Information you need to know about your claim for Single Income

Information you need to know about your claim for
Single Income Family Supplement
Purpose of this payment
The Single Income Family Supplement (SIFS) is an annual payment to help eligible households
with everyday expenses.
The Single Income Family Supplement will provide assistance of up to $300 a year for families
where the main income earner earns between $68,000 and $150,000.
Who should claim this
payment
Eligible customers who are NOT in receipt of Family Tax Benefit will need to apply to receive
this payment.
Eligible customers who WERE in receipt of Family Tax Benefit (FTB) for the full financial year they
are claiming for will NOT need to apply for the Single Income Family Supplement.
If you are NOT in receipt of Family Tax Benefit you can claim the Single Income Family Supplement
online at humanservices.gov.au/centrelinkonline
Online Services
You can access your Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support Online Services through myGov.
myGov is a fast, simple way to access a range of government services online with one username,
one password, all from one secure location. To create a myGov account, go to my.gov.au
Who is eligible for
assistance
An individual is eligible for Single Income Family Supplement for each day in the relevant
financial year if the following applies:
• the individual has at least one qualifying Single Income Family Supplement child in their care
(see Eligible child on page 3 of this Information Booklet), and
• the individual is an Australian resident, a special category visa holder or the holder of one of
certain temporary visas, and they reside in Australia (see Australian residence requirements on
page 3 of this Information Booklet), and
• the individual or the qualifying child are not absent overseas recipients and are not in an
extended period of absence, and
• the person with the highest taxable income earned between $68,000 – $150,000 and the
person with the lowest taxable income (if partnered) earned less than $18,000. For more
information, see Income on page 5 of this Information Booklet.
How much will be paid
The Single Income Family Supplement is an additional payment of up to $300. The Single Income
Family Supplement is payable based on your family’s household income and the number of
days you had a qualifying child in your care and met all eligibility criteria. Your and your child’s
absences from Australia may also affect your rate. You may receive a small payment amount
depending on your circumstances. For rate calculation, see Income on page 5 of this
Information Booklet.
When can I claim
The Single Income Family Supplement can be claimed annually. You have 12 months after the
end of the financial year you are seeking payment for to lodge this claim.
For example, you have until 30 June 2015 to lodge a claim for the 2013–2014 financial year.
If there are special circumstances that prevent you from lodging your claim, for the 2013–2014
financial year by 30 June 2015, please contact us to discuss.
We will only assess your claim when your (and your partner’s, if you had one) taxable income
details are confirmed by the Australian Taxation Office. For more information on providing income
details, see Tax requirements on page 6 of this Information Booklet.
Please keep this Information Booklet.
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Definition of a partner
For the Australian Government Department of Human Services purposes a person is considered
to be your partner if you and the person are living together, or usually live together, and are:
• married, or
• in a registered relationship (opposite-sex or same-sex), or
• in a de facto relationship (opposite-sex or same-sex).
We consider a person to be in a de facto relationship from the time they commence living with
another person as a member of a couple.
We recognise all couples, opposite-sex and same-sex.
For more information
Go online humanservices.gov.au/families or call us on 132 468 and say ‘Single Income Family
Supplement’ or visit one of our Service Centres.
To speak to us in languages other than English, call us on 131 202.
Note: Call charges apply – calls from mobile phones may be charged at a higher rate.
If you have a hearing
or speech impairment
TTY service Freecall™ 1800 810 586. A TTY phone is required to use this service.
Interpreters and
translations
If you need an interpreter or translation of any documents for our business, we can arrange this
for you free of charge.
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Qualifications for the Single Income Family Supplement
Australian residence
requirements
To be eligible for the Single Income Family Supplement you must satisfy residence requirements. You must
be an Australian resident and generally, you must also be in Australia when you lodge your claim.
