The Guides to Social Policy Law is a collection of publications designed to assist decision makers administering social policy law. The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to relevant legislation/policy. The information is accurate as at the date listed at the bottom of the page, but may be subject to change. To discuss individual circumstances please contact Services Australia.

Social Security Guide updates 2023

6 March 2023 (v1.304)

Page Title Details
1.1.T.47 Temporarily separated couple (RA, TAL, UA) Updated policy.
11.1.4.10 Payment nominees under income management Updated Policy.
11.1.5.10 Meeting priority needs using the BasicsCard Clarified policy.
11.1.9.20 Store licensing arrangements (deleted) Removed information.
11.1.11.90 Disbursing an income management balance where income management has been applied incorrectly Updated Act reference.
11.2 Cape York initiative Updated policy.
11.3.1 Overview of Child Protection Measure Clarified policy.
11.3.3.10 Locations that are declared child protection states & territories Updated to include legislative instruments.
11.4.1.10 Background of the VWPR Measure Updated policy.
11.4.1.20 People income managed under the VWPR Measure Updated policy.
11.4.3 Payments income managed under the VWPR Measure Clarified policy and updated Act reference.
11.5 Disengaged Youth Measure Clarified policy.
11.6 Long-term Welfare Payment Recipients measure Clarified policy.
11.7.2.10 Locations that are declared VIM areas Updated policy.
11.7.3 VIM agreement Updated policy.
11.9.3.10 Recognised state or territory authorities for the SPAR Measure Clarified policy.
12 Enhanced income management regime Updated terminology.
12.1 Overview of enhanced income management regime New chapter.
12.2 Enhanced income management regime – defined terms New chapter.
12.3 Persons subject to the enhanced income management regime New chapter.
12.4 Enhanced income management regime – receipt & use of welfare payments New chapter.
12.5 Enhanced income management regime – disclosure of information New chapter.

6 February 2023 (v1.303)

Page Title Details
1.1.P.45 Parental means test (YA) Updated Act reference.
1.1.Q.15 Qualifying Australian residence Updated definition.
3.1.15 Work bonus Updated Act reference.
3.1.15.10 Work bonus - eligibility Added note regarding the temporary change to work bonus and updated Act reference.
3.1.15.30 Work bonus - application Added note regarding the temporary change to work bonus.
3.1.15.40 Work bonus - examples of calculation of income eligible for the work bonus & work bonus income concession bank balance Added note regarding the temporary change to work bonus and updated references.
3.1.15.50 Work bonus - history Updated to reflect temporary change to work bonus income bank balance.
3.2.7.30 YA full-time students Clarified policy.
3.3.4.20 Austudy and full-time tertiary students Clarified policy.
3.4.1.10 Qualification for Age Added note regarding ceased payments.
3.5.2.40 Continuation, variation or termination of DOP Updated Act reference.
3.6.3.01 Guidelines to the rules for applying the Impairment Tables - purpose & design of the Impairment Tables New page.
3.6.3.02 Guidelines to the rules for applying the Impairment Tables - applying the Impairment Tables New page.
3.6.3.03 Guidelines to the rules for applying the Impairment Tables - information that must be taken into account in applying the Tables New page.
3.6.3.04 Guidelines to the rules for applying the Impairment Tables - information that must not be taken into account in applying the Impairment Tables New page.
3.6.3.05 Guidelines to the rules for applying the Impairment Tables - use of aids, equipment & assistive technology New page.
3.6.3.06 Guidelines to the rules for applying the Impairment Tables - selecting the applicable Impairment Table and assessing impairments New page.
3.6.3.08 Guidelines to the rules for applying the Impairment Tables - assigning an impairment rating New page.
3.7.2.40 SpB for people not residentially qualified for other payments Updated policy.
3.8.9.40 Change in circumstances during the study year for FAA Updated policy reference.
3.8.16.10 Qualification for student start-up scholarship (deleted - see 1.2.7.165) Removed information.
3.8.16.20 Payability of student start-up scholarship (deleted - see 1.2.7.165) Removed information.
3.9.1.20 Qualification for LIC Updated policy.
4.2.2 Benefits income test & limits Updated to reflect indexation.
4.2.8.10 Dependent YA - parental income test Updated examples.
4.2.8.20 Dependent YA - maintenance income test Updated maintenance income free area thresholds.
4.2.8.50 Full-time students - personal income test, limits & student income bank Updated income free area and maximum student income bank.
4.2.8.55 Full-time Australian Apprentice - personal income test, limits & Australian Apprentice income bank Updated income free area.
4.3.2.35 Income exempt from assessment - s8(11) exempt lump sums Updated list of lump sums specifically exempted under section 8(11).
4.3.9.40 Income from scholarships Updated to reflect indexation.
4.6.7.110 Notional ordinary income - person's farm used by a family member Clarified policy.
5.1.2.30 Austudy - current rates Updated rates.
5.1.7.40 Relocation scholarship - current rates Updated rates.
5.1.7.45 Student start-up scholarship - current rate (deleted - see 1.2.7.165) Removed information.
5.1.7.46 SSL - current rate Updated rate.
6.3.2 Jobseeker payment & youth allowance overpayments Clarified policy.
6.7.1.90 Miscellaneous categories of debts Clarified policy.
9.2.7 Visa subclasses 440-499 payment eligibility Updated policy.

