09. Centrelink Benefit Payments Flashcards

1
Q
  1. What areas of authority are covered and defined within the Social Security Act 1991?
A
  • Eligibility for payment
  • Amount and calculation of payment
  • Termination of payment
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2
Q
  1. What are the two different organisations that administer the social security system and what are their functions?
A
  • Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) - entitlement to service pensions
  • FaHCSIA - through its administration arm Centrelink, handles all other pensions, benefits and allowance.
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3
Q
  1. What does FaHCSIA stand for and what are their main functions?
A

Dept of Family, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

  • Dev & implementation of income security policies and programs
  • Services for families with children
  • Services for people with disabilities
  • Community support services
  • Family relationship services
  • Public housing
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4
Q

04.What is a pension?

A

A pension is generally an income payment received over a long term, eg. the age pension, disability support pension or service pension

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5
Q
  1. What is an allowance?
A

An allowance is generally an income payment received for a short or temporary period such as Newstart Allowance, paid whilst someone is unemployed or sickness allowance (while unable to work.

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6
Q
  1. What is a benefit?
A

A benefit is generally a one-off or non-regular payment such as the Education Entry Payment

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7
Q
  1. In addition to pensions, benefits and allowances, what else may a person qualify for?
A

Concessions such as the Health Care Card or the Commonwealth Seniors Card.

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8
Q
  1. What is the purpose of Family Tax A benefit? and what needs to be satisfied for eligibility?
A

Is a payment for each dependent child who is under 16 (or up to 19) if they are studying. Eligibility is subject to:

  • an income test,
  • caring for the child at least 35% of the time and
  • the child being fully immunised
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9
Q
  1. What is the purpose of Family Tax B benefit?
A

Provide extra help to single income families where income is below a specified amount and the child is under 16 (or up to end of cal year turning 18 if they are studying).

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10
Q
  1. What is the purpose of the Baby bonus?
A

A payment made in 13 fortnightly instalments that helps with the costs of a child who is born or adopted before 1 March 2014 (subject to an income test). It is not payable if you receive Parental Leave Pay.

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11
Q
  1. What is the purpose of the child care benefit?
A

Helps with child care costs such as long, family or occasional day care, outside school hour care, vacation care, pre-school and kindergarten. It is subject to use of an approved care centre and child immunisation.

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12
Q
  1. What is the purpose of parental leave pay?
A

Financial support for up to 18 weeks to help eligible parents take time off work to care for a newborn or recently adopted child, if you receive this you will not receive the Baby bonus

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13
Q
  1. What is the purpose of the parenting payment?
A

Income support for parents or guardians to help with the cost of raising children.

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14
Q
  1. What is the purpose of the youth allowance?
A

Financial help for people aged 16 to 24 years who are studying full-time, or undertaking full time apprenticeship, training or looking for work.

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15
Q
  1. What is the purpose of Newstart allowance?
A

Newstart is a government initiative which ensure that people who are unemployed receive an adequate level of income and participate in activities designed to assist their employment prospects.

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16
Q
  1. What is the purpose of disability support?
A

Financial support for people who have a physical, intellectual, or psychiatric condition that stops them working or who are permanently blind.

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17
Q
  1. What is the purpose of the sickness allowance?
A

Is a payment for people aged 22 years or more but under the age pension age, who temporarily cannot work or study because of an injury or illness

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18
Q
  1. What is the purpose of the age pension?
A

To provide income support and access to a range of concessions for eligible older Australians.

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19
Q
  1. What is the purpose of the pensioner bonus scheme?
A

Is a lump-sum incentive for people who qualified for the age pension before 20 September 2009 and remain in the workforce and defer claiming age pension.

20
Q
  1. What other limitations are there on Family Tax A and B?
A
  • If the child is earning over $14078 per year it may not be payable
  • If on parental leave (Part B is not payable) during this period
21
Q
  1. What is the full rate of Family Tax Rate A and the Base Rate?
A

Fully rate is $172.20 p/f for children 0-12 years and base rate is $55.16

22
Q
  1. What are the additional supplements payable on Family Tax Rate A?
A
  • Family Tax Benefit Part A Supplement - after lodgement & confirmation of immunisation (dep on income)
  • Clean Energy Supplement - impact of carbon increase in day to day purchases.
  • Newborn Payment & Supplement - if you have a baby or adopt
  • Large family supplement - Extra fortnightly amount for third and subsequent children
  • Multiple birth allowance - additional amount payable if you have triplets or higher
  • Child support - subject to assessment
23
Q
  1. How much is the baby bonus and what does this depend on?
A

$5,000 if the child is their first child otherwise $3,000.

24
Q
  1. What is the current parental leave payment before tax?
A

Total for the full 18 weeks is $11,198 before tax.