You are an Australian resident (as defined by the Social Security Act 1991) if you are living in Australia and
you are:
• an Australian citizen, or
• the holder of a permanent visa, or
• the holder of a Protected Special Category Visa, that is, you arrived in Australia on a New Zealand
passport and you were in Australia on 26 February 2001, or for 12 months in the 2 years immediately
before this date, or were assessed as ‘protected’ before 26 February 2004.
You are ‘living in Australia’ if Australia is your usual place of residence and Australia is where you make your
home.
When we are deciding whether you are living in Australia we will look at:
• the nature of your accommodation, and
• the nature and extent of your family relationships in Australia, and
• the nature and extent of your employment, business or financial ties with Australia, and
• the frequency and duration of your travel outside Australia, and
• any other matter we think is relevant.
You also need to have been present in Australia as an Australian resident for a period, or periods, that total at
least 104 weeks, unless you:
• arrived under a refugee or humanitarian program, or
• hold or previously held a certain visa subclass, or
• were the partner or dependent child of a former refugee or humanitarian migrant at the time they arrived
in Australia.
For more information about the conditions for payment outside Australia go to
humanservices.gov.au/paymentsoverseas
Eligible child
An eligible child is a Family Tax Benefit child or a child who would be a Family Tax Benefit child except that
the child (or someone on the child’s behalf) is receiving an ‘at home’ rate of one of the following payments:
• Disability Support Pension
• Youth Allowance
• Special Benefit
• ABSTUDY living allowance
• an education allowance under the Veterans’ Children Education Scheme, or
• Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme.
From 1 May 2014, an eligible child for the purposes of family assistance must:
• be aged 0–15 years, or
• be a young person aged 16–19* years who is in full-time secondary study leading towards a Year 12 or
equivalent qualification or who exempt from this requirement, or
• be in your care for at least 35 per cent** of the time and you must be responsible (whether alone or jointly
with someone else) for their day-to-day care, welfare and development
• be an Australian resident or New Zealand citizen living in Australia or live with the person claiming family
assistance
• not be your partner
• generally not be temporarily outside Australia for longer than 56 weeks
• not be receiving a Centrelink payment, such as Youth Allowance, or a Commonwealth Education
Supplement. Exemptions may apply for Child Care Benefit.
These eligible child requirements do not apply to claims for Parental Leave Pay.
Continued
* Note: Family Tax Benefit can be paid for a young person up to the end of the calendar year in which they turn
19 years, as long as they are in full-time secondary study.
** Note: If you care for a child less than 35 per cent of the time you may be eligible to receive Child Care Benefit and
Child Care Rebate.
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Qualifications for the Single Income Family Supplement • continued
Before 1 May 2014, an eligible child for the purposes of family assistance must:
• be aged 0–15 years, or
• be a young person aged 16–19* years who is in full-time secondary study leading towards a Year 12 or
equivalent qualification or who is exempt from this requirement, or
• be a young person aged 16–17 years who has completed Year 12 or equivalent qualification (payable up
to their 18th birthday)
• be in your care for at least 35 per cent** of the time and you must be responsible (whether alone or jointly
with someone else) for their day-to-day care, welfare and development
• be an Australian resident or New Zealand citizen living in Australia or live with the person claiming family
assistance
• not be your partner
• generally not be temporarily outside Australia for longer than 56 weeks
• have an adjusted taxable income of $14,078*** or less for the 2013–2014 financial year (this income limit
does not apply to children aged under 5 years, children under 16 years who are undertaking full-time
study or primary education and for children aged 16 years and over who are undertaking full-time
secondary study, until the end of the year in which they turn 19 years)
• not be receiving a Centrelink payment, such as Youth Allowance, or a Commonwealth Education
Supplement. Exemptions may apply for Child Care Benefit.
These eligible child requirements do not apply to claims for Parental Leave Pay.
* Note: Family Tax Benefit can be paid for a young person up to the end of the calendar year in which they turn
19 years, as long as they are in full-time secondary study.
