rental rebates manual chapter 3 income confirmation ... web viewisbn:...

Rental rebates manualChapter 3: Income confirmation service

November 2017

Revision history

Version Amended section Effective Details

1.0 November 2017 Incorporation of version control tableAccessible format

More informationTo find out about housing options visit the Housing website <http://www.housing.vic.gov.au> or contact your local Housing Office <http://www.housing.vic.gov.au/contact-a-housing-office>.

To receive this publication in an accessible format contact Housing Practice and Complex Support <[email protected]>.

Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.

© State of Victoria, Department of Health and Human Services, November 2017.

ISBN: 978-1-76069-128-8(pdf/online/MS word)

Available on the Rental rebate manual page on Services Providers website <https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/rental-rebate-manual>.

Rental rebates manual Chapter 3: Income confirmation service November 2017

https://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/rental-rebate-manual

Contents

Revision history........................................................................................................................................ 2

Definitions................................................................................................................................................. 4

Centrelink Confirmation eServices - Income Confirmation Service.....................................................5Income Confirmation and rent assessments...............................................................................................5

Income Confirmation batch file...................................................................................................................6

Income Confirmation discrepancies............................................................................................................6

Income Confirmation exceptions................................................................................................................. 6

Appendix 1................................................................................................................................................ 8IC batch mapping of Centrelink income codes to HiiP income codes.........................................................8

Appendix 2.............................................................................................................................................. 11Income conversion.................................................................................................................................... 11

Appendix 3.............................................................................................................................................. 12Centrelink payment descriptions...............................................................................................................12

Regular payments..................................................................................................................................... 12


Payment components............................................................................................................................... 14

Centrelink payment descriptions...............................................................................................................15

Payment components continued...............................................................................................................15


Other incomes reported by Centrelink......................................................................................................20

Centrelink assets...................................................................................................................................... 20


Definitions

CCeS Centrelink Confirmation eServices

ICS Income Confirmation Service

IC Income Confirmation

FRED Fixed Rent Effective Date


Centrelink Confirmation eServices - Income Confirmation Service

The Centrelink Confirmation eServices (CCeS) Income Confirmation Service (ICS) allows Centrelink to provide directly to the Department of Human Services (the Department) the client’s current or historical details of payments received, the number of dependants and percentage of care, confirmation of marital/partnered status, Centrelink deductions, income, assets and confirmation of current address.

Eligible household members who participate in the ICS do not have to submit documentation to the Department to calculate the rent.

Additional information will only be required if household circumstances change, such as the birth of a child or a person moving into or out of the property. In these circumstances, the tenant is obliged to provide required information to the Department to enable rent to be assessed.

The tenant is still required to provide income documentation for non-IC household members and complete, sign and have witnessed an ‘Application for rebated rent’ form.

Income Confirmation and rent assessmentsDuring a new tenancy sign up and throughout a tenancy, a client may provide consent for the Department to use Centrelink’s ICS to automatically assist with the assessment of their eligibility for a rental rebate.

The Department requests a record of income, asset and some household details from Centrelink for all clients in tenancies who have given consent. Income Confirmation information returned from Centrelink can be accessed for each client in the client register, under the Income Confirmation tab.1

Centrelink and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs change pensions, benefits, allowances and family payment rates at various times of the year.

The rebated rents of households receiving these payments are automatically reviewed twice a year. Household income details received via ICS are incorporated in the Automatic Fixed Rent Review to update entitlements from the next Fixed Rent Effective Date (FRED).

This process, does not provide information for household members who are not eligible to use the ICS, such as people receiving wages or a Veterans’ Affairs pension.

The following tenants are therefore required to provide other evidence of income and assets to the Department, as detailed in Chapter Two:

• Those with household members who choose not to participate in ICS, and• Those who are not in receipt of a Centrelink income (and therefore are unable to produce a hardcopy

Centrelink income statement confirming income and assets).An Automated Contact Review may be issued to these household during the fixed rent period requesting the tenant to verify household incomes.

1The table in the Appendix at the back of this chapter displays the income codes for the data received from the Centrelink IC data exchange. Note, the information received is raw Centrelink data, hence the reason why codes and descriptions are provided.


Income Confirmation batch fileErrors may occur during the income confirmation process due to:

• Centrelink no longer paying the client or are not able to provide any details for reasons that Centrelink determine, or

• Centrelink and the Department have recorded inconsistent information or because a client is deceased.2

The Department will contact clients to verify income and related information where the information needed to rectify the error is not already held by the Department.3

Income Confirmation discrepanciesA discrepancy occurs when there is a difference between the information provided by Centrelink and that held by the Department.

