation 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 accordingly. |
Manual cases and MS cases |
Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed. 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 9 August 2001 – ie 24 July 2001. |
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 be producing the cartridge and will 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 1 August 2001. |
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. The resulting reassessment of their income support pension could vary the RA paid. A listing of affected cases can be obtained from Kevin Chapman, Systems Delivery Unit. |
Contact officer |
The Income Support Branch contact officers for the exercise will be: Nasreen Haque Telephone: (02) 6289 1125 Kevin Chapman Telephone: (02) 6289 6749 |
19 July 2001
POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE
Foreign exchange periodExchange rate
29 Jan 98 |
to |
25 Feb 98 |
0.3972 |
2.5176 |
26 Feb 98 |
to |
6 May 98 |
0.4125 |
2.4366 |
7 May 98 |
to |
15 July 98 |
0.3997 |
2.5019 |
16 July 98 |
to |
12 August 98 |
0.3663 |
2.7300 |
13 August 98 |
to |
9 Sept 98 |
0.3817 |
2.6199 |
10 Sept 98 |
to |
21 October 98 |
0.3690 |
2.7100 |
22 October 98 |
to |
4 Nov 98 |
0.3505 |
2.8531 |
5 Nov 98 |
to |
2 Dec 98 |
0.3676 |
2.7203 |
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 |
0.3803 |
2.6295 |
||
DATE OF ISSUE: 11 JULY 2001
RELEASE OF YOU and YOUR PENSION 2001 EDITION
Purpose |
The purpose of this departmental instruction is to set out revised procedures for providing newly granted income support pensioners with the 2001 edition of You and Your Pension. It also sets out the changes to the letters from the Integrated Advices system for new grants of service pension, income support supplement and social security age pension (paid by DVA). |
Related Documents |
This departmental instruction should be read in conjunction with:
|
BOB TURNER
A/BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
Introduction |
The hard copy of You and Your Pension was first printed in June 1998 and direct mailed to all pensioners in receipt of service pension and income support supplement. The production of the book followed extensive consultation with veterans, ex service representatives and staff. |
Objectives of You and Your Pension |
The objectives of You and Your Pension are to:
The issue of the book with a covering letter (ie the new grant advice) is also a legal notification of obligations under section 54 of the VEA and sections 67 and 68 of the SSA. |
Background |
Prior to stocks of You and Your Pension running out, the book was sent with the new grant advices for newly granted service pensioners and income support supplement recipients. Obligations were suppressed in the advices and pensioners were referred to the book for information about their benefits, rights and obligations. Since stocks have run out, staff have reverted to advices which contain full obligations for new grants of service pension and income support supplement. In some states, lists have also been kept of pensioners to whom the new book can be sent. |
Which letters have changed |
There are changes to the new grant letters. The letters that will change are:
|
What the changes are for SP and ISS grants |
The obligation paragraph has been changed so that when SP or ISS is granted, obligations can be suppressed and the book sent with the advice. When obligations are suppressed, the following paragraph will be included in the grant letter: Events you need to tell us about You must notify within 14 days (28 days if you live overseas or receive remote area allowance) of changes to your circumstances which might affect the rate of your pension. 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 correct rate. If you do not tell us of any of these changes you may be overpaid. We are entitled under the above Act to recover any overpayments. The booklet also includes the following information:
|
What the changes are for AP grants |
The obligation paragraph has been changed so that when AP is granted, obligations can be suppressed and the book sent with the advice. When obligations are suppressed, the following paragraph will be included in the letter: Events you need to tell us about You must notify us within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas) of changes to your circumstances which might affect the rate of your pension. 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). The attached booklet You and Your Pension 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 you may be overpaid. We are entitled under social security law to recover any overpayments. The booklet also includes the following information:
|
What the changes are for new grants to partner SP |
The following paragraph is a new paragraph for new grants partner SP. It will be included in the letter when obligations are suppressed. A copy of the booklet You and Your Pension should have previously been sent to your partner. If you do not have a copy of the booklet you should contact the Department and request a copy. |
Effective date |
The revised letters will go into production effective from 23 July 2001. Stocks of You and Your Pension should be available in the States from 20 July 2001. |
Who is affected? |
All new grants of service pension, income support supplement and social security age pension (paid by DVA) effective from 23 July 2001. |
Procedures for requesting letters for new grants of SP, ISS and AP |
When granting a new service pension, income support supplement or social security age pension, it will be necessary to suppress printing the full listing of obligations. These obligations are contained in You and Your Pension. The following table sets out the new procedures for requesting letters for new grants of SP, ISS and AP. |
Step |
Action |
1 |
As part of the granting a new pension procedure go to the 'advice' screen in PIPS |
2 |
Change the default selection of “full” under the obligations section to “suppress”. This will:
|
3 |
After the letter has been printed, include a copy of the booklet You and Your Pension with the letter package to be mailed to the pensioner. |
Additional procedures for blind pensioners |
For newly granted service pensioners, income support supplement recipients and social security age pensioners who are blind, it will be necessary to send an audio cassette version of You and Your Pension as well as the booklet. If “blind” is selected in the 'adult details' screen of PIPS then an audio cassette should also be included in the letter package. Where blind pensioners are members of a couple, one booklet and one audio cassette is required. Note that the cassette is not yet available. Advice about timeframe for availability of cassette will follow. |
Stocks of You and Your Pension |
Stocks of You and Your Pension may only be requested from the warehouse by the contact officer in each State Office. |
Contact officer |
The Income Support Branch contact officer for this exercise is: Jill de Vaus Telephone (07) 3223 8516 |
DATE OF ISSUE: 22 JUNE 2001
CHANGE TO DEEMING RATE (JULY 2001)
Purpose |
The purpose of this departmental instruction is to provide policy advice relating to a change in the deemed interest rates applicable to financial assets effective 1 July 2001. |
Related Documents |
This departmental instruction should be read in conjunction with the:
|
JEANETTE RICKETTS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
Legislation |
Division 3 of Part IIIB of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 contains the rules relating to deemed income from financial assets. Section 46J of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 provides that the below threshold rate and the above threshold rate are the rates applicable for the purposes of Division 1B or Part 3.10 of the Social Security Act 1991. Section 1082 of the Social Security Act 1991 provides that the Minister for Family and Community Services must determine the below threshold rate and the above threshold rate via disallowable instrument. |
Determination |
On 12 June 2001, the Minister for Family and Community Services determined that the deeming threshold rates should be reduced. Social Security (Threshold Rates) Determination 2001 refers. The determination varies the threshold rates for Division 1B of Part 3.10 of the Social Security Act. The disallowable instrument also revoked the Social Security (Threshold Rates) Determination 2000. |
Announcement |
The change to the deemed interest rates was announced by the Minister for Family and Community Services on 20 June 2001. |
Revised Deeming Rates |
From 1 July 2001 the:
|
Deeming Thresholds |
From 1 July 2001, the deeming threshold are being increased as follows:
This increase is due to annual indexation and has occurred separately to the Minister's determination in relation to the below and above threshold rates of interest applicable to the income testing of financial assets. |
Impact |
The combined impact of these changes for reduced rate income support pension recipients is an increase in pension. |
Action |
Changes to pension processing systems has been undertaken. Changes to procedural and pensioner information such as FactSheets, Clik is currently underway. The advice letters that will be issued for the June Quarterly Statutory Increase reflects the new deemed income rates and thresholds. |
Q&As |
A modified version of Q&As prepared by the Department of Family and Community Services are set out at attachment A. |
Attachment A
INFORMATION ON JULY 1 REDUCTION IN DEEMING RATES
Q1. What are the new deeming rates from 1 July 2001?
The lower deeming rate will be 3%, and the higher deeming rate will be 4.5%. These deeming rates will apply as follows:
Note: The $ figures above are the increased deeming thresholds from 1 July 2001. The deeming thresholds are the maximum investment amount assessed at the lower deeming rate.
The deeming thresholds are indexed annually from 1 July in line with the cost of living.
Q2. What are the deeming rates and who decides them?
The deeming rates are used to assess income from financial investments for pension and allowance purposes. The deeming rates are set by the Minister for Family and Community Services.
Q3. Why has the Minister for Family and Community Services (Senator Amanda Vanstone) decided to reduce the deeming rates?
Senator Vanstone advised that she took into account reductions in interest rates, and general decreases in the returns available to people from a range of widely available investments.
The deeming rates are used in place of actual returns to assess income for social security payments. They therefore need to be realistic.
Q4. How will my pension payment be affected by the reduction in the deeming rates?
The reduction in deeming rates will cause increases in payments for most pensioners who currently receive a reduced payment under the income test.
The reduction in deeming rates will not affect payments to pensioners who currently receive a full pension. This is because their assessed income will continue to be below the income test free area.
Q5. Why did the Minister for Family and Community Services (Senator Vanstone) choose 1 July as the date for the deeming rates reduction?
This date was chosen for the change in deeming rates because it coincides with other changes that automatically take effect from 1 July. The other changes (in addition to the increase in the deeming thresholds) are cost of living increases in the income and assets test free areas. This will increase payments to income support pensioners receiving a reduced payment. It should be simpler for pensioners if all of these changes are made at the same time.
Q6. How much can I have in financial investments before my payment is reduced?
At the new deeming rates and thresholds, single or widowed pensioners whose only source of income is from financial investments can have up to $75,800 in financial investments and still receive the full pension under the income test.
Pensioner couples whose only source of income is from financial investments can have up to $134,100 in financial investments and still receive the full pension under the income test.
These amounts are lower for people with other sources of income.
Q7. I have some money in a deeming account. Will the interest rate on this account change?
You would need to ask your financial institution. This is because financial institutions decide the interest rates on the accounts they offer. This includes the accounts that are often referred to as “deeming” accounts – because the financial institution has decided to pay interest rates that are generally based on the deeming rates.
TABLE
New deeming rates and thresholds to apply from 1 July 2001:
DATE OF ISSUE: 22 JUNE 2001
ENHANCE DEBT RECOVERY
Purpose |
The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide legislation, policy and procedural information with regards to the 1999/2000 Budget Initiative, Enhance Debt Recovery. |
Start date |
The changes commence on 1 July 2001. |
Authorised by
JEANETTE RICKETTSBRANCH HEAD INCOME SUPPORT |
Table of Contents
PART 1LEGISLATION and POLICY................................................
Reason for change.............................................................
Summary of old rules............................................................
Notices......................................................................
Penalty interest................................................................
New administrative charge........................................................
Misdirected funds recall..........................................................
Time limit on recovery proceedings..................................................
Transitional Provisions...........................................................
Other miscellaneous changes.....................................................
