2.1.3.10 FTB immunisation requirements

Summary

Immunisation requirements described below apply to FTB children as per the age appropriate National Immunisation Program childhood schedule (birth to 4 years), for all children aged under 20 years. Where a child does not meet the immunisation requirements, the FTB child rate will be reduced for each day during an FTB child rate reduction period (1.1.F.58). The FTB child's immunisation status is assessed using the detailed rules against antigens and diseases required for an age-based schedule. Based on immunisation information forwarded to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), an assessment is made to determine if an individual is due, not due or overdue for immunisation at any given point in time. If found to be overdue, they will remain as overdue and not meeting the FTB immunisation requirements until the requirements have been met.

Note: From 1 July 2012 to 31 December 2015, immunisation requirements were assessed in the income years in which the FTB child turned 1, 2 and 5 years. For income years from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2018, where immunisation requirements are not met for a child who turned one in the relevant income year, and in each subsequent income year up to the end of the calendar year in which the child turns 19, an individual's FTB Part A end of year supplement was withheld, rather than the individual's FTB Part A child rate being reduced (8.1.2).

This topic discusses the following:

• immunisation requirements for FTB Part A
• immunisation requirements where an FTB child or individual claiming FTB dies, and
• other classes of children who have been determined to meet immunisation requirements.

Immunisation requirements for FTB Part A

From 1 July 2018, where a child does not meet the immunisation requirements as per the National Immunisation Program childhood schedule (birth to 4 years), the FTB child rate will be reduced for each day during an FTB rate reduction period.

An FTB child meets the immunisation requirements if:

• the child is immunised in accordance with the National Immunisation Program childhood schedule (birth to 4 years) or is on an approved catch-up vaccination schedule
• the child has a medical contraindication
• the child has natural immunity, or
• the Secretary has determined that the child meets the immunisation requirements (2.1.3.40).

Notification that a child meets the immunisation requirements needs to be provided to the AIR by a recognised immunisation provider (1.1.R.09). Centrelink uses information held in the AIR to check whether immunisation requirements have been met. For FTB paid by instalment for a child, Centrelink must be notified before the end of a 63 day grace period. Where an individual claims FTB for a past period, that child must be meeting immunisation requirements at the time the claim is determined by Centrelink.

Immunisation requirements where an FTB child or individual dies

If an FTB child dies, the immunisation requirements do not need to be met if the child dies before the end of the 63 day grace period or during an FTB rate reduction period.

If an individual receiving FTB dies, the individual's eligibility for FTB Part A will no longer be conditional on the FTB child meeting the immunisation requirements. However, the immunisation requirement may still apply to other individuals who are eligible for FTB Part A in relation to the child.

Other classes of children meeting immunisation requirements

Other classes of children who meet the immunisation requirements are children who are:

• participants in an approved vaccine study
• unable to be vaccinated due to temporary unavailability of a vaccine
• vaccinated overseas and have had a recognised immunisation provider certify that they acquired the same level of immunisation if the child had been vaccinated in Australia, or
• the Secretary has determined that the child meets the immunisation requirements after considering decision-making principles set out in the Family Assistance (Immunisation Principles and Vaccination Schedules) (DSS) Determination 2018 (2.1.3.40).