Income Confirmation discrepancies result due to differences with:

• Marital status• Number of dependants• Centrelink only report Family payments (there are no primary incomes to calculate rent)• Centrelink have no income to report (there are no incomes to calculate rent).

Clients with one of these discrepancies are sent a letter 4requesting that they provide updated household and income information in order to enable the correct calculation of rent.

Clients who do not respond to the letter within 28 days will have their rental rebate cancelled and will be charged full market rent at the next FRED.

Income Confirmation exceptionsExceptions are created in some instances when information is returned by Centrelink via the automatic batch process. Exceptions require manual intervention by the Department (currently at the Department’s Central Office).

There are two types of exceptions:

1. Centrelink return an unknown income code, and

2Error type 1

Unable to confirm result, for example, where a client is no longer in receipt of a Centrelink income or the client has withdrawn from income confirmation at Centrelink.

Tenancies with this error are sent an Income Confirmation Error Discrepancy Letter.

Errors can be identified by the tenancy and client action code Income Confirmation Error. The error action contains information about the type of error.

Error type 2

Incorrect Centrelink Reference Number, surname not matched, date of birth not matched, surname and date of birth not matched, customer has not consented to IC, client deceased.

Deceased Clients

See Tenancy Management Policy and Procedure.3Tenancies with Error type 2 are not sent an ‘Income confirmation error/discrepancy’ letter. The Department needs to fix the error and in some cases undertake a manual assessment. Errors need to be fixed so that the tenancy is included in the Automatic Fixed Rent Review process and the correct rent charge is applied from FRED.4HiiP generates an Income Confirmation Error Discrepancy letter to the tenant(s) in the household requesting them to provide updated household and income information in order to enable the rent to be correctly calculated. A ‘Document sent’ action code is recorded against the tenancy action history in HiiP.


2. A client is recorded in HiiP with a marital status of Not stated/Inadequately described.

Exceptions may result in an Income Verification letter being issued to the tenant(s) of the household.

If an exception is found, an action is recorded in the tenancy action history. A separate action is recorded in HiiP for each client with an exception.


Appendix 1

IC batch mapping of Centrelink income codes to HiiP income codesCentrelink components:

BASIC- the primary income amount used for rent calculation. E.g. AGEPR assessable component is $344.50 effective from 20 September 2011.

PNSUP- indicates if the income type should be recorded as a pension reform income (AGEPR) or a transitional income (AGE).

