3.2.3.60 Notification & recipient obligations for YA

Notifiable events for YA

In addition to the common notifiable events, YA recipients must notify Centrelink within the 14 day notification period, if any of the following events occur, or are likely to occur:

• changing activity
  • starting or discontinuing a course of study, OR
  • not enrolling in a course as a continuing student by the end of the enrolment period, OR
  • not beginning the course on the first day it is offered, OR
  • changing study workload, OR
  • changing enrolment in the course
• is no longer a full-time Australian Apprentice (1.1.A.324), OR
• if the young person has received/is receiving a disqualifying scholarship (1.1.D.233), relocation scholarship, ABSTUDY SSL, a student start-up or relocation scholarship under the MRCA, or a student start-up scholarship or relocation scholarship from DVA, OR
• if personal and partner assets exceed the assets value limit for independent YA recipients, OR
• starting full-time work, OR
• the young person is taken into lawful custody, OR
• parents' circumstances change
  • if parental income is likely to exceed 125% of the appropriate tax year income and 125% of the applicable income free area, OR
  • a parent takes a new partner.

Common provisions

Some notification and recipient obligations are common to MOST payments, and further explained in 3.1. Some of the common provisions include:

• the person or their partner
  • starts work, OR
  • is paid income from employment, OR
  • receives any money from investments, OR
  • changes investments, OR
  • has a change in their assets, OR
  • receives compensation, or claims compensation, OR
  • receives money from a superannuation or roll-over fund, OR
  • receives any other money, OR
  • receives any leave payments, OR
  • has a child under 16 come into their care, OR
  • has a child under 16 leave their care, OR
  • is imprisoned, OR
  • are intending to go overseas, for any period, OR
  • have been overseas, OR
• the person
  • starts living with a partner, OR
  • separates from their partner, OR
  • starts a rehabilitation program, either private or with the Commonwealth rehabilitation program, OR
  • applies for, or starts to receive ABSTUDY or another allowance.

Reporting methods

A YA recipient can be required to give information to Centrelink in one or both of 2 different ways. The first way is that all recipients are required to report if a specified event or circumstance change occurs or is likely to occur, notification reporters (1.1.N.126). The second way is that some recipients are also required to give a statement about a specified matter, and sometimes to give a separate statement for each of several specified periods, statement reporters (1.1.S.350). All YA recipients who have employment income, or whose partner has employment income (if relevant), are required to be statement reporters and generally need to report their income fortnightly (excluding those listed in 1.1.S.350).

Statement reporters

YA job seekers and early school leavers (1.1.E.05) are usually required to lodge a Reporting Statement on a specified day each fortnight to allow their continued payability to be assessed. These forms require answers to questions regarding salient issues. A YA recipient who is a statement reporter, may be allowed to lodge their Reporting Statements at intervals other than fortnightly in certain circumstances. This is known as variable reporting.

Before a YA recipient can be placed on variable reporting, the Secretary must be satisfied that:

• the person may be reasonably expected to satisfy the qualification requirements of YA, AND
• it is reasonable to expect that YA will be payable to the person for the period, AND
• the person will comply with the Act during the period.

Detail on the factors to consider when determining whether a NSA recipient may qualify for variable reporting is available at 3.2.1.80. Where applicable, these factors should also be considered when determining whether to place a YA recipient on variable reporting.

Late lodgement of statements

If a recipient is late in lodging their Reporting Statement, YA may be cancelled, UNLESS there are special circumstances that justify the late lodgement.

Exemption from personal lodgement of statements

YA job seekers and early school leavers should personally lodge their Reporting Statements where they can reasonably be expected to do so. Recipients may do so through a range of methods including, online, using the Express Plus mobile, over the phone or in person.

In certain circumstances, a personal lodgement exemption may be granted and a Reporting Statement may be lodged by post, faxed or lodged by another person on the person's behalf.

A person may be exempted from personal lodgement if the:

• person resides in an area remote from a Centrelink office
• travelling time involved is generally in excess of one and a half hours each way by public or private transport
• person is receiving bereavement payment
• person is attending a Centrelink approved training course
• person is participating in an approved activity as part of their Job Plan and the activity coincides with their due-to-lodge date
• person is working part-time or casually on their due-to-lodge date
• person lodges a medical certificate indicating a period of temporary incapacity, or
• cost of attending a Centrelink office exceeds 10% of the maximum basic payment each fortnight.