Introduction |
From 1 July 2001, changes to some of the debt recovery provisions in the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) were introduced via the 1999/2000 Budget measure known as 'Enhance Debt Recovery'. Note: similar changes to the social security law will affect age pensioners paid by DVA. |
Background |
Feedback and past experience has highlighted inequities with parts of the old debt recovery policy, including:
|
Aim of change |
The aim of the changes is to overcome these difficulties by:
|
Who is affected? |
Service pensioners and Income Support Supplement recipients and Age Pensioners paid by DVA are affected by the changes. |
Application of admin charge |
Prior to 1 July 2001, an administrative charge was applied under the VEA, when the debt:
Note: there was no penalty interest provision under the VEA. |
Amount of admin charge |
Example: if $250 was outstanding after 3 months, the admin charge calculated would be $40 (i.e. $15 + $25). |
Age pensioners |
Prior to 1 July 2001, penalty interest was imposed on age pensioners under the Social Security Act 1991 (SSA) when:
Note: there was no administrative charge provision under the SSA. |
Commencement date |
The new rules commence on 1 July 2001. |
New penalty interest |
Penalty interest can be applied to debts if the debtor is no longer in payment and fails to enter into, or breaks an existing, repayment arrangement. |
New admin charge |
A one off administrative charge of $50 will be applied to debts that are liable to have penalty interest applied. |
FI recall |
DVA will have the authority to recall misdirected funds from financial institutions. |
Who is affected? |
The new rules apply to:
|
First notice |
If a recoverable debt:
in order to recover the debt, Commission must write to the person. The letter that has to be sent is called a 'notice' (e.g. this will be a daily advice sent to the person following, for example, a PIR that has resulted in an overpayment). Legislative Ref: ss 205AAA(1). |
Due and payable |
The debt is due and payable on the 28 — th day after the date of the notice. Example: A notice is issued on 2 March. The debt is due on 30 March. Legislative Ref: ss205AAA(2) |
Further notice |
A further notice may be issued if the:
This applies to a person who is not currently in payment. In most cases, where a person is in payment, recovery would be effected via instalments of pension or by another method as agreed with the person and a further notice would not be required. Legislative Ref: ss205AAA(3) |
Continued on next page
Notices, Continued
What's in a further notice? |
A further notice must specify the following details:
Legislative Ref: paragraphs 205AAA(3)(c) – (f) |
When is a first notice a further notice? |
If a first notice includes details about:
it can be counted as a further notice. Legislative Ref: ss205AAA(4) |
Application |
A person may be liable to pay penalty interest on a debt if the:
Legislative Ref: ss205AAB(1) |
Liability – no arrangement to pay |
A person is liable to pay penalty interest from and including the day after the 'final payment day':
Legislative Ref: ss205AAB(2) |
Liability – arrangement to pay broken on or before final payment day |
A person is liable to pay penalty interest from and including the day after the final payment day:
Legislative Ref: paragraph 205AAB(3)(d) |
Liability – arrangement to pay broken after final payment day |
A person is liable to pay penalty interest from and including the day after the last payment was made :
Legislative Ref: paragraph 205AAB(3)(e) Note: penalty interest cannot be applied before the day after the final payment day. |
Continued on next page
Penalty interest, Continued
Final payment day |
The final payment day is the later of the following days:
Legislative Ref: ss205AAB(4). In other words the final payment day cannot be earlier than the 118 — th day after the date of the notice. Example: A notice is issued on 2 March. The debt is due on 30 March. The final payment day is 90 days after 30 March, which is 28 June. Therefore the person is liable to pay penalty interest from 29 June. |
Final payment day – SSA |
There is another dot point applicable to age pensioners paid by DVA, in addition to the final payment day rules above.
Legislative Ref: ss1229A(4) SSA. Example: First notice issued 1 August. Request for review made within 90 days of receipt of notice, on 10 August. ARO makes decision 1 September. Final payment day is 90 days after 1 September decision, being 30 November. |
Admin error |
A person is not liable to pay penalty interest on a debt, or on any portion of a debt, that arose due to administrative error. Legislative Ref: ss205AAB(2A) |
Recovery |
Penalty interest is recoverable as if it were a recoverable debt under section 205 VEA. Legislative Ref: ss205AAB(5) |
Continued on next page
Penalty interest, Continued
Order of recovery |
Any repayments made reduce the original debt first. Once the original amount is wholly repaid, then repayments go towards reducing the penalty interest component, then the administrative charge, as shown in the following table. Legislative Ref: ss205AAB(6) |
IF a repayment is made, and original debt is... |
THEN reduce... |
not wholly repaid |
original debt by the repayment amount until wholly repaid |
wholly repaid |
penalty interest debt by the repayment amount until wholly repaid |
wholly repaid and penalty interest is wholly repaid |
admin charge debt by the repayment amount until wholly repaid |
Discretion to not apply |
If Commission is satisfied that a person has a reasonable excuse for not entering into a repayment arrangement or for breaking one, it has the discretion not to apply penalty interest at all, or for a particular period. Legislative Ref: s205AAC |
Calculation |
Penalty interest is calculated daily. |
Interest rate |
Penalty interest is set at the lower deeming rate. Legislative Ref: s205AAE |
Type of interest |
Penalty interest is simple, not compound. |
Method |
|
Continued on next page
Penalty interest, Continued
Example |
|
June
Step |
Action |
1 |
[0.03] ? [365] = 0.0000821 |
2 |
[0.0000958] ? $2000.00 = $0.1642? |
3 |
[$0.1642?] ? [30 days] = $4.93 |
Debt now |
$2004.93 |
July
Step |
Action |
1 |
[0.03] ? [365] = 0.0000821 |
2 |
[0.0000821] ? $2000.00 = $0.1642? |
3 |
[$0.1642?] ? [31 days] = $5.09 |
Debt now |
$2010.02 |
Amount |
The new rules remove the old administrative charge and replace it with a flat one-off charge of $50. Legislative Ref: ss205AAD(1) |
Application |
The administrative charge is added to the debt when the person first becomes liable to pay penalty interest in respect of the debt. Legislative Ref: ss205AAD(1) |
Recovery |
The administrative charge is a debt due to the Commonwealth, and is recoverable under section 205 VEA. Legislative Ref: ss205AAD(2) |
Contrast to old admin charge |
Unlike the old administrative charge, there does not have to be a breach of the VEA, nor does the debt have to be over $200, before the administrative charge can be applied. |
Introduction |
New provisions under section 205AB VEA provide the authority to recover misdirected funds from financial institutions. |
Payment made to incorrect a/c |
If a pension is paid to an incorrect account, Commission has the authority to recover it from the financial institution. The request to recover by Commission must be in writing. Legislative Ref: ss205AB(1) |
Payment made after death |
If a pension is paid to a pensioner's account, after the pensioner's death, Commission may recover it from the financial institution. This applies to any single accounts kept by the pensioner, or any joint accounts kept by the pensioner and any other persons. The request to recover by Commission must be in writing. Legislative Ref: ss205AB(2) |
Pmt made after death – letter to estate |
As soon as possible after requesting repayment, Commission must write to the deceased estate explaining why recovery action is being taken and how much is being recovered. Legislative Ref: ss205AB(2A) |
Change to rules |
Changes to section 206 VEA mean that recovery action can be commenced up to 6 years after an officer becomes aware (or could reasonably be expected to have become aware) of the circumstances that gave rise to the debt. Legislative Ref: ss206(2) |
Old rules |
Under the old section 206 provisions, recovery action could not commence after more than 6 years from the date a debt arose, unless it arose due to a false statement/representation or failure or omission to comply with the Act. In those cases, recovery action could commence up to 6 years from the day an office became aware of the false statement/representation or failure or omission to comply. |
Contrast |
The new rules mean that regardless of whether there is a false statement/representation or failure or omission to comply, recovery action can commence up to 6 years from the date the officer became aware of the debt. |
Application of new rules |
The new rules apply to any debts that:
|
Application & transitional |
'Application and transitional' provisions are inserted at Item 9 of the new Act. The following is an explanation of these provisions. Hyperlink: click on this link and scroll down to Item 9. http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/comact/11/6326/0/CM000090.htm [27] |
Item 9, Clause (1) |
The provisions that repeal the old administrative charge & apply the new administrative charge and penalty interest, apply to debts that become recoverable from 1 July 2001. |
Item 9, Clause (2) |
If a debt was recoverable prior to 1 July 2001, the transitional provisions apply. |
Item 9, Clause (3) |
If receiving payment under VEA or social security law as at 1 July 2001:
|
Item 9, Clause (4) |
If not receiving payment under VEA or social security law as at 1 July 2001 and they had repaid part of their debt before 1 July 2001:
|
Continued on next page
Transitional Provisions, Continued
Clause 9, Item (5) |
If not receiving payment under VEA or social security law as at 1 July 2001 and they had not repaid any part of their debt before 1 July 2001:
|
Clause 9, Item (6) |
This provision ensures that the provision dealing with recovery action not being taken after the expiration of the 6 year period starting on the first day on which we become aware of the debt, or could reasonably have been expected to have done so, applies to debts owing as at 1 July 2001 and debts that arise after 1 July 2001. |
Table |
The following table illustrates the application of the transitional provisions. |
IF @ 1/7/01 receiving payment |
& debt {PART PAID/ UNPAID} pre 1 July 2001... |
Liable old Admin Charge pre 1/7/01 |
THEN pay old Admin Charge |
IF fail to make repmt |
Pay new Admin Charge |
Pay new Penalty Interest |
Y |
N/A |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
N |
Y |
N/A |
Y |
Y |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
PART PAID |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
PART PAID |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
UNPAID |
Y |
Y |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
UNPAID |
N |
N |
N/A |
Y |
Y |
Changes to VEA |
Changes to the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA), were effected in the Family and Community Services and Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Debt Recovery) Act 2001, No. 47, 2001. The Act received Royal Assent on 12 June 2001. Changes not discussed elsewhere are listed here. Hyperlink to full text of Act: http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/comact/11/6335/top.htm [28] |
Methods of recovery |
Section 205 VEA has been amended to allow overpayments to be recovered by any one of the following methods or combination of methods:
|
DATE OF ISSUE: 21 JUNE 2001
CALCULATION OF PAYMENT OF CERTAIN PENSIONS & ALLOWANCES “DP DOE”
Purpose |
The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide legislation, policy and procedural information with regards to the 2000/2001 Budget Initiative, Calculation of Payment of Certain Pensions and Allowances, commonly known as DP Date Of Effect (DP DOE). |
Start date |
The changes commence on 10 July 2001. |
Authorised by
JEANETTE RICKETTSBRANCH HEAD INCOME SUPPORT |
Table of Contents
Reason for change.............................................................
Summary of old rules............................................................
Summary of new rules...........................................................
Payments affected..............................................................
Commencements & variations – calculating daily rates & pension instalments...................
Pension Period................................................................
Cancellations and deaths – ineligibility for payment......................................
Legislative changes.............................................................
Transitional Provisions...........................................................