CPS- Community Development Employment Payment

CPSTC- Community Development Employment Payment- Interim Payment

FTBA- Family tax benefit part A

FTBB- Family tax benefit part B

IALL- Incentive allowance

RA- Rent assistance

WFD- Work for the dole

HiiP income code

Income description Income source

Centrelink income code

Centrelink component

Centrelink other income

ABSTY Abstudy Centrelink ABY BASIC

AGE Age Pension Centrelink AGE BASIC

AUSTY Austudy Centrelink AUS BASIC

AGEPR Age pension- pension reform Centrelink AGE BASIC and PNSUP

BLIND Blind Pension Centrelink AGB BASIC

BLIND Blind Pension Centrelink DSB BASIC

CARER Carer's Pension (transitional) Centrelink CAR BASIC

CARPR Carer Pension - Pension reform Centrelink CAR BASIC and PNSUP

CDEP Community Development Centrelink CPS

CDEP Community Development Centrelink CPSTC

COMP Compensation Centrelink COM

DSP Disability Support Pension -Transitional

Centrelink DSP BASIC

DSPPR Disability Support Pension - Pension reform

Centrelink DSP BASIC and


PNSUP

FTBA Family Tax Benefit - Part B Centrelink FTB FTBA

FTBB Family Tax Benefit - Part A Centrelink FTB FTBB

INCEN Incentive Allowance Centrelink IALL

ISAI Income Stream Annuity Income Centrelink ISA

MATAL Mature Age Allowance Centrelink NMA BASIC

NSA New Start Allowance Centrelink NSA BASIC

PARTA Partners Allowance Centrelink PTA BASIC

PPP Parenting Payment Partnered Centrelink PPP BEN

PSP Parenting Payment Single Centrelink PPS BASIC

RASST Rent Assistance Centrelink RA

SICK Sickness Allowance Centrelink SKA BASIC

SPEC Special Benefit Centrelink SPL BASIC

WFD Work for the Dole Centrelink WFD

WIDAL Widows Allowance Centrelink WDA BASIC

WIDPR Widows Pension – Pension Reform Centrelink WID BASIC and PNSUP

-

WIDOW Widows Pension Centrelink WID BASIC -

WIFE Wife of Age Pensioner Centrelink WFA BASIC

WIFE Wife of DSP Pensioner Centrelink WFD BASIC

WIFPR Wife of Age Pensioner – Pension Reform

Centrelink WFA BASIC and PNSUP

WIFPR Wife of DSP Pensioner – Pension Reform

Centrelink WFD BASIC and PNSUP

YTH Youth Allowance Centrelink YAL BASIC

DVAWD DVA payments Dept. Veterans’ Affairs

DVA

DPI Deprived Income Other DPI

INT Savings/Investment Interest Other FIN

MAINT Maintenance Payment Other MNT

OVERI Overseas Income NOT pension Other FOR

OVR Overseas Pension Other FPN

REI Real Estate Income Other REB

SELF Self Emp. Adjusted Nett Profit Other BSI

SUPER Superannuation Payments Other SUP


TCI Trust and Companies Income Other TCP

WAGES PAYE Employee Wages Other CEA

WAGES PAYE Employee Wages Other EAN


Appendix 2

Income conversionFrequency Description Conversion

(* = times by and / = divide by)

DLY Daily income amount * 7

1WE Weekly no conversion

2WE Fortnightly income amount / 2

IOP Income for One Period income amount / 2

HMT 2 Pays per Month income amount * 24 / 52

4WE 4 Weekly income amount / 4

MTH Monthly income amount * 12 / 52

8WE 8 Weekly income amount / 8

2MT Bi-Monthly income amount * 6 / 52

12W 12 Weekly income amount / 12

3MT Quarterly income amount * 4 / 52

6MT Half Yearly income amount * 2 / 52

ANN Annually income amount / 52

14P 14 Days income amount * 14 / 52

* income amount / day count * 7

* Applies only where a next regular income is to be mapped and a day count is returned. The income amount is divided by the returned number of payment days and multiplied by 7 to arrive at the weekly income amount to be stored.


Appendix 3

Centrelink payment descriptions

Regular paymentsABY ABSTUDY (no financial supplement info) (ISS)

AGE Age Pension (PEN)

AIC Assisted and Isolated children

AUS AUSTUDY Payment (no financial supplement info) (NSS)

BBY Baby Bonus Payment (FAO)

BVA Bereavement Allowance (PEN)

CAR Carer Payment (PEN)

CDA Carer Allowance (ISS)

CRI Crisis Payment (ISS)

DOP Double Orphans Pension (FAO)

DSP Disability Support Pension (PEN)

ECP Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payment (NSS)

EPA AUSTUDY Education Pension Allowance

EPE AIC Pensioner Education Supplement

EPF FACS Pensioner Education Supplement

ERP Emergency Recovery Payment

FFR Farm Family Restart (NSS)

FHS Farm Household Support (NSS)

FTB Family Tax Benefit (FAO)

MOB Mobility Allowance (ISS)

NMA Newstart Mature Age Allowance (NSS)

NSA Newstart Allowance (NSS)

PPP Parenting Payment Partnered (PGA)

PPS Parenting Payment Single (PEN)

PTA Partner Allowance (NSS)

SKA Sickness Allowance (NSS)

SPL Special Benefit (NSS)

SPP Sole Parent Pension (PEN)

WDA Widow Allowance (NSS)


WFA Wife Pension Age (PEN)

WFD Wife Pension DSP (PEN)

WID Widow Pension (PEN)

YAL Youth Allowance (NSS)


