5.1.3 Requirements of a claim for DAPP

Introduction

A claim for DAPP must:

• be made in the form approved and the manner required by Centrelink for a DAPP claim
• contain any information required by Centrelink, and
• be accompanied by any documents required by Centrelink.

Essential information to determine the claim, such as the actual DOB or date of placement where known, the claimant's work history, income and Australian residency details, are required in the claim.

Nominated start date

A claim for DAPP must state a specific date (the nominated start date) which is the first day of the period for which the claimant wants to be paid DAPP (DAPP period (2.3.8)).

The nominated start date must be on or after:

• if the claim is made before the child is born or adopted - the expected DOB or the expected date of placement
• if the claim is made after the child is born - the child's actual DOB or actual date of placement.

To receive the full amount of DAPP, the nominated start date must be no later than 14 days before the child's first birthday or the first anniversary of the child's placement as part of the process of adoption.

While the DOB of the child is a specified date for this purpose, stating '6 months after the birth of the child' is not nominating a specific date.

Before a payability determination is made on the claim for DAPP, the claimant may change his or her nominated start date (the old date) by notifying Centrelink of the new nominated start date.

If a payability determination is made that DAPP is payable to the claimant, the claimant may only change his or her nominated start date by notifying Centrelink before the old date, of the new nominated start date.

Expected or actual DOB or day of placement

A claim for DAPP for a child must specify the child's expected DOB or, if made after the child is born, the child's actual DOB. Similarly, for an adopted child, a claim must specify the expected, or actual, day of placement of the child.

TFN statement

The claim for DAPP must contain a TFN statement. To satisfy this requirement the claimant must provide one of the following statements:

• if the claimant has a TFN and knows what it is, the TFN statement must be included in the claim
• if the claimant has a TFN but does not know what it is, the claim must include a statement that the claimant has asked the Commissioner of Taxation to inform the claimant of the TFN, and authorisation to the Commissioner of Taxation to provide the claimant's TFN to Centrelink, or
• if the claimant does not have a TFN at the time of the claim, the claim must include a statement that the person has applied for a TFN, and authorise the Commissioner of Taxation to
  • provide the TFN to Centrelink, or
  • advise Centrelink if the application for a TFN is refused, or
  • advise Centrelink if the application for a TFN has been withdrawn by the claimant.

TFN information is required to allow the remission of tax withholdings to the Commissioner of Taxation.

Note: Declining to provide a TFN statement is not an offence, but a claimant may not be paid DAPP if they decide not to provide this information.