Introduction |
From 10 July 2001, changes to the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) were introduced via the 2000/2001 Budget measure known as 'Calculation of payment of certain pensions and allowances'. |
Aim of change |
This initiative was proposed as a minor administrative simplification. The aim being to align the payment of Compensation instalments with Income Support payment arrangements, thereby providing simplification and consistency across systems and administration. |
Who is affected? |
The changes affect DVA compensation pensions and allowances paid to disability pensioners and war widow/ers. |
Payment of instalments |
Under pre 10 July 2001 rules, instalments of DP were paid:
|
Eligibility for payment |
To be eligible for payment of an instalment on a payday, the pensioner had to be alive and entitled to receive payment on the payday. |
Commencement date |
The changes commence on 10 July 2001. |
Payment of instalments |
Under the new rules, instalments of DP are paid:
Legislative ref: ss121(1) VEA |
Eligibility for payment |
To be eligible for payment of an instalment on a payday the pensioner has to be either:
Legislative ref: ss121(3) & (4) VEA |
Payments affected |
The payments affected by the changes are:
|
Payments not affected |
The payments not affected by the changes are:
Legislative ref: s121 VEA |
Application |
The rules regarding daily rates and instalments apply to:
|
Pension instalment |
The pension instalment paid on the fortnightly payday, is made up of a maximum of 14 daily amounts. |
Daily rate |
The daily rate is calculated by dividing the fortnightly rate of pension by 14. Legislative ref: ss121(6) VEA. |
Example: calculating daily rate |
|
Example: calculating pension instalment |
|
Example: Dep DP to WWP |
|
Introduction |
The concept of a pension period used in the calculation of income support instalments, is introduced for compensation payments. |
Definition |
A pension period is a period of 2 weeks that starts 2 days before a pension payday (i.e. Tuesday) and ends 2 days before the next payday (i.e. close of business Monday). Legislative ref: ss5Q(1) VEA |
Relating a pension period to an instalment of pension |
The amount paid as an instalment of pension depends on the number of days during the pension period that the pensioner is entitled to receive payment. In other words, on a payday, the instalment paid is made up of the daily rate payable on each day in the relevant pension period. Legislative ref: ss121(2) VEA Diagram: A pension period is illustrated in the diagram below. |
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Day 4 |
Day 5 |
||
Day 6 |
Day 7 |
Day 8 |
Day 9 |
Day 10 |
Day 11 |
Day 12 |
Day 13 |
Day 14 |
PAYDAY |
KEY
pension period |
|
payday relating to pension period |
Continued on next page
Pension Period, Continued
Example: fortnightly instalment for DP increase |
Note: the example is intended only to show that the daily rate may vary within a pay period and does not address any arrears that may be payable. Diagram: the daily rates payable in the pension period 18 September to 1 October are shown in the diagram below to illustrate that a pension instalment can be made up of different daily rates. |
Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
18 50%/14 |
19 50%/14 |
20 50%/14 |
21 50%/14 |
22 50%/14 |
||
23 80%/14 |
24 80%/14 |
25 80%/14 |
26 80%/14 |
27 80%/14 |
28 80%/14 |
29 80%/14 |
30 80%/14 |
1 80%/14 |
2 |
3 |
4 $186.17 |
Paid in arrears |
Pension is said to be paid in arrears because the pension instalment is payable on the next payday after the end of the pension period to which the instalment relates. Legislative ref: ss121(5) VEA |
Procedure: suspensions & reductions |
For administrative simplicity, where possible it is recommended that suspensions and reductions be effected from Day 1 of a pension period. The effect of this is similar to the now obsolete practice of reducing/suspending from the 'current reduction date'. |
Introduction |
In principle the rules, relating to payment of an instalment on cancellation or death, are not changing. The only difference is that eligibility for payment is linked to a pension period, rather than a payday. |
Old rules |
Under pre 10 July 2001 rules, the pensioner had to be entitled to receive payment on the payday, to receive the fortnightly instalment of pension. |
New rules |
Under the new rules for:
Legislative ref: ss121(3) & (4) VEA |
Purpose |
The following information is a legislative reference for significant changes. |
Act |
The Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget Measures) Act 2000, No. 157, 2000 received Royal Assent on 21 December 2000. Schedule 5 is the applicable Schedule in the Act. Link: http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/comact/10/6271/to... [30] |
Pension period |
The definition of pension period in subsection 5Q(1) is aligned with the IS-DOE definition. Pension period is defined as a period of 2 weeks that starts 2 days before a pension payday (i.e. Tuesday) and ends 2 days before the next payday (i.e. c.o.b. Monday). |
Effective date of new grant |
Section 5S is repealed. This basically allows DP pension and allowances to be granted effective from a day other than a payday. |
Determination of claims & apps for increase |
New subsection 19(5F) says that a determination takes effect from the date on which the determination is made, or from such later or earlier date as specified in the determination. |
Attendant Allowance |
Under old rules, ss98(4) states that where a veteran is cared for at public expense in a hospital or other institution, Attendant Allowance is not payable from the 1 — st pension payday after the veteran enters care, ending on the day they cease being cared for. In principle there is no change to this rule. However, ss 98(4) has been amended to make Attendant Allowance not payable from the 1 — st day of the 1 — st pension period after the veteran enters care. In effect, this makes the allowance not payable from the pension payday relating to that pension period. |
Continued on next page
Legislative changes, Continued
Commence-ment of allowances |
Where application for:
is made more than 3 months after a determination is made that an injury or disease was war caused, changes to paragraph 114(2)(b) allow for these allowances to be paid from the date the veteran's application is received, instead of from the 1 — st payday after the application is received. |
VVRS |
Changes are made to some of the provisions relating to the Veterans' Vocational Rehabilitation Scheme (Part VIA). The changes basically convert pension reduction amounts to daily rates. |
Pension instalments |
Section 121 is repealed and substituted. For the purpose of this provision, pension does not include Victoria Cross Allowance, Temporary Incapacity Allowance, Loss of Earnings Allowance, Service Pension or Income Support Supplement (note, a policy decision also excludes VCES). Pension does include DP, WWP, and other DP allowances not mentioned above. The changes are outlined in the table below and compared to the 'old' rules: |
New |
Old |
Pension becomes payable in arrears |
Pension is paid neither in advance nor in arrears, but on the payday, if the person is eligible on that payday |
Pension instalments relate to a pension period |
|
An instalment is paid on the payday that falls after the pension period |
|
The daily rate of pension is calculated by dividing the fortnightly pension rate by 14 |
|
An instalment of pension is made up of only the days that a person was eligible in a pension period; with 2 exceptions below: |
|
If not eligible on the last day of a pension period, no instalment is paid in relation to that pension period |
|
On death, no instalment is paid in relation to the pension period in which the person dies |
Transitional provisions |
Transitional provisions are contained in Schedule 5 of the Bill, starting at Clause 33. More info: More details are provided in the following section. |
What are they |
Transitional provisions are a set of rules that enable the changeover from the current payday based system to the pension period based system. They tell you which set of rules to apply based on the date a change occurs. |
Last payday based pmt |
The last pay-day based pension payment under old rules will be paid on 12 July 2001. |
1st pension period |
The 1 — st pension period is 10-23 July 2001. |
1st period based pay day |
The 1 — st pension period based pension payment will be made on payday 26 July 2001. |
Commenceme-nt |
The following table explains whether a grant of pension is payday or period based if it occurs during the transitional period. Note, if a person has no change to their rate of pension during July 2001, the usual instalment will be received on paydays 12 & 26 July. |
If a pension becomes payable to a person... |
Payment is... |
On or before 9 July 2001 |
Pay day based. Full instalment on the next payday, up to & including p/d 12/07/01 |
On or after 10 July 2001 |
Period based. Instalment calculated on actual number of days entitled during the pension period. |
Commence-ment examples |
|
Continued on next page
Transitional Provisions, Continued
Variation, suspension, cancellation |
The following table explains whether a variation, suspension or cancellation is pay-day or pension-period based if it occurs during the transitional period. |
If the variation, suspension or cancellation takes effect... |
Then the payment is... |
On or before 9 July 2001 |
Payday based- full instalment varied, suspended or cancelled on the next payday up to & including p/d 12/07/01 |
On or after 10 July 2001 |
Period based- variations and suspensions take effect from actual date of change; for cancellations pensioner must be eligible for whole pension period or nothing payable on next payday. |
Variation... examples |
|
Variations... taking effect on 12 July |
Note that where a cancellation, suspension or variation would have taken effect on payday 12 July 2001, the transitional rules provide for it to take effect on 10 July instead. This provides administrative simplicity in the payment of instalments during the transitional period. Example: TTI is to be reduced to 100% with effect payday 12 July. Instead the reduction will take effect 10 July. Therefore, the instalment of DP paid in respect of payday 12 July is a full instalment paid at the TTI rate. The instalment of DP paid in respect of payday 26 July is a full 14 day instalment paid at the reduced 100% rate. |
DATE OF ISSUE: 21 JUNE 2001
JUNE 2001 STATUTORY INCREASE ADVICE LETTER, PAYMENT SUMMARY AND MEDICARE LEVY EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE MAILOUT
Purpose of Instruction |
This Departmental Instruction is to provide information about processing arrangements for the June 2001 Statutory Increase letter, Payment Summary (formerly named Group Certificate), and Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate mailout. |
JEANETTE RICKETTS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
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. (The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) have advised that as part of the new tax reforms, Group Certificates have been renamed 'PAYG Payment Summary - individual non business). Medicare Levy Exemption Certificates will also be issued at this time. |
Significant issues |
The June 2001 mailout will incorporate the following events for pay day 12 July 2001.