Appendix 4


Payment componentsACCMO Accommodation Expenses (ERP) – One off

ACCMP Accommodation Expenses (ERP) - Regular

ACM Accommodation

ACSP Annual Carer Supplement

ADD Additional Assistance - regular

ADDNL Additional Benefit

ADDO Additional Assistance - One off

ADD01 Add On 1

ADD02 Add On 2

ADD03 Add On 3

ADLTO Adult Expenses (ERP) - One off

ADLTP Adult Expenses (ERP) - Regular

ADU Adult

ADULT Carer Allowance Adult

AIN Additional Incidentals

AOA Assisting Older Australians

ARN Arrears Non Taxable

ART Arrears Taxable

BABP Living Allowance / Board Provider

BABS Living Allowance / Term / School Boarder

BASIC Basic payment

BEN Parenting Payment Partnered

BFC Bonus for Children

BPD Child Disability Allowance - One off

BRV Bereavement Allowance

BRVBA Bereavement Pymt - FTB Part A

BRVFB Bereavement Pymt - FTB Part A Supplement

BRVFT Bereavement Pymt - FTB Part B

BRVLF Bereavement Pymt - Large Family Supplement


BRVLS Bereavement Lump Sum Payment

BRVMU Bereavement Pymt - Multiple Birth Allowance


Payment components continuedBRVRA Bereavement Pymt - Rent Assistance

BRVSU Bereavement Pymt - FTB Part B Supplement

BULDO Building Expenses (ERP) – One off

BULDP Building Expenses (ERP) - Regular

BUSNP Business Expenses (ERP) - Regular

CARPO Carer Adjustment Payment

CDPTO CDEP Trans Arrears Payment (ERP) – One off

CDPTP CDEP Trans Arrears Payment (ERP) - Regular

CHILD Carer Allowance Child

CHLDO Child Expenses (ERP) - One off

CHLDP Child Expenses (ERP) - Regular

CJBRV Bereavement Allowance

CPR CPS Retrospective Payment

CPS Community Development Employment Payment (CDEP)

CPSTC Community Development Employment Payment Interim Payment

CRI Crisis

CSA Carer Allowance Adult

CSB Carer Allowance Both

CSC Carer Allowance Child

CSD Carer Allowance DVA

CSP Carer Supplement

DRF Drought Force Supplement

DVACP DVA Carer Bonus

DVACS DVA Carer Supplement

EAB Additional Boarding Allowance

EBB Basic Boarding Allowance

EBBO Basic Boarding Allowance / Term

EDE Distance Education Allowance

EDEP Education Entry Payment

EDEPN Education Supplement Non-Taxable (One Off)

EDSO AIC Distance Education Allowance Supplement


EEP Employment Entry Payment

EM0 Emergency Payment Zero

EM1 Emergency Payment One

EM2 Emergency Payment Two

EM3 Emergency Payment Three

EM4 Emergency Payment Four

EM5 Emergency Payment Five

EM6 Emergency Payment Six

EM7 Emergency Payment Seven

EM8 Emergency Payment Eight

EM9 Emergency Payment Nine

EPA ABSTUDY Pensioner Education Supplement

EPE AIC Pensioner Education Supplement

EPEO AIC Pensioner Education Supplement / Term

EPF FACS Pensioner Education Supplement

ESH Second Home Allowance

ESA Economic Security Strategy for CDA/ADULT payment

ESB Economic Security Strategy for CDA/BOTH payment

ESC Economic Security Strategy for CDA/CHILD payment

ESS Economic Security Strategy

EXG Ex-Gratia Payment

EXP Expenses component A for Financial Case Management

FAA Fares Allowance

FARMO Farm Expenses (ERP) One off

FBSUP FTB Supplement A

FEE Refund of Recovery Fee

FNRLO Burial Assistance Payment (ERP) One off

FTBA Family Tax Benefit Part A

FTBB Family Tax Benefit Part B

FUELO Fuel Expenses (ERP) - One off

FUELP Fuel Expenses (ERP) - Regular

FUNLO Funeral Expenses - One off

FYR Debit Amount by Financial Year

GA Guardian Allowance

GCB Grant Parents Child Care Benefit

GCP Green Corps Supplement


GST GST component for other benefits - ABSTUDY, NSS, PGA

HBMA Home Based Maintenance Allowance

HEC HECS or Course Fees

HOMEO Home Modification (ERP) - One off

HSPLO Hospital Expenses (ERP) - One off

HSPLP Hospital Expenses (ERP) - Regular

IALL Incentive Allowance paid to DSP customers who used to receive

Sheltered Employment Allowance

IMGOO Irrigation Management Grant (ERP) - One off

INC Incidentals

INSRO Insurance Expenses (ERP) - One off

JFA JET Child Care Fee Assistance

LAFHA Living Away From Home Allowance

LAW Lawful Custody

LFS Large Family Supplement

LLN Language, Literacy and Numeracy supplement

LON Pensions Loans scheme

LPGCO LPG Conversion Expenses (ERP) - One off

LPGDO LPG Dedicated Vehicle Expenses (ERP) - One off

MEA Meal Allowance

MEDLO Medical Expenses (ERP) - One off

MEDLP Medical Expenses (ERP) - Regular

MIA Maternity Immunisation Allowance (paid w/MAT)