** Note: If you care for a child less than 35 per cent of the time you may be eligible to receive Child Care Benefit and
Child Care Rebate.
***Note: You will need to pay back any family assistance you receive for a child whose income exceeds this limit in the
2013–2014 financial year.
Shared care
Shared care is when any child(ren) for whom you are claiming Single Income Family Supplement for spend
some of the time, for example weekends or school holidays, in the care of someone other than you or your
current partner (such as their other parent, if you are separated, grandparent or other carer).
If you do not have a parenting plan, court order or written agreement, or your care arrangements differ from
those specified in the plan, court order or written agreement, you will need to provide an agreed percentage
of care or an agreed care arrangement for the care period. We will verify care arrangements with the other
carer.
A care period:
• begins on the day on which the care of a child starts to be shared between 2 or more people, or the day
on which the pattern of care changes, and
• ends when there is a subsequent change in care.
To be paid any Single Income Family Supplement, you must have care of the child for at least 35 per cent of
the time.
To calculate the percentage of care for the care period, add up the number of nights the child is with you,
and convert this to a percentage of the number of nights in the period. For the purpose of Single Income
Family Supplement a person with overnight care of a child is generally regarded as having had care of the
child for that day.
For example:
Danny and Maria share care of Lewis.
They do not have a formal agreement but have an informal agreement where Lewis spends each
alternate weekend (Friday and Saturday nights) and half the school holidays with Danny, and the rest of
the time with Maria.
Half the school holidays is 6 weeks
Each alternate weekend
(42 days) +
(2 x 20 = 40 days) =
Total days in Danny’s care
82
As a percentage, 82 days divided by 365 days (the number of days in the care period, in this case the full
financial year) = 22.4%. This is rounded down to 22%.
Danny is assessed as having 22% care and Maria as having 78% care.
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Qualifications for the Single Income Family Supplement • continued
If you think the number of nights the child is in your care does not accurately reflect the amount of time you
have care, you can instead choose to tell us the total number of days and hours you have care in the care
period.
If you and the child’s other carer have agreed percentages of care, or an agreed care arrangement, then the
care percentage applied to your Single Income Family Supplement is based on your care agreement.
If you DO NOT have an agreed percentage of care, or an agreed care arrangement, then we will decide the
care percentage to be applied to your Single Income Family Supplement, based on the evidence of your care
arrangements.
Blended family
A blended family for Single Income Family Supplement is a family with 2 or more dependent children and:
• at least one of those children is a child of one member of the couple, from a previous relationship; and
• at least one of the other children is a child of this relationship or the child of the other member of the
couple from a previous relationship; and
• BOTH children are qualifying children for the Single Income Family Supplement payment.
If you would like to be assessed as a blended family, you and your partner must each have an eligible Single
Income Family Supplement child in your care for at least 35 per cent of the time.
If your family is blended you can choose:
• for one parent to be paid all the Single Income Family Supplement, or
• to split the payment between each parent at an agreed percentage.
Note: If you choose to split the payment, you and your partner will need to complete separate claim forms.
Both claims will be assessed before either of you are paid.
For example:
Mary and John have 2 children. Mary and John have a son together. John also has a daughter from
a previous relationship living with them. Mary and John have decided to split their family’s full Single
Income Family Supplement entitlement so they each receive half (50%) of it. Mary and John each
completed a Single Income Family Supplement claim form. Mary claimed for their son on her claim form
and John claimed for his daughter on his claim form.
Income
In order to be eligible for a Single Income Family Supplement payment, the main income earner’s (the
person with the highest income) taxable income must be between $68,000 – $150,000 and the secondary
income earner’s (the person with the lowest income) taxable income (if partnered) must not be more than
$18,000.
