Immediate and essential needs

In order for a client to be considered for an Advance Payment of Benefit they must be able to identify a particular immediate need for an essential item or service.

In determining if a particular immediate need exists, consider:

• the effect on the client and partner or dependent children (if any) if the need is not met
• when that effect might be expected to impact on that or those persons
• the client's ability to meet the need from their own resources
• the assistance that is or might be available to the client from other sources or other Extra Help from Work and Income that may be available to the client to meet the particular immediate need
• the client's existing level of debt, and whether the rate of repayment of the proposed Advance of Benefit would be manageable considering:
• whether the reduction of the amount of benefit payable will leave enough for the client's living expenses and any other debt repayments and
• the likelihood it would cause the client to seek further advances or other Extra Help
• whether the client is likely to continue to be in receipt of the benefit for the period over which the Advance would be repayable and
• any other matters put forward by the client to justify the advance

Consideration must be given to all the circumstances and other sources of assistance available to the client.