|
Production of Advice Letters
Processing Weekend -21/06/01 - 25/06/01 |
Processing is scheduled to run from Thursday evening 21 June until Monday evening 25 June 2001 with any pension variations effective from 1 July 2001 for payday 12 July 2001. |
Critical Dates |
||
Processing period within DVA - (includes 'advices' processing). |
Thursday (pm) 21 June 2001 - Monday (pm) 25 June 2001 |
|
Commence Dispatch of production data to SMS and 'sign-off' duties. |
Tuesday, 26 June 2001 (pm) |
|
Commence printing advice letters (SMS) |
Wednesday, 27 June 2001 |
|
All production data delivered to SMS |
Thursday, 28 June 2001 (pm) |
|
Progressive lodgement of all State's Advice Letters with Australia Post (SMS) to be completed. |
Friday, 6 July 2001 |
|
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 27June – 6 July 2001. |
Lodgement of Letters |
Letters will be progressively lodged with Australia Post once a complete State's letters have been enveloped. All letters are to be posted by Friday, 6 July 2001. |
Estimated Numbers |
The estimated number of households to receive a Payment Summary and/or Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate information is as follows: |
Type |
NSW |
VIC |
QLD |
SA |
WA |
TAS |
AUST |
SP |
58,823 |
39,971 |
39,368 |
18,598 |
18,036 |
7,939 |
182,735 |
ISS |
28,275 |
19,780 |
15,834 |
6,834 |
5,411 |
2,825 |
78,959 |
AP |
2,971 |
2,101 |
1,526 |
724 |
710 |
124 |
8,156 |
DP* |
30,124 |
20,515 |
16,488 |
6,528 |
6,951 |
2,520 |
83,126 |
TOTAL |
120,193 |
82,367 |
73216 |
32,684 |
31,108 |
13,408 |
352,976 |
* Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate to these pensioners only
Letters |
Prior to the issue of this Departmental Instruction, 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 A. Copies of the expected advice letter content for this run are reproduced at Attachment B to this DI. |
PAYG (Pay As You Go) Payment Summary -individual Non-business
|
The information previously reported on a Group Certificate is now reported on a PAYG (Pay As You Go) Payment Summary - individual non-business. Payment Summaries will be issued to all pensioners whose pensions are taxable. Payment Summaries for those pensioners without PAYG (Pay As You Go) withholding's (tax deductions) will form part of the advice letter sent from the mailing house. Payment Summaries for those pensioners who have had PAYG withholding's (tax deductions) during the year, will be sent to the State Offices for checking prior to mailing. Payment Summaries for those pensioners who were in payment for part of the financial year but are no longer in payment will be sent to the State Offices for checking prior to mailing. Educational Allowance Payment Summaries will be sent to the State Offices for checking prior to mailing. Payment Summaries for those New South Wales (only) pensioners who died during the financial year will be sent to the NSW State Office contact officer. |
Page Numbering of Advice Letters |
The Payment Summary when included in the advice will be sequenced to print after the Payment information Attachment (showing payboxes) at the end of the advice but before the General Information Sheet. While the Payment Summaries form part of the advice they do not have page numbering printed on them. Please note that the page numbering of the advice letters resulted in some confusion for pensioners in last year's mailout as the Payment Summaries were not page numbered but were sequenced in the middle of the advice letter. This will again be the case for this year's mailout. It should be explained to pensioners who may query this that they aren't missing any pages. We need to use the General Information Sheet for gatemarking purposes at the mailing house and that is the reason the GIS appears as the last page of the advice letter. |
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 letter ie., gatemarking purposes. |
Income and Assets Attachment |
All pensioners (exluding Blinded) will receive a full listing of their income and assets in the Income and Assets Attachment which will print after the Payment Information Attachment but before the Payment Summary(s). |
Obligations |
Obligations are to be suppressed for all letters produced. Reference will be made to previous obligations issued to clients. The Financial Obligations paragraph (including the Prescribed Rates) will be present in the advice for all clients (excluding Blinded pensioners). |
Telephone Allowance |
Letters will inform pensioners entitled to a telephone allowance payment about their quarterly payment. This para will also advise that the TA payment is a separate payment and is not included in with your total fortnightly payment as referred to in the Payment Information Attachment showing the payment boxes. |
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. A Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate (MLEC) will be issued separately for these clients. Their MLEC certificates will be sent from the mailing house direct to these clients. |
Letter Content |
Details of the proposed content of the letters, including sample letters and sequencing of paragraphs are included in Attachments A and B. |
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,
The number of medicare levy exemption days, where applicable, will be stated on the Payment Summary for all other pensioners. |
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 will be supplied with a quantity of the flyers to insert with Special Register, Enclosures and Payment Summary PAYG withholding cases prior to the advices being sent. |
Special Register and Overseas |
Overseas cases for Tasmania will be sent on a cartridge to Security Mailing Services for printing. Other States overseas letters will be printed by IBM in Melbourne and forwarded to the State Offices in with other daily advice output ie, CCPS, DPS, for checking and mailing. All Special Register letters will be printed by IBM in Melbourne and forwarded to each of the State Offices with other daily output for checking and mailing. States have been provided with the following insert to be included in letters to these pensioners:
|
Enclosure Letters |
As is the procedure for quarterly processing Enclosure (treatment) advice letters will be printed by IBM in Melbourne and sent via courier to each State Office. We always request that these be checked for accuracy, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office. There is a known problem with 'treatment entitlement' which will require you to check all enclosure advices. You will need to check each client's treatment eligibility to ensure they have received the correct treatment paragraph in their advice appropriate to the client's change in treatment eligibility. The program in processing these cases, applies the period of grace provisions against all clients, and if there is a TSP change then the advice will be streamed as an enclosure advice. The program does not look at any higher priority treatment eligibility such as TQX. As a result, in some cases the advice may not have a treatment paragraph - which may be appropriate to the particular case as the client may have a higher priority treatment eligibility precluding him/her from any changes to treatment. |
'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, 21 June 2001 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 12 July 2001 should have the daily advice dispatched prior to the June advice letter being sent. Daily payment advices processed after the processing run on 21-25 June 2001 for 12 July 2001, 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 12 July 2001 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 whilst the June advices are processed, it is suggested that only manual cases (and essential processing) should be processed for payday 12 July 2001. |
Tax Deduction Cases |
The Payment Summaries for those pensioners who have had PAYG withholdings (tax deductions) will be sent to the State Office Contact Officer for this exercise for checking prior to mailing. |
Reprints of selected letters |
Any requests for reprints of individual advices from this mailout should be referred to System Support Officers to organise a reprint. |
New Automatic Payment Summary (Group Certificate) Reprint Facility |
Arrangements are being made for an automatic reprint facility of Payment Summaries to be developed. We expect the reprint facility to be available from 14 July 2001. This reprint facility will be accessible via a new 'Reprint Facility' folder located under the Advices window in VIEW. A new sub-folder titled 'Payment Summary' will be located under the 'Reprint Facility' folder. The Payment Summary reprint facility will enable the user to select the financial years for which the veteran requires a reprint, currently only 2 years of history are available in VIEW - therefore only 2 years will be presented for selection. The proposal also includes a courtesy letter to be produced on standard State Office letterhead advising of the enclosed document(s). The letter and Reprinted Payment Summary(s) will be printed as part of the regular immediate daily batch advices print job. A separate Stateline will be provided closer to implementation of this facility providing full details on the Payment Summary Reprint Facility. Questions regarding this facility should be directed to Renee Arkinstall on 02 6289 6428. |
Reprints of Payment Summaries |
System Support Officers and State Office contact officers have been provided with a Payment Summary template in Word format for reprint purposes. |
Reprints of MLEC |
System Support Officers and State Office contact officers have been provided with a Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate word document for any requests of reprints. |
State Office Contact Officers |
NSW - Genia Sacharczuk - 02 9213 7106 VIC - Peter Rogers - 03 9284 6379 QLD - Steve Jensen - 07 3223 8835 SA - Graham Bate - 08 8290 0425 WA - Kim Gooding - 08 9366 8549 TAS - Wendy Blackwell - 03 6221 6683 |
Feedback from State Offices |
Any concerns regarding letters produced as part of this run should be directed to the June SI Business Co-ordinator in National Office - Pat Webb. 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 David Hollaway (02) 6289 6347 (Phone) (02) 6289 6553 (Fax) |
ATTACHMENT A
PARAGRAPH SEQUENCING AND TARGET AUDIENCE
PARAGRAPH |
TO WHOM |
State specific letterhead |
All |
Opening paragraph |
All |
Opening Reasons(Cost of living changes to the Income and Assets Test) |
All |
Effective Date |
All |
Payment Information |
All |
Payment Diversion |
All |
Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate sent separately |
Non Taxable |
Indexation of Deeming Threshold and Deeming Interest Rate Change |
All |
Payment Summaries (formerly known as Group Certificates) |
Taxable |
Payment Summaries issued separately |
PAYG Withholding (Tax Deduction) cases |
Medicare Levy Exemption |
Taxable |
Telephone Allowance |
All eligible for TA payment |
Financial Obligations |
All (except Blinded) |
General Obligations |
All |
Changes You Have Already Told Us About |
All |
Right of Review |
All |
State Specific Closing |
All |
Signature Block (State specific) |
All |
Payment Information Attachment |
All |
Income and Asset Attachment |
All |
Payment Summaries |
Taxable |
General Information Sheet |
All |
ATTACHMENT B
JUNE PARAGRAPH CONTENT
Example 1: LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE, MARRIED ASSESSMENT, TA PAYMENT, TAXABLE, PAYMENT SUMMARIES ENCLOSED
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS
DVA LOGO
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
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
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 T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP:
This is to advise you that your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP has been T-INC-RED-NIL. This change will take effect from T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE-DATE.
Payment Information
Please refer to the enclosed Payment Information Attachment to see a breakdown of your payments.
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
13/07/00 |
XXXXXX DDDDD |
CBA 59404040 |
$XXX.XX |
TOTAL |
$XXX.XX |
||
13/07/00 |
XXXXXX DDDDD |
CBA 59404040 |
$XXX.XX |
TOTAL |
$XXX.XX |
Payment Summaries (formerly known as Group Certificates)
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has advised that as part of the new tax reforms, Group Certificates have been renamed 'Payment Summary'.
As it is the end of the 2000/01 financial year Payment Summaries are being issued. You will need this information if you are required to lodge a tax return.
Payment Summary for T-CLIENT-NAME is enclosed with this letter.
Payment Summary for T-PTNR-NAME is enclosed with this letter.
You should contact the Australian Taxation Office on 13 2861 if you have any questions about taxation.
Medicare Levy Exemption
If you have been eligible for full treatment at departmental expense during the past financial year, you do not have to pay the Medicare Levy for that period. The period for which you have been exempt from the levy appears on your Payment Summary.
Indexation of Deeming Threshold and Deeming Interest Rate Change
From pension payday T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE-DATE, both the deeming threshold amounts and the deeming interest rates will change.
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 are added together, and the deemed interest rates are applied to calculate the income.
The new deeming threshold for a single person will be T-SINGLE-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT and for a couple it will be T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT. This is the amount of financial assets you can have before the higher deemed interest rates are applied to the assessment of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP.
The new deemed income rate of T-INC-DEEMING-INT-RATE% will be applied for amounts up to T-SINGLE-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT (T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT per couple) and T-INC-DEEMING-HIGH-RATE% for amounts over T-SINGLE-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT (T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT per couple), and used to work out the amount of income recorded for your financial assets.
If your investments are earning more that the T-INC-DEEMING-INT-RATE% or T-INC-DEEMING-HIGH-RATE% deeming rates, this additional income will not affect the rate of your service pension.
Telephone Allowance
Your quarterly telephone allowance will be paid on T-DATE-Of-PAYMENT, 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 the letter. The current telephone allowance rates are:
Singles Rate - $17.20
Couples Rate (each) - $8.60
World War I Veterans - $46.75
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 income from all sources increases above T-TOTAL-INCOME-PLUS-4 per fortnight or your combined assets, apart from your home, exceed T-PRESCR-ASSET-AMT. Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.
Your Obligations
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and these obligations still apply.
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.
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 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 enquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
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.
Listed below are the payment tables showing the different amounts of pension you will receive on the paydays that are affected, with the final payment table showing your ongoing payment.
PAYMENTS TO XXXXX XXXXXXX and XXXXX XXXXXXX for
Pension Payday 12 JULY 2001
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx x.xx
PAYMENTS TO XXXXX XXXXXXX and XXXXX XXXXXXX for
Pension Payday 26 JULY 2001
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx x.xx
INCOME AND ASSETS USED TO ASSESS YOUR PAYMENT
(Information current as at T-ADVICE-PRINT-DATE)
You are receiving T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP at less than the maximum rate payable.
The amount that you are paid depends on your combined income and assets but does not include the home in which you live. The pension is calculated under two separate tests: an income test and as assets test. The test that pays the lower rate of pension is the one that applies.
You are currently paid under the T-INCOME-ASSET-TEST test. The total of your assessed fortnightly income is T-TOTAL-FORT-INCOME. The total of all your assets (excluding any deductible assets) is T-TOTAL-ASSETS. Details of how your pension has been assessed are shown below.
Savings and Cheque Accounts
Description |
Account Number |
Asset Amount |
XXXXXXXX |
XXXXXXXXXXX |
$ XX.XX |
@@@@@@@@@@ |
XXXXXXXX |
$XXX.XX |
IMPORTANT: We understand that the balances in these types of accounts may fluctuate regularly.
Listed Securities and Unlisted Public Securities
Description |
No. of Shares |
Asset Amount |
XXXXXX |
X,XXX |
$XX,XXX.XX |
QQQQQQQQQQQQQ |
XXX |
$ X,XXX.XX |
Managed Investments
Description |
Units |
Asset Amount |
VVVVVVVVVV |
XX |
$XX.XX |
CCCCCCCCCCCCC |
XXX |
$XX.XX |
Note: Income from financial assets is deemed.
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 of these investments.