25
Q
  1. What are the factors to be considered when trying to choose between the baby bonus and parental leave payments?
A
  • Income - Baby Bonus is determined on family income after birth, where as parental leave is before
  • Work status - not applicable to the baby bonus
  • Multiple birth - increases baby bonus but not parental leave
  • Tax - Baby bonus is tax free, parental leave is taxable income
  • Effects on other payment - Cannot get Family Tax Part B while on parental leave pay
  • Still birth or infant death - Baby bonus can be paid as a lump sum, but parental leave pay cannot
26
Q
  1. What is the payment of a parenting payment dependent upon (eligibility criteria)?
A

Eligibility depends on domestic marital status, child age (ceases age 6 if partner, or 8 if single) and income / assets test.

27
Q
  1. What eligibility criteria is applicable to Newstart allowance?
A
  • Must be an Australian citizen or permanent legal resident of Australia and be in Australia when claiming payment.
  • Or meet special conditions apply to New Zealanders.
  • And newly arrived residents must wait 2 years or be given refugee or humanitarian status.
28
Q
  1. There are a number of different factors which affect the availability of Newstart allowance, what are they?
A
  • Looking for paid work
  • Registered as being unemployed with Centrelink
  • Over 22 years of age and under Age Pension age
  • Prepared to enter an activity agreement
  • able to satisfy the activity test.
29
Q
  1. For Newstart, a person can satisfy the activity test if they do what?
A
  • Demonstrate that you are actively looking for suitable paid work
  • Accept suitable work offers
  • Attend all job interviews
  • Agree to attend approved training courses or programs
  • Never leave a job, training course or program without a good reason
  • Complying with other requirements of Centrelink
30
Q
  1. What are the waiting periods for Newstart and/or the Sickness allowance?
A

The ordinary waiting period is 1 week for both, but this is subject to the IMP.

31
Q
  1. What is the IMP?
A

It is the income maintenance period and ensures that people who are able to be financially self reliant will support themselves before being granted an allowance. IMP includes leave payments paid to the employee and start on the day the payment was made and finish when it is used up.

32
Q
  1. What is the liquid assets waiting period?
A

The LAWP also affects the Newstart allowance and is to encourage people with sufficient funds to support themselves for their initial period of unemployment. It is a waiting period calculated based on level of assets held.

33
Q
  1. How long is the Liquid Assets Waiting Period
A

Between 1 and 13 weeks. For singles with no dependents the waiting period is required for assets over $5 and the full 13 weeks for those over $12K, and for partnered people or with dependents, it is required for assets over $11K and requires the full 13 weeks for assets over $23K

34
Q
  1. What is included within liquid assets for the purpose of calculating LAWP
A
  • Cash on hand
  • Shares, debentures and term deposits
  • Other money available on short notice
  • 10 year insurance bonds
  • payments expected from the last paid employment
  • amounts deposited or lent to banks
35
Q
  1. In considering youth allowance what does independent mean and why is it important?
A

It means that you are independent from your parents and in which case their income and assets will not affect your eligibility.

36
Q
  1. Whether or not a person can claim an age pension in Australian depends on what factors?
A
  • Age

* How long they have lived in Australia

37
Q
  1. What are the basic amounts of age pension for a single person and for a couple?
A

$751.70 - Single
$1,133.20 - Couple
If they are separated due to ill health, they can each get the single rate.

38
Q
  1. What are the main differences between a Veterans’ service pension and the age pension?
A
  • Member of the forces
  • May be qualified for earlier than the age pension
  • If they don’t qualify for a Veterans’ service pension, but in receipt of a veteran’s disability pension, they may also be able to claim the age pension.
39
Q
  1. Who is eligible for the pension bonus scheme?
A

Those who qualified for the age pension prior to 20 September 2009 and have stayed in the work force. No new registrations for the bonus can be accepted after 1 Mar 2014.

40
Q
  1. What is the maximum amount of bonus payable for a single and partnered person (each)?
A

For working an additional 5 years (the maximum period of the bonus), a single person may receive $47,242 and a married person $35,713.

41
Q
  1. How many hours must you work to be eligible for the pension bonus scheme?
A

960 hours of paid work in the year.

42
Q
  1. What is the amount of Pension bonus scheme bonus amount dependent on?
A
  • whether you are single or a member of a couple
  • the amount of basic age pension you are entitled to
  • the length of time you have been an accruing member of the PBS
  • date of registration and date one qualified for the penison.
43
Q
  1. What are two common rebates or offsets available to pensioners?
A

Pensioner tax offset

Low income tax offset

44
Q
  1. What other entitlements exist for age pensioners?
A
  • Pensioner concession card

* Commonwealth Seniors Health Card

45
Q
  1. What does the pensioner concession card help save money on?
A
  • prescription drugs on the PBS
  • free hearing aids
  • free optometry consultations
  • reduced fares on interstate rail travel
  • discounted postal redirection
  • telephone allowance
  • public transport fares
  • property and water rates
  • gas and electricity bills
  • motor vehicle registration.
46
Q
  1. When would a person get a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and what does this provide concessions on?
A

Some retirees are not eligible for the age pension benefit can access this card:

  • low cost prescription drugs under the PBS
  • hearing aid concessions
47
Q
  1. To qualify for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, what criteria must be met?
A
  • be of pension age
  • be in Australian and be an Australian resident
  • have annual income below the $50K individual or $80K couple.