3 January 2023 (v1.302)

Page Title Details
1.1.C.170 Clean energy advance daily rate (deleted) Removed information.
1.1.C.180 Clean energy advance top-up (deleted) Removed information.
1.1.N.126 Notification reporter Updated definition.
1.1.T.47 Temporarily separated couple (RA, TAL, UA) Updated definition.
1.2.6.10 Special benefit (SpB) - description Clarified policy.
1.2.6.30 Crisis payment (CrP) - description Updated to reflect cessation of national health emergency crisis payment.
1.2.12.10 Clean energy advance (CEA) - description (deleted) Removed information.
3.1.2.40 Newly arrived resident's waiting period (NARWP) Clarified policy.
3.1.2.43 Exemptions from the NARWP Clarified policy.
3.1.5.90 LBP example calculations - members of a couple where separated due to Illness or respite care or death of both members of a couple Updated examples.
3.1.12 Employment income nil rate period Clarified policy.
3.2.5.70 Assessment & mandatory procedures for YA, DSP & SpB - unreasonable to live at home Updated to reflect departmental name change.
3.7.2 Common situations where SpB is claimed Updated reference.
3.7.4.45 Qualification for CrP - national health emergency (NHE) Added note regarding cessation of NHE crisis payment.
3.7.4.55 Payability of CrP - remaining in the home after removal of a family member due to domestic or family violence Updated to gender neutral terminology.
3.8.13 UA - qualification & payability Clarified policy.
3.10.3.40 Payment delivery to certain pension recipients overseas Clarified policy.
3.10.4.30 Notification period for certain social security pension recipients - 28 days Clarified policy.
3.11.13.40 Suspensions, demerits & reconnection Clarified policy.
4.10.1.50 Historical employment amount (permissible child earnings) - January 1990 to present date Updated employment amount (permissible child earnings).
4.14.3.35 Special disability trusts - discretionary spending Updated discretionary spending limit.
5.1.1.20 YA - current rates Updated rates.
5.1.4.40 DOP - current rate Updated rate.
5.1.5.40 MOB - current rates Updated rates.
5.1.5.50 CA - current rate Updated rate.
5.1.7.20 PhA - current rates Updated rates.
5.1.7.110 UA - current rates Clarified policy.
5.2.1.50 Youth related payments - July 1986 to present date Updated rates.
5.2.4.60 DOP rates - October 1973 to present date Updated rates.
5.2.5.10 MOB - April 1983 to present date Updated rates.
5.2.6.50 PhA rates - 01/11/90 to present date Added rate at 1 January 2023.
5.5.2.50 Single person 22 years & over, principal carer of dependent children Updated to reflect indexation.
5.5.5 Samples of DRA rate calculations Updated to reflect indexation.
5.5.5.10 DRA, eligible for YA, income cut-off does not apply Updated to reflect indexation.
6.7.1.45 Ten per cent recovery fee on debts from false or non-declaration of income from personal exertion Clarified policy.
6.7.1.100 Overpayments under other Acts Updated to reflect legislative change.
6.7.2.10 Methods of recovery Updated policy.
6.7.2.40 Debt recovery by legal proceedings Clarified policy.
6.7.3.80 Waiver of debt on the basis of notional entitlement Clarified policy.
8.1.1.10 General claim requirements Updated policy.
8.4.3 Protection of payment Clarified policy.
8.6.4.20 Automatic cancellations & variations Updated references.
8.7 Cashless debit card program Added note regarding cashless debit card (CDC) program ending.
8.7.1 Overview of cashless debit card program Added note regarding CDC program ending.
8.7.1.10 Outline of cashless debit card program Updated to reflect legislative change.
8.7.2 Cashless debit card program - defined terms Added note regarding CDC program ending.
8.7.3 Cashless debit card program areas Added note regarding CDC program ending.
8.7.3.10 Ceduna & surrounding region Updated to reflect legislative change.
8.7.3.20 East Kimberley Updated to reflect legislative change.
8.7.3.30 Goldfields Updated to reflect legislative change.
8.7.3.40 Bundaberg & Hervey Bay Updated to reflect legislative change.
8.7.3.50 Northern Territory Updated to reflect legislative change.
8.7.3.60 Cape York Updated to reflect legislative change.
8.7.4 Participants - people subject to cashless welfare arrangements Added note regarding CDC program ending.
8.7.4.10 Becoming a participant in the cashless debit card program Updated to reflect legislative change.
8.7.4.20 Voluntary participation in cashless debit card program Updated to reflect legislative change.
8.7.5 Exiting the cashless debit card program Added note regarding CDC program ending.
8.7.5.10 Exiting the cashless debit card program New page.
8.7.5.20 Request to cease program participation New page.
8.7.6 Cashless welfare arrangement rules Added note regarding CDC program ending.
8.7.7 Community body may vary percentage of restricted & unrestricted portions Added note regarding CDC program ending.
8.7.8 Disclosure of information (cashless debit card program) Added note regarding CDC program ending.
12 Enhanced income management New part.