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 |
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 are 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 T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT – at T-INC-DEMING-INT-RATE%
T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT + at T-INC-DEEMING-HIGH-RATE%
If your investments are earning more than the T-INC-DEEMING-INT-RATE% or T-INC-DEEMING-HIGH-RATE% deeming rates, this additional income will not affect the rate of your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP.
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.
Miscellaneous Assets
Direct Income
2001 PAYG Payment |
Original |
DVA File No: QX999999 |
Payer's ABN: 2396 |
Tax File Number: 111 111 111 |
||
Payment From: 01/07/2000 |
Payment to: 30/06/2001 |
Client's Name |
Gross payments: |
|
1 — st Line of Client's Address |
$0.00 |
|
2 — nd Line of Client's Address |
||
3 — rd Line of Client's Address |
Medicare Levy |
|
Exemption Days: 0 |
||
Remote Area |
||
Allowance: $0.00 |
Thousands |
Hundreds |
Tens |
Units |
|
Total tax withheld - |
|
|
|
|
Total tax withheld (whole dollars) |
$0.00 |
Authorised Person:02/07/01 |
Serial No: 0 000 000 000 |
?.......................................................................................................................................................................................
2001 PAYG Payment |
Client Copy |
DVA File No: QX999999 |
Payer's ABN: 2396 |
Tax File Number: 111 111 111 |
||
Payment From: 01/07/2000 |
Payment to: 30/06/2001 |
Client's Name |
Gross payments: |
|
1 — st Line of Client's Address |
$0.00 |
|
2 — nd Line of Client's Address |
||
3 — rd Line of Client's Address |
Medicare Levy |
|
Exemption Days: 0 |
||
Remote Area |
||
Allowance: $0.00 |
Thousands |
Hundreds |
Tens |
Units |
|
Total tax withheld - |
|
|
|
|
Total tax withheld (whole dollars) |
$0.00 |
Authorised Person:02/07/01 |
Serial No: 0 000 000 000 |
If you need to lodge a tax return, detach the ORIGINAL by cutting along the dotted line, pin it to your tax return and keep theC LIENT COPY for your records.
See Notes On Reverse ?
Notes
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 exemption from or reduction in the amount of this levy. Where applicable, the number of Medicare Levy Exemption Days is shown on this form.
5. Terminology changes
A PAYG Payment Summary-Individual Non Business was formerly known as a group certificate. A tax offset was called a rebate in previous years.
6. Further assistance
If you have any taxation enquiries 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 exemption from or reduction in the amount of this levy. Where applicable, the number of Medicare Levy Exemption Days is shown on this form.
5. Terminology changes
A PAYG Payment Summary-Individual Non Business was formerly known as a group certificate. A tax offset was called a rebate in previous years.
6. Further assistance
If you have any taxation enquiries call the Australian Taxation Office on 13 2861. Pension enquiries should be directed to the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
This is an example only 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 recipients and age pensioners. PLEASE NOTE: All changes to the rates and thresholds have been updated and are reflected in 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$402.00 (per fortnight)
Couples Rate (each)$335.50 (per fortnight)
PENSION INCOME LIMIT (per fortnight)
Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*
Singles Rate$112.00$1,131.50
Couples Rate (combined)$200.00$1,892.00
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$141,000$277,000
Couples Rate (combined)$200,500$426,500
Non Home Owner
Singles Rate$242,000$378,000
Couples Rate (combined)$301,500$527,500
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 cut off limits applies to all service pensioners except blinded service pensioners.
GOLD CARD INFORMATION
GOLD CARD INCOME CUT OFF LIMIT
Singles Rate$311.50 (per fortnight)
Couples Rate (combined)$543.00 (per fortnight)
Add $67.10 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$168,500
Couples Rate (combined)$248,000
Non Home Owner
Singles Rate$269,500
Couples Rate (combined)$349,000
Add approximately $5,750 for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE.
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 you are a World War 2 veteran or mariner aged 70 years or over, who served in Australia's Defence Forces or Australia's Merchant Navy between 3 September 1939 and 29 October 1945, and have qualifying service from that conflict, the above Gold Card income and asset cut off limits do not apply to you as your Gold Card is not affected by your income and assets.
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:- 3% interest up to the threshold of $33,400
High Rate:- 4.5% interest for the remaining balance
Couples
Low Rate:- 3% interest up to the threshold of $55,800
High Rate:- 4.5% 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$88.00$102.80$116.60
Couples Rate
(combined)$82.80$102.80$116.60
Rent Limits (per fortnight)
No children1-2 children3 or more
children
Singles Rate$78.00$102.60$102.60
Couples Rate
(combined)$127.00$151.80$151.80
EXAMPLE 2: MAXIMUM RATE CONTINUATION, SINGLE ASSESSMENT, PAYG Withholding (tax deductions made) therefore NIL PAYMENT SUMMARY ENCLOSED WITH ADVICE - PAYMENT SUMMARY TO BE SENT SEPARATELY, TA PAYMENT
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS
DVA LOGO
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
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
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 T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP:
You currently receive the maximum rate of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP and this amount remains unchanged.
Payment Information
Please refer to the enclosed Payment Information Attachment to see a breakdown of your payments.
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
13/07/00 |
XXXXXX DDDDD |
CBA 59404040 |
$XXX.XX |
TOTAL |
$XXX.XX |
Payment Summaries (formerly called Group Certificates)
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has advised that as part of the new tax reforms, Group Certificates have been renamed 'Payment Summary'.
As it is the end of the 1999/00 financial year Payment Summaries are being issued. You will need this information if you are required to lodge a tax return.
Payment Summary for T-CLIENT-NAME will be mailed separately.
You should contact the Australian Taxation Office on 13 2861 if you have any questions about taxation.
Medicare Levy Exemption
If you have been eligible for full treatment at departmental expense during the past financial year, you do not have to pay the Medicare Levy for that period. The period for which you have been exempt for the levy appears on your Payment Summary.
Indexation of Deeming Threshold and Deeming Interest Rate Change
From pension payday T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE-DATE, both the deeming threshold amounts and the deeming interest rates will change.
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 are added together, and the deemed interest rates are applied to calculate the income.
The new deeming threshold for a single person will be T-SINGLE-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT and for a couple it will be T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT. This is the amount of financial assets you can have before the higher deemed interest rates are applied to the assessment of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP.
The new deemed income rate of T-INC-DEEMING-INT-RATE% will be applied for amounts up to T-SINGLE-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT (T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT per couple) and T-INC-DEEMING-HIGH-RATE% for amounts over T-SINGLE-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT (T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT per couple), and used to work out the amount of income recorded for your financial assets.
If your investments are earning more that the T-INC-DEEMING-INT-RATE% or T-INC-DEEMING-HIGH-RATE% deeming rates, this additional income will not affect the rate of your service pension.
Telephone Allowance
Your quarterly telephone allowance will be paid on T-DATE-Of-PAYMENT, 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 - $17.20
Couples Rate (each) - $8.60
World War I Veterans - $46.75
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 increases above T-PRESCR-INC-AMT per fortnight or your assets, apart from your home, exceed T-PRESCR-ASSET-AMT. Income includes deemed income from your financial assets and income from other sources.
Your Obligations
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and these obligations still apply.
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.
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 enquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
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.
Listed below are the payment tables showing the different amounts of pension you will receive on the paydays that are affected, with the final payment table showing your ongoing payment.
PAYMENTS TO XXXXX XXXXXXX for
Pension Payday 12 JULY 2001
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx
PAYMENTS TO XXXXX XXXXXXX for
Pension Payday 26 JULY 2001
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx
Followed by Full Income and Assets Attachment, Payment Summary and General Information Sheet
Example 3: LESS THAN MAXIMUM RATE, NON-TAXABLE therefore NO ENCLOSED PAYMENT SUMMARY, A MEDICARE LEVY EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE TO BE SENT SEPARATELY, NO TA PAYMENT.
DVA LOGO
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
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
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 T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP:
This is to advise you that your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP has been T-INC-RED-NIL. This change will take effect from T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE-DATE.
Payment Information
Please refer to the enclosed Payment Information Attachment to see a breakdown of your payments.
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
13/07/00 |
XXXXXX DDDDD |
CBA 59404040 |
$XXX.XX |
TOTAL |
$XXX.XX |
Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate
A Medicare Levy Exemption Certificate will be issued to you separately.
Indexation of Deeming Threshold and Deeming Interest Rate Change
From pension payday T-CLNT-EFFECTIVE-DATE, both the deeming threshold amounts and the deeming interest rates will change.
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 are added together, and the deemed interest rates are applied to calculate the income.
The new deeming threshold for a single person will be T-SINGLE-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT and for a couple it will be T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT. This is the amount of financial assets you can have before the higher deemed interest rates are applied to the assessment of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP.
The new deemed income rate of T-INC-DEEMING-INT-RATE% will be applied for amounts up to T-SINGLE-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT (T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT per couple) and T-INC-DEEMING-HIGH-RATE% for amounts over T-SINGLE-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT (T-MARRIED-THRSH-DEEMED-AMT per couple), and used to work out the amount of income recorded for your financial assets.
If your investments are earning more that the T-INC-DEEMING-INT-RATE% or T-INC-DEEMING-HIGH-RATE% deeming rates, this additional income will not affect the rate of your service pension.
Your Obligations
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and these obligations still apply.
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.
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 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 enquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
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.
Listed below are the payment tables showing the different amounts of pension you will receive on the paydays that are affected, with the final payment table showing your ongoing payment.
PAYMENTS TO XXXXX XXXXXXX for
Pension Payday 12 JULY 2001
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx
PAYMENTS TO XXXXX XXXXXXX for
Pension Payday 26 JULY 2001
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx
Followed by the Full Income and Assets Attachment, General Information Sheet
DATE OF ISSUE: 22 MAY 2001
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$2.7218 |
The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.8169 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.7218 (ie A$1 = 0.3674 Pounds). This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 11 May 2001. |
Date of Effect15 May 2001 |
Effective from 15 May 2001 the current exchange rate will change. On pension payday 31 May 2001 (pay period 77) 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 14 May 2001. |
AutomaticSuperannuation 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 accordingly. |
Manual cases and MS cases |
Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed. 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 31 May 2001 – ie 15 May 2001. |
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 be producing the cartridge and will 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 Tuesday 22 May 2001. |
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. The resulting reassessment of their income support pension could vary the RA paid. A listing of affected cases can be obtained from Kevin Chapman, Systems Delivery Unit. |
Contact Officer |
The Income Support Branch contact officers for the exercise will be: Lucy Berger Telephone: (02) 6289 6013 Nasreen Haque Telephone: (02) 6289 1125 Kevin Chapman Telephone: (02) 6289 6749 |
(signed)
21 May 2001
POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE
Foreign exchange periodExchange rate
29 Jan 98 |
to |
25 Feb 98 |
0.3972 |
2.5176 |
26 Feb 98 |
to |
6 May 98 |
0.4125 |
2.4366 |
7 May 98 |
to |
15 July 98 |
0.3997 |
2.5019 |
16 July 98 |
to |
12 August 98 |
0.3663 |
2.7300 |
13 August 98 |
to |
9 Sept 98 |
0.3817 |
2.6199 |
10 Sept 98 |
to |
21 October 98 |
0.3690 |
2.7100 |
22 October 98 |
to |
4 Nov 98 |
0.3505 |
2.8531 |
5 Nov 98 |
to |
2 Dec 98 |
0.3676 |
2.7203 |
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 |
0.3674 |
2.7218 |
|
DATE OF ISSUE: 20 APRIL 2000
GENERAL INCREASE TO BRITISH PENSION PAID IN AUSTRALIA
Advised by: |
The British Department of Social Security (BDSS) have advised that British pensions paid in Australia will rise by 3.3%, in line with their Retail Price Index and will come into effect from the payday in the week commencing 9 April 2001. |
New Percentage Rate |
The National Insurance Benefit will increase by 3.3% 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 3 May 2001. In service pension rent assistance, age pension cases overpayments should not be raised. |
Cases Affected |
These changes will affect the EATS/Composite cases and any case where service pension is also in payment. Age pension (BeB) cases will also be affected. The new rates should be applied to EATS, Composite, all service pension and age pension cases where British disability pension is in payment. |
Rates Charts |
A selection of rates converted to $A at both old and new rates are attached. |
Manual Examination |
There will be no cases processed automatically. All cases will be listed for manual examination. |
Changed Arrangements |
Since the introduction of IPS extraction of cases can only be obtained through the AD Hoc Inquires System (AIS). A list of cases has been emailed to all the Income Support Managers and System Support Officers and should provide the information they are after. There have been occasional problems with the AIS results. If for any reason the list provided appears inconsistent with your expectations please contact the Income Support Officers listed below. |
Service Pension Cases where British Disability Pension is in Payment |
Action schedules of cases requiring manual examination and variation are made up of the following groups.
