2.8.3.10 ACCS (temporary financial hardship) - eligibility

Summary

This topic sets out the eligibility criteria for ACCS (temporary financial hardship) and covers:

• eligibility overview
• ACCS (temporary financial hardship) - temporary financial hardship circumstances
• circumstances not considered temporary financial hardship
• substantial reduction in the ability to pay child care fees.

ACCS (temporary financial hardship) eligibility overview

To be eligible for ACCS (temporary financial hardship), an individual (1.1.I.90) must:

• be eligible for CCS
• be assessed as experiencing temporary financial hardship, for circumstances that occurred no more than 6 calendar months before the application is made, and
• have had a substantial reduction in their ability to pay child care fees as a direct result of the temporary financial hardship.

ACCS (temporary financial hardship) - temporary financial hardship circumstances

The circumstances in which an individual can be taken to be experiencing temporary financial hardship are:

• the death of a partner (1.1.P.30) or child of the individual
• a loss of employment of the individual, or a partner of the individual, other than due to resignation or retirement
• a loss of income (1.1.I.20) or business failure of the individual, or a partner of the individual, due to circumstances outside of the control of the individual or of the partner (such as serious illness)
• a loss of income of the individual, due to the death of a former partner, where the former partner was providing ongoing financial assistance in relation to the child under child support arrangements
• the individual, or a partner of the individual, being adversely affected by a major disaster event
• the destruction of, or severe damage to, the home of the individual, or of a partner of the individual
• the individual having to leave home, and not being able to return because of an extreme circumstance (such as domestic violence)
• the individual still living at home after being subjected to domestic violence by a family member who has left or has been removed from the home.

These circumstances need to have occurred within 6 months of the date of application for ACCS (temporary financial hardship) and resulted in a substantial reduction in the individual's ability to pay for child care fees.

An individual can nominate one or more circumstances that has led to their overall situation of temporary financial hardship as long as these circumstances occurred within the last 6 months (before the application was made). An individual will receive a maximum of 13 weeks for an ACCS (temporary financial hardship) application.

More than one application can be considered for ACCS (temporary financial hardship).

Circumstances not considered temporary financial hardship

ACCS (temporary financial hardship) is designed to assist families experiencing financial hardship in response to events that are outside of their control. It is not intended for use on a continuing basis to support ongoing financial problems. When a determination for ACCS (temporary financial hardship) is made, the subsidy is limited to a maximum of 13 weeks.

Substantial reduction in the ability to pay child care fees

To be eligible for ACCS (temporary financial hardship), individuals will need to provide evidence to demonstrate there is a link between the temporary financial hardship circumstance/s they are experiencing and the substantial reduction in their ability to pay child care fees.

Some of the temporary financial hardship circumstances relate to things that may have happened to the individual, while others allow for a partner's circumstances to also be taken into account where the partner's circumstances can be expected to have a direct impact on the individual's ability to pay child care fees.