The rate of the Single Income Family Supplement payment will be determined as below:
Main income earner’s (person with the highest income) taxable income:
$68,000 and below Nil payment
$68,001 – $79,999 Paid 2.5 cents for every dollar above $68,000
$80,000 – $120,000 $120,001 – $149,999 $150,000 and above Paid maximum rate
Maximum rate reduced by 1 cent for every dollar above $120,000
Nil payment
If you are a member of a couple, the secondary income earner’s (person with the lowest income) taxable
income will affect the Single Income Family Supplement (SIFS) payment rate as below:
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$16,000 and below Nil effect
$16,001 – $17,999 SIFS rate reduced by 15 cents for every dollar above $16,000
$18,000 and above SIFS rate reduced to nil
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Qualifications for the Single Income Family Supplement • continued
Tax requirements
You (or your current or previous partner) must lodge your tax return for the financial year you are
claiming for.
We will only assess your Single Income Family Supplement claim when your (and your partner’s, if you had
one) taxable income details are confirmed by the Australian Taxation Office.
If you (or your partner) are not required to lodge a tax return you must supply the information required in the
claim form about your income.
You will need to lodge your tax return and have your income details confirmed by the Australian Taxation
Office within 12 months after the end of the financial year you are claiming for. This means you have until
30 June 2015 to lodge a tax return and have income details confirmed by the Australian Taxation Office for
the 2013–2014 financial year.
If there are special circumstances that prevent you (or your current or previous partner) from lodging tax
returns, or telling us that you are not required to lodge one, within the 12 month timeframe, please contact
us to discuss.
Privacy and your personal information
Your personal information is protected by law, including the Privacy Act 1988, and is collected by the
Australian Government Department of Human Services for the assessment and administration of payments
and services. This information is required to process your application or claim.
Your information may be used by the department or given to other parties for the purposes of research,
investigation or where you have agreed or it is required or authorised by law.
You can get more information about the way in which the Department of Human Services will manage your
personal information, including our privacy policy at humanservices.gov.au/privacy or by requesting a
copy from the department.
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Terms and Conditions for Electronic Messaging (SMS or email)
You may receive electronic messages (SMS or email) from the Department of Human Services if you provide
us with a mobile phone number or an email address.
We will only send you messages that are appropriate to your circumstances.
Where appropriate, we may send you an SMS or email instead of a letter.
Messages you may receive include (but are not limited to):
• requests and reminders to attend appointments
• requests and reminders to provide documents
• requests and reminders to provide up-to-date information
• notification of decisions
• notification of payments
• confirmation of changes to your details
• information about payments and services.
We consider that a message has been received by you once it has been sent to the service provider and has
been forwarded to your account.
Our messages will not contain your name or contact details.
Our messages will never include direct links to ANY website.
You will not be required to respond via SMS or email to any message sent by us.
If you change your mobile phone number or email address you must tell us straight away.
You should make sure personal safeguards are in place to protect yourself, your computer, and your mobile
phone against security threats.
These Terms and Conditions are subject to change without notice. Visit our website for the latest
information.
You are able to withdraw from this service at any time.
For more information visit humanservices.gov.au/electronicmessaging
Centrelink Letters Online
You can register to receive your Centrelink letters online by following the steps below:
1. Create or sign in to your existing myGov account at my.gov.au
2. Link your Centrelink services to your myGov account
3. If you have access level 3 for Centrelink services online, you will automatically start receiving your
Centrelink mail through your myGov Inbox when you successfully link
4. If you do not have access level 3, you can achieve this by answering more questions about your
Centrelink record online, or by contacting us or visit one of our Service Centres.
Subscribing to this service means you will receive most of your mail from Centrelink online. You will
continue, however, to receive some letters at your postal address, such as letters with reply paid envelopes,
paper forms that we require you to fill in and return, and some brochures that are not available online.
Alternatively once you have registered for an online account, you can download and use an Express Plus
mobile app. Express Plus allows you to subscribe to and access Centrelink letters online.
For more information about receiving Centrelink letters online visit
humanservices.gov.au/centrelinkonlineletters
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Information in other languages
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