|
PIPS/PC |
For all cases involving EATS, COMPOSITE or SERVICE PENSION, whether automatic or manual method of assessment, the new rate of pension must be updated via PIPS/PC. |
Contact Officers |
The Income Support contact officers for this exercise will be: Lucy Berger (02) 6289 6013 Nasreen Haque (02) 6289 1125 Kevin Chapman (02) 6289 6749 |
JEANETTE RICKETTS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
April 2001
BRITISH PENSION
RATES CHARTS
CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE$A2.75
DISABLED OFFICERS - MALE & FEMALE |
|||||
pounds yearly |
Chart 1 officers |
||||
100 |
6251 |
||||
90 |
5626 |
||||
80 |
5001 |
||||
70 |
4376 |
||||
60 |
3751 |
||||
50 |
3126 |
||||
40 |
2500 |
||||
30 |
1875 |
||||
20 |
1250 |
||||
DISABLED OTHER RANKS - MALE & FEMALE |
|||||
1939 War Rates |
|||||
Assessment |
pounds /wk |
||||
Chart 2 other ranks |
|||||
100 |
119.80 |
||||
90 |
107.82 |
||||
80 |
95.84 |
||||
70 |
83.86 |
||||
60 |
71.88 |
||||
50 |
59.90 |
||||
40 |
47.92 |
||||
30 |
35.94 |
||||
20 |
23.96 |
||||
Chart 15 |
||||||
SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES |
||||||
Officers |
Other Ranks |
|||||
(yearly) |
(weekly) |
|||||
UNEMPLOYABILITY SUPPLEMENT |
||||||
old rate |
new rate |
old rate |
new rate |
|||
Personal allowance |
3739 |
3861 |
71.65 |
74.00 |
||
Wife or adult dependent |
2108 |
2179 |
40.40 |
41.75 |
||
1st eligible child |
514 |
506 |
9.85 |
9.70 |
||
2nd & subsequent child |
592 |
592 |
11.35 |
11.35 |
||
INVALIDITY ALLOWANCE |
||||||
old rate |
new rate |
old rate |
new rate |
|||
Age qualifying |
1. Under 40 |
741 |
764 |
14.20 |
14.65 |
|
Date |
2. Over 40,under 50 |
470 |
485 |
9.00 |
9.30 |
|
3. 50 or over |
235 |
243 |
4.50 |
4.65 |
||
CONSTANT ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE |
||||||
old rate |
new rate |
old rate |
new rate |
|||
1. Up to half-day attendance |
1143 |
1179 |
21.90 |
22.60 |
||
2. Full day attendance |
||||||
Basic rate |
2285 |
2359 |
43.80 |
45.20 |
||
Intermediate |
3428 |
3538 |
65.70 |
67.80 |
||
Exceptional |
4571 |
4717 |
87.60 |
90.40 |
||
COMFORTS ALLOWANCE |
||||||
old rate |
new rate |
old rate |
new rate |
|||
Higher rate |
981 |
1012 |
18.80 |
19.40 |
||
Lower rate |
490 |
506 |
9.40 |
9.70 |
||
AGE ALLOWANCE |
||||||
When the degree of pensioned |
||||||
disablement is |
old rate |
new rate |
old rate |
new rate |
||
a. 40 to 50 per cent |
404 |
417 |
7.75 |
8.00 |
||
b. 50 to 70 per cent |
624 |
644 |
11.95 |
12.35 |
||
c. 70 to 90 per cent |
887 |
916 |
17.00 |
17.55 |
||
d. over 90 per cent |
1247 |
1289 |
23.90 |
24.70 |
||
WIDOWS PENSION and ALLOWANCES |
Charts 8, 9 & 11 |
||||||
OTHER RANKS |
|||||||
Type of Award |
Other Ranks |
Officers |
|||||
Class of Award per Week |
per year |
||||||
Widow |
WO1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
Higher Rate |
90.75 |
90.75 |
90.75 |
90.75 |
90.75 |
90.45 |
|
Lower Rate |
21.75 |
21.75 |
27.75 |
21.75 |
21.75 |
21.75 |
|
Children of |
|||||||
Widow 1st Child |
14.30 |
746.00 |
|||||
2 nd and sub |
15.95 |
832.00 |
|||||
Total Orphans |
|||||||
1st Child |
16.20 |
845.00 |
|||||
2 nd and sub |
17.85 |
931.00 |
|||||
infirm 18 + |
69.75 |
3640.00 |
|||||
Age Allowance |
|||||||
Age 65 to 70 |
10.35 |
540.00 |
|||||
Age 70 + |
19.85 |
1036.00 |
|||||
Age 80 + |
29.55 |
1542.00 |
|||||
Chart 9 & 11 |
|||||
Other |
Officers |
||||
M.O.D. |
P.W. |
P.A. |
|||
Special Awards for Widow |
|||||
whose husband's service |
New |
58.95 |
3076.01 |
||
ended on or before 31/3/73 |
|||||
WIDOWS CHILDREN, MOTHERLESS & FATHERLESS CHILDREN |
Chart 13 |
||||||
Motherless & Fatherless Children |
|||||||
Total Orphan (weekly rate) |
|||||||
child |
infirm |
||||||
allow |
under15 |
15orover |
18orover |
||||
officers |
rate for 1st |
14.35 |
16.20 |
16.20 |
67.50 |
||
R.N.;R.M. |
Child |
14.30 |
16.20 |
16.20 |
69.75 |
||
officers |
rate for 2nd & |
15.85 |
17.70 |
17.70 |
67.50 |
||
R.N.;R.M. |
Subsequent child |
15.95 |
17.85 |
17.85 |
69.75 |
||
other officer |
rate for 1st |
14.35 |
16.20 |
16.20 |
67.50 |
||
ranks |
Child |
14.30 |
16.20 |
16.20 |
69.75 |
||
other officer |
rate for 2nd & |
15.85 |
17.70 |
17.70 |
67.50 |
||
ranks |
Subsequent child |
15.95 |
17.85 |
17.85 |
69.75 |
||
Chart 9 & 11 |
|||||||
MISCELLANEOUS |
OTHER |
||||||
RANKS |
OFFICER |
||||||
RENT ALLOWANCE (MAX) |
old |
33.10 |
1727.00 |
||||
new |
34.20 |
1785.00 |
|||||
WIDOWS' PENSIONS - OFFICERSChart 10 |
|||||
BOTH WARS |
|||||
ROYAL NAVY |
ROYAL |
ARMY |
R.A.F. |
HIGH |
|
MARINE |
RATE |
||||
Old Rate |
New Rate |
||||
Major |
Sq Ldr |
4676 |
4830 |
||
Capt. |
Fl Lt |
4658 |
4812 |
||
Lieut. |
FO |
4640 |
4793 |
||
Comm Off |
4611 |
4763 |
|||
Chart 15 |
||||||
CLOTHING ALLOWANCE |
OFFICERS & OTHER RANKS |
|||||
(yearly) |
||||||
old rate |
new rate |
|||||
Higher rate |
149 |
154 |
||||
Lower rate |
149 |
154 |
||||
CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE |
$A2.75 |
|||||
OTHER RANKS - DISABILITY PENSION-EFFECTIVE |
17-Apr-01 |
|||||
OLD |
NEW |
|||||
CLASS |
% |
RATE |
RATE |
|||
P.F. |
P.F. |
|||||
V, IV, III, II, I, WO1 |
||||||
20% |
127.60 |
131.78 |
||||
30% |
191.40 |
197.67 |
||||
40% |
255.20 |
263.56 |
||||
50% |
319.00 |
329.45 |
||||
60% |
382.80 |
395.34 |
||||
70% |
446.60 |
461.23 |
||||
80% |
510.40 |
527.12 |
||||
90% |
574.20 |
593.01 |
||||
100% |
638.00 |
658.90 |
||||
OFFICER - DISABILITY PENSION - EFFECTIVE |
17-Apr-01 |
|||||
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% |
127.74 |
131.85 |
||||
30% |
191.55 |
197.77 |
||||
40% |
255.37 |
263.70 |
||||
50% |
319.29 |
329.73 |
||||
60% |
383.10 |
395.65 |
||||
70% |
446.92 |
461.58 |
||||
80% |
510.73 |
527.50 |
||||
90% |
574.65 |
593.43 |
||||
100% |
638.47 |
659.35 |
||||
OFFICERS |
||||||
SERVICE RETIRED PAY OR SERVICE PENSION - EFFECTIVE |
17-Apr-01 |
|||||
EXCHANGE RATE |
$A2.75 |
|||||
OLD |
NEW |
|||||
RATE |
RATE |
|||||
P.F. |
P.F. |
|||||
20% |
127.74 |
131.85 |
||||
30% |
191.55 |
197.77 |
||||
40% |
255.37 |
263.70 |
||||
50% |
319.29 |
329.73 |
||||
60% |
383.10 |
395.65 |
||||
70% |
446.92 |
461.58 |
||||
80% |
510.73 |
527.50 |
||||
90% |
574.65 |
593.43 |
||||
100% |
638.47 |
659.35 |
||||
SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCES |
||||||
OFFICERS and OTHER RANKS - DISABLEMENT |
||||||
EXCHANGE RATE |
$A2.75 |
|||||
Effective |
17-Apr-01 |
Effective |
17-Apr-01 |
|||
UNEMPLOYABILITY SUPP. |
OFFICERS |
OTHER RANKS |
||||
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
|||
P.F. |
P.F. |
P.F. |
P.F. |
|||
Personal Allowance |
394.39 |
407.26 |
394.08 |
407.00 |
||
Wife or Adult dependant |
222.35 |
229.84 |
222.20 |
229.63 |
||
1st eligible child |
54.22 |
53.37 |
54.18 |
53.35 |
||
2nd & subsequent child |
62.44 |
62.44 |
62.43 |
62.43 |
||
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 |
120.56 |
124.36 |
120.45 |
124.30 |
||
2.Full day attendance - Basic |
241.02 |
248.83 |
240.90 |
248.60 |
||
- Intermediate |
361.58 |
373.19 |
361.35 |
372.90 |
||
- Exceptional |
482.15 |
497.55 |
481.80 |
497.20 |
||
COMFORTS ALLOWANCE |
OFFICERS |
OTHER RANKS |
||||
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
|||
P.F. |
P.F. |
P.F. |
P.F. |
|||
Higher Rate |
103.48 |
106.75 |
103.40 |
106.70 |
||
Lower Rate |
51.68 |
53.37 |
51.70 |
53.35 |
||
CLOTHING ALLOWANCE |
OFFICERS |
OTHER RANKS |
||||
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
|||
P.A. |
P.A. |
P.F. |
P.F. |
|||
Higher Rate |
409.75 |
423.50 |
15.72 |
16.24 |
||
Lower Rate |
409.75 |
423.50 |
15.72 |
16.24 |
||
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 |
78.16 |
80.59 |
78.10 |
80.58 |
||
Qualifying ) > 40 but < 50 yrs |
49.58 |
51.16 |
49.50 |
51.15 |
||
Date ) > 50 yrs |
24.79 |
25.63 |
24.75 |
25.58 |
||
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 |
42.61 |
43.98 |
42.63 |
44.00 |
||
b. > 50% but not > 70% |
65.82 |
67.93 |
65.73 |
67.93 |
||
c. > 70% but not > 90% |
93.56 |
96.62 |
93.50 |
96.53 |
||
d. over 90% |
131.53 |
135.96 |
131.45 |
135.85 |
||
MISCELLANEOUS |
||||||
EXCHANGE RATE |
$A2.75 |
|||||
Effective |
17-Apr-01 |
Effective |
17-Apr-01 |
|||
RENT ALLOWANCE (Maximum) |
OFFICERS |
OTHER RANKS |
||||
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
|||
P.F. |
P.F. |
P.F. |
P.F. |
|||
182.16 |
188.28 |
182.05 |
188.10 |
|||
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 |
55.06 |
56.96 |
55.00 |
56.93 |
||
Age 70 and over |
105.69 |
109.28 |
105.60 |
109.18 |
||
Age 80 and over |
157.38 |
162.65 |
157.30 |
162.53 |
||
DEPENDANTS OF DECEASED MEMBERS |
||||||
EXCHANGE RATE |
$A2.75 |
|||||
Effective |
17-Apr-01 |
|||||
WIDOWS ** HIGHER RATE ** |
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
||||
******M.O.D. Payment Included ****** |
P.F. |
P.F. |
||||
CLASS V |
795.64 |
821.94 |
||||
IV, III, II, I, WO1 |
797.29 |
823.59 |
||||
Lt Comdr, Capt, Major, Sq Ldr |
807.33 |
833.93 |
||||
Lt, Lt, Capt, Fl Lt |
805.43 |
832.03 |
||||
Sub Lt, Lt, Flying Off Pilot Off |
803.53 |
830.02 |
||||
Comms Off |
800.48 |
826.86 |
||||
WIDOWS ** M.O.D. PAYMENT ** |
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
||||
Special award for Widows whose husbands completed service |
P.F. |
P.F. |
||||
on or before 31 March 1973. |
314.11 |
324.46 |
||||
CHILDREN OF WIDOW OR REMARRIED WIDOW |
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
||||
P.F. |
P.F. |
|||||
1st ELIGIBLE CHILD |
79.00 |
78.69 |
||||
2nd and SUBSEQUENT CHILD |
87.23 |
87.76 |
||||
TOTAL ORPHANS and MOTHERLESS CHILDREN |
OLD RATE |
NEW RATE |
||||
P.F. |
P.F. |
|||||
TOTAL ORPHANS 1st CHILD |
89.13 |
89.13 |
||||
2nd and SUBSEQUENT ORPHANS |
97.46 |
98.20 |
||||
INFIRM & > 18 - |
371.50 |
383.95 |
||||
DATE OF ISSUE: 20 APRIL 2001
INDEXATION OF BRITISH RETIREMENT INCOME (BRI)
INTRODUCTION
1.The British Government has announced that the National Insurance benefit will rise in April 2001 by 3.3% in line with their Retail Price Index. The pensions effected 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.
EFFECTIVE DATES
Indexation
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 1.033.
AUTOMATIC SUPERANNUATION PROCESSING TIMETABLE
4.This exercise is scheduled for processing on Thursday evening 19 April 2001.
MANUAL CASES AND MS CASES
5.When cases are in frozen status they will be lifted for subsequent manual processing by state office staff.
IBM GSA IMPLICATIONS
6.IBM GSA will be printing the advices and despatching them to the State Offices for manual distribution. Special Register cases will not 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
7.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.