MSP Matched Savings Scheme Payment

MUL Multiple Birth Allowance

MVA Motor Vehicle Allowance

NGJ National Green Jobs Corps

OOPKO Out Of Pocket Expenses (ERP) - One off

ONN01 ERP Payment code





ONR01 ERP Payment code

ONR02 ERP Payment code

OSEAS Overseas Add-on Payment (for Child)


OT1 One Time Payment 1

OT2 One Time Payment 2

OTN01 ERP Payment code

OTN02 ERP Payment code

OTR01 ERP Payment code

OTR02 ERP Payment code

PBB Pension Bonus Bereavement Payment

PBP Pension Bonus Scheme Payment

PBS Pension Bonus Scheme Payment

PBT Pension Bonus Top-Up Payment

PHA Pharmaceutical Allowance

PHABP Pharmaceutical Allowance / Board Provider

PHALS Pharmaceutical Lump Sum

PNINC Pension Increase

PNSUP Pension Supplement

RA Rent Assistance

RAA Remote Area Allowance

RAABP Remote Area Allowance / Board Provider

RABP Rent Assistance / Board Provider

RABS Rent Assistance / One-off / School Boarder

RCCLK Reconciliation Special Adjustment

RCP Residential Costs

REL Relocation Allowance

REPTO Repatriation Expenses (ERP) - One off

RRG FFR Re-establishment Grant - One off

RSC Relocation Scholarship

SBRBA Substitute Bereavement Pymt - FTB Part A

SBRFB Substitute Bereavement Pymt – FTB (A) Supplement

SBRFT Substitute Bereavement Pymt - FTB Part B

SBRLF Substitute Bereavement Pymt - Large Family Supplement

SBRMU Substitute Bereavement Pymt - Multiple Birth Allowance

SBBRA Substitute Bereavement Pymt - Rent Assistance

SBRSU Substitute Bereavement Pymt - FTB(A) Supplement

SCA Seniors Concession Allowance

SFA1 School Fees Allowance Group 1

SFA2 School Fees Allowance Group 2 / Fees


SFA2B School Fees Allowance Group 2 / Board

SFA2T School Fees Allowance Group 2 Boarding

SSP Special Child Care Benefit

STA School Term Allowance

SSS Student Start-up Scholarship

SUPB FTB Supplement B

SUPDA Dislocation Allowance

SUPPL GST component separately identified - PEN

TA Telephone allowance

THE Thesis Allowance

TLB Training and Learning Bonus

TPA Family Tax Payment A (Pre 2000 PYMTS)

TPB Family Tax Payment B (Pre 2000 PYMTS)

TRINC Transitional Pension Increase

TRS Training Supplement

TRSUP Transitional Pension Supplement

TRVLO Travel Expenses (ERP) One off

UAS Utility Allowance

VAPTO Visa and Passport Expenses (ERP) - One off

VEHLO Vehicle Expenses (ERP) - One off

VIP Voluntary Income Management Incentive Payment

WFD Work for the Dole

YDS Youth Disability Supplement

YDSO Youth Disability Supplement - One off


Appendix 5


Other incomes reported by CentrelinkBSI Business Income

CEA Casual Earnings

COM Compensation

DPI Deprived Income

DVA DVA payments

EAN Earned Income

FIN Financial Investments

FOR Foreign Income

FPN Foreign Pensions

ISA Income Stream/Annuities

MNT Maintenance

OGV Other Government Payment Income

OTH Other

REB Real Estate Income

SUP Superannuation

TCP Trust and Companies

Centrelink assetsBUS Business

CIS Cash/Investments/Savings

DEF Deeming Exempt Financial Investments

EXA Exempt assets

FBU Foreign Business

FOT Foreign Other

FRE Foreign Real Estate

FSP Foreign Superannuation

GBU Gifted Business

GCL Gifted Cash/Loans

GMV Gifted Motor Vehicle

GOT Gifted Other


GRE Gifted Real Estate

GTC Gifted Trust and Companies

HPE Household and Personal Effects

ISA Income Stream/Annuities

LIF Life Insurance

MIV Managed Investments

MBC Motor Vehicle, Boat and Caravan

OTH Other Assets

REB Real Estate

SHR Shares

SUP Superannuation

TAC Trusts and Companies


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