8.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
9.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.
10.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 3 May 2001.
CONTACT OFFICER
11.The Income Support contact officers for this exercise will be:
Lucy BergerTelephone: (02) 6289 6013(Business Operations &
Support)
Support)
Kevin ChapmanTelephone: (02) 6289 6749(Systems Delivery)
JEANETTE RICKETTS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
April 2001
DATE OF ISSUE: 27 MARCH 2001
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$2.8169 |
The exchange rate used to convert Pounds Sterling to Australian Dollars for income support assessment purposes has changed from one Pound = A$2.6759 to one Pound Sterling equals A$2.8169 (ie A$1 = 0.3550 Pounds). This rate reflects the average of the “on demand airmail buying rate” for the two weeks to 16 March 2001. |
Date of Effect3 April 2001 |
Effective from 3 April 2001 the current exchange rate will change. On pension payday 19 April 2001 (pay period 74) 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 2 April 2001. |
AutomaticSuperannuation 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 accordingly. |
Manual cases and MS cases |
Cases with actions in frozen status will not be processed. 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 19 April 2001 – ie 3 April 2001. |
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 be producing the cartridge and will forward it to Security Mailing in Sydney. |
Overseas, Special Register and Enclosure Advices |
Overseas, Special Register and 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 Tuesday 10 April 2001. |
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. The resulting reassessment of their income support pension could vary the RA paid. A listing of affected cases can be obtained from Kevin Chapman, Systems Delivery Unit. |
Contact Officer |
The Income Support Branch contact officers for the exercise will be: Lucy Berger Telephone: (02) 6289 6013 Nasreen Haque Telephone: (02) 6289 1125 Kevin Chapman Telephone: (02) 6289 6749 |
March 2001
POUND STERLING EXCHANGE RATE
Foreign exchange periodExchange rate
29 Jan 98 |
to |
25 Feb 98 |
0.3972 |
2.5176 |
26 Feb 98 |
to |
6 May 98 |
0.4125 |
2.4366 |
7 May 98 |
to |
15 July 98 |
0.3997 |
2.5019 |
16 July 98 |
to |
12 August 98 |
0.3663 |
2.7300 |
13 August 98 |
to |
9 Sept 98 |
0.3817 |
2.6199 |
10 Sept 98 |
to |
21 October 98 |
0.3690 |
2.7100 |
22 October 98 |
to |
4 Nov 98 |
0.3505 |
2.8531 |
5 Nov 98 |
to |
2 Dec 98 |
0.3676 |
2.7203 |
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 |
0.3550 |
2.8169 |
|
DATE OF ISSUE: 16 MARCH 2001
MARCH 2001 GLOBAL REFRESH OF MANAGED INVESTMENTS (MI) AND SHARES (SH) MAILOUT
Purpose of Instruction |
This Departmental Instruction is to provide information about processing arrangements for the March 2001 global refresh advice letter mailout. |
JEANETTE RICKETTS
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
Introduction |
In March we do not send advice letters to all pensioners whose pensions are adjusted because of the CPI increase that applies for 20 March 2001. Advice on these increases is contained in the latest edition of VetAffairs (distribution commences on 26 March 2001 - 6 April 2001). However, letters will be sent to pensioners affected by the events set out in the following paragraph. |
Significant Issues |
The March 2001 Quarterly mailout will incorporate the following events for payday 5 April 2001 (WEF 20 March 2001):
|
Advice Letter Target Audience |
A letter will be produced only for those clients who have Managed Investments (MIs) and/or Shares (SHs) in their assessment and who meet the following:
|
Adjustment arrangements explanation paragraph - 'Payment Adjustment' |
A 'new' paragraph has been included in the advices for the March 2001 processing run. This paragraph is to explain the adjustment arrangements in place to cater for the advance paid in July 2000 and the balance to be paid in March 2001. |
Continuation Cases |
Cases where the 'old rate' resulting from the Statutory Increase 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. |
Obligations suppressed |
Obligations are to be suppressed for all letters produced. Reference will be made to previous obligations issued to clients. The reference to obligations in particular, the reference from 21 days to 14 days, did raise some comments from State Office Staff who felt that there should be no obligations paragraph in this mailout, while another comment was to have the obligations paragraph bolded. It was decided to retain the reference to obligations for this mailout and further discuss the options available at the next Pensioner Initiated Review (PIR) Reduction Working Group. |
$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. |
Arrears |
The Disability Pension (DP) increase is effective from 20 March 2001 for payday 22 March 2001. DP clients will receive a full payment at the new rate on payday 5 April 2001. DP arrears for payday 22 March 2001 will be paid on or about 28 March 2001. |
Treatment Problems |
As is the procedure for quarterly processing all Special Register, Overseas and Enclosure (treatment) advice letters will be printed by IBM in Melbourne and sent via courier to each State Office. We always request that these be checked for accuracy, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office. There is a known problem with 'treatment entitlement' which will require you to check all enclosure advices. You will need to check the client's treatment entitlement to ensure they have received the correct treatment card information in their 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. |
Processing |
Processing is scheduled to run from Thursday evening 22 March until Monday evening 26 March 2001. |
Critical Dates |
Processing Weekend within DVA (includes 'advices' processing) |
Thursday (pm), 22 — nd March 2001 - Monday (pm), 26 — th March 2001 |
Dispatch Production Data to SMS |
Tuesday, 27 — th March 2001 |
Commence Printing Advice Letters |
Wednesday, 28 — th March 2001 |
End Printing Advice Letters |
Thursday, 29 — th March 2001 |
Lodgement of Advice Letters with Australia Post |
Friday, 30 — th March 2001 |
Client Numbers |
The following is a summary of client numbers in each State. The numbers are approximates only: |
STATE |
NO. OF LETTERS (Approx Only) |
New South Wales |
6,071 |
Victoria |
4,730 |
Queensland |
3,618 |
Western Australia |
1,678 |
South Australia |
1,758 |
Tasmania |
550 |
TOTAL |
18,405 |
Printing of Letters |
Security Mailing Services (SMS) Sydney, will print and envelop advice letters in the week from Tuesday 27 March thru to Friday 30 March 2001. |
Lodgement of Letters |
All letters will be lodged with Australia Post on Friday 30 March 2001. A representative from National Office will notify details of lodgement for each State as they occur. The State Office Contacts for this exercise will be given progress reports and advised of any changes to this timetable. |
Special Register, Overseas & Enclosures |
Special Register, Overseas and Enclosure advice letters will be printed by IBM in Melbourne and sent via courier to each State Office. These should be checked for accuracy, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office. This arrangement is the same as for daily advice letters. 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 Carol Walsh, Systems Delivery on (02) 6289 6729 if the delivered letters do not exactly match the reports. Please note the reference to the section on 'Treatment Problems' mentioned earlier in this Departmental Instruction. We request that all enclosure advices be checked for accuracy. |
Reprints of selected letters |
Any requests for reprints of individual Quarterly Advice letters should be referred to System Support Offices to organise a reprint. |
'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 IBM in Melbourne and will be delivered to each State Office. Advice of when you should expect to receive your forced held advices will be given prior to their delivery. 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 22 -26 March 2001 may be sent to clients who do not have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment and therefore have not been updated as part of the Global Refresh. However, payment advice letters produced for clients who have MIs and/or SHs in their assessment must be withheld pending notification that the quarterly letters have been dispatched. This will ensure that pensioner's receive their advice letters in chronological order. Cases with arrears will continue to have their arrears paid to them 2 working days after processing. |
$FORT run - 19 March 2001 |
$FORT has been scheduled to run on Monday night 19 March 2001. Advices from this run should be sent straight away. |
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. At the end of this process we will be collating all State feedback to analyse issues raised and develop solutions to address any concerns raised. Any problems noted should be reported to the National Office Contact Officer with the nature of the query and the file number of the client. 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 letters lodgement should be referred to: Pat Webb (02) 6289 6444 (Phone) (02) 6289 6553 (Fax) Systems issues should be directed to: Carol Walsh on (02) 6289 6729 |
Letters |
Prior to the issue of this Departmental Instruction, System Support Officers and Manager's 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. An email has been forwarded to the March SI State Contact Officers advising of the changes in respect of all comments received. Copies of the amended advice letters for this run are at Attachments A, B and C of this DI. Attachment A – Paragraph sequencing Attachment B – Advice Letter Examples Example 1: Less than Maximum Rate, Married, Increase, MI/SH in Assessment, Full Income & Asset Listing Example 2: Increase to Maximum Rate, MI/SH in Assessment, Full Income & Asset Listing Example 3: Decrease as a result MI/SH reassessment, Full Income & Asset Listing Example 4: Age Pension increase, Disability Pension in payment, MI/SH in Assessment, Full Income & Asset Listing Example 5: Reduction to Nil as a result of MI/SH reassessment, Full Income & Asset Listing. Attachment C – Example General Information Sheet |
Letter Variables |
Please note, in the following samples:
|
ATTACHMENT A
PARAGRAPH SEQUENCING AND TARGET AUDIENCE
Note: Advices will only be produced for clients with Shares and/or Managed Investments in their assessment.
Paragraph |
To Whom |
State specific letterhead |
All |
Opening |
All |
Reduction to Nil para |
Reduction to Nil cases |
Payment Adjustment (explaining adjustment arrangements) |
All (not Reduction to Nil cases) |
Payment Details and payment box |
All |
Payment Diversion Table |
All |
Arrears |
Cases with DP in their assessment. |
“You have been increased to the maximum rate of pension” |
All increase to max rate cases |
Change to value of shares and managed investments/payment adjustment explanation |
Reduction to Nil cases. |
Fringe Benefits |
Reduction to Nil cases |
Your Right to Re-Apply |
Reduction to Nil cases |
Treatment On/Off |
Any cases where a change in treatment eligibility is detected |
Your Obligations (reference to previous) |
All (not Reduction to Nil cases) |
Changes You Have Already Told Us About |
All |
Your Right of Review |
All |
State specific closing paragraph and Signature |
All |
Full Income/Assets Listing |
All |
General Information Sheet |
All |
ATTACHMENT B
EXAMPLE 1: Less than Max Rate, Married, Increase, MI/SH in assessment, Full Income and Asset Listing.
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact: STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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
The maximum rate of pension has been increased by 2% with effect from 20 March 2001. This 2% increase is in addition to a 2% advance paid to you in July 2000. The combined effect delivers the full 4% March CPI adjustment.
Additionally in March and September of each year the asset values of your listed shares and/or unit based managed investments are reassessed. The new rate of pension and the adjusted value of these investments have been used to work out your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment.
Please refer to the following table to see the breakdown of your payment.
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx x.xx
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
T-PAYDIVER-DATE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYEE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYDEST |
T-PAYDIV-AMOUNT |
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and these obligations still apply.
Note that the notification period for changes to circumstances that may affect your pension has changed from 21 days to within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receiving remote area allowance).
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.
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 for a review, you must do so within the next three months. 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 07 3233 8599 (Metropolitan Residents only). For any other enquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
Full Income and Asset Listing
General Information Sheet
EXAMPLE 2: Increase to Maximum Rate, MI/SH in assessment, Full Income and Asset Listing
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact: STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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.
The maximum rate of pension has been increased by 2% with effect from 20 March 2001. This 2% increase is in addition to a 2% advance paid to you in July 2000. The combined effect delivers the full 4% March CPI adjustment.
Additionally in March and September of each year the asset values of your listed shares and/or unit based managed investments are reassessed. The new rate of pension and the adjusted value of these investments have been used to work out your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment.
Please refer to the following table to see the breakdown of your payment.
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx x.xx
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
T-PAYDIVER-DATE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYEE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYDEST |
T-PAYDIV-AMOUNT |
You have been increased to the maximum rate of T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and these obligations still apply.
Note that the notification period for changes to circumstances that may affect your pension has changed from 21 days to within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receiving remote area allowance).
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.
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 for a review, you must do so within the next three months. 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 07 3233 8599 (Metropolitan Residents only). For any other enquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
Full Income and Asset Listing
General Information Sheet
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact: STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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.
The maximum rate of pension has been increased by 2% with effect from 20 March 2001. This 2% increase is in addition to a 2% advance paid to you in July 2000. The combined effect delivers the full 4% March CPI adjustment.
Additionally in March and September of each year the asset values of your listed shares and/or unit based managed investments are reassessed. The new rate of pension and the adjusted value of these investments have been used to work out your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment.
Please refer to the following table to see the breakdown of your payment.
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx x.xx
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
T-PAYDIVER-DATE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYEE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYDEST |
T-PAYDIV-AMOUNT |
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and these obligations still apply.
Note that the notification period for changes to circumstances that may affect your pension has changed from 21 days to within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receiving remote area allowance).
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.
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 for a review, you must do so within the next three months. 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 07 3233 8599 (Metropolitan Residents only). For any other enquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
Full Income and Asset Listing
General Information Sheet
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact: STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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.
The maximum rate of pension has been increased by 2% with effect from 20 March 2001. This 2% increase is in addition to a 2% advance paid to you in July 2000. The combined effect delivers the full 4% March CPI adjustment.
Additionally in March and September of each year the asset values of your listed shares and/or unit based managed investments are reassessed. The new rate of pension and the adjusted value of these investments have been used to work out your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP payment.
Please refer to the following table to see the breakdown of your payment.
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx
The following table shows where your pension payments are going.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount Deposited |
T-PAYDIVER-DATE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYEE |
T-PAYDIV-PAYDEST |
T-PAYDIV-AMOUNT |
Payment of Arrears
Arrears will be paid to the following destination(s). Please allow 2 working days for the arrears to be available.
Date |
Name |
Payment Destination |
Amount |
26/03/01 |
XX XXXXXX |
CBA 123456 |
$XX.XX |
We have explained your obligations to you in previous letters and these obligations still apply.
Note that the notification period for changes to circumstances that may affect your pension has changed from 21 days to within 14 days (28 days if you are living overseas or receiving remote area allowance).
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.
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 for a review, you must do so within the next three months. 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 07 3233 8599 (Metropolitan Residents only). For any other enquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
Full Income and Asset Listing
ATTACHMENT
General Information Sheet
EXAMPLE 5: Reduction to Nil, Full Income and Asset Listing
T-ADVICE-RETURN-ADDRESS
Commonwealth Department of
Veterans' Affairs
Contact: STATE OFFICE
Telephone:
AMP Place
10 Eagle Street
Brisbane Qld 4000
Postal Address:
GPO Box 651 Brisbane Qld 4001
Telephone:
Metropolitan Residents: (07) 32238333
Country Residents: 1800 113304
Interstate Residents: 1800 777634
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.
Your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP has been reduced to nil because your income and/or assets exceed the limits that allow for payment of the pension.
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENTxxx.xxxxx.xx
This is made up of:
- xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx.xx
- xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx x.xx x.xx
Change to the value of shares and managed investments
The asset value of your listed shares 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 your T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP being reduced to nil. Details of your investments are listed in this advice.
The maximum rate of pension has been increased by 2% with effect from 20 March 2001. This 2% increase is in addition to a 2% advance paid to you in July 2000. The combined effect delivers the full 4% March CPI adjustment.
Fringe Benefits
As you are no longer eligible for a T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP 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 T-PENSION-SP-ISS-AP restored at any time if your income and/or assets fall below the limits that would allow for payment of the pension.
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.
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 for a review, you must do so within the next three months. 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 07 3233 8599 (Metropolitan Residents only). For any other enquiries please contact the Department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
.si sigql3 depth 5 absolute
Gary Collins
ATTACHMENT
Full Income and Asset Listing
ATTACHMENT
General Information Sheet
ATTACHMENT C
This is an example only 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 recipients and Age Pensioners. PLEASE NOTE: the rates reflected in this document do not necessarily represent the 'new' rates - the amended rates were not available at the time of preparing 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$402.00 (per fortnight)
Couples Rate (each)$335.50 (per fortnight)
PENSION INCOME LIMIT (per fortnight)
Before Service Pension ReducesCut Off*
Singles Rate$106.00$1,125.50
Couples Rate (combined)$188.00$1,880.00
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$133,250$269,250
Couples Rate (combined)$189,500$415,500
Non Home Owner
Singles Rate$228,750$364,750
Couples Rate (combined)$285,000$511,000
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
GOLD CARD INCOME CUT OFF LIMIT FOR VETERANS UNDER70 YEARS
Singles Rate$311.50 (per fortnight)
Couples Rate (combined)$543.00 (per fortnight)
Add $67.10 per fortnight for each dependent child or student to the age of T-CHILD-AGE.
GOLD CARD ASSETS CUT OFF LIMIT FOR VETERANS UNDER 70
Home Owner
Singles Rate$160,750
Couples Rate (combined)$237,000
Non Home Owner
Singles Rate$256,250
Couples Rate (combined)$332,500
Add approximately $5,750 for each dependent child or student up to the age of T-CHILD-AGE.
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 you are a World War 2 veteran or mariner aged 70 years or over, who served in Australia's Defence Forces or Australia's Merchant Navy between 3 September 1939 and 29 October 1945, and have qualifying service from that conflict, the above Gold Card income and asset cut off limits do not apply to you as your Gold Card is not affected by your income and assets.
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:- 3.5% interest up to the threshold of $31,600
High Rate:- 5.5% interest for the remaining balance
Couples
Low Rate:- 3.5% interest up to the threshold of $52,600
High Rate:- 5.5% 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$88.00$102.80$116.60
Couples Rate
(combined)$82.80$102.80$116.60
Rent Limits (per fortnight)
No children1-2 children3 or more
children
Singles Rate$78.00$102.60$102.60
Couples Rate
(combined)$127.00$151.80$151.80
Links
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[11] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/1998/c311998-veterans-children-education-scheme
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[13] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/1996/c541996-property-valuation-exercise
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[22] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-reference-library/departmental-instructions/2001/c062001-june-2001-statutory-increase-advice-letter-payment-summary-and-medicare-levy-exemption-certificate-mailout
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