Outcomes of a Mandatory Review

Clients must respond to the Mandatory Review before their Mandatory Review date to continue getting Disability Allowance, or their payments will suspend.

When a client responds to the review, there are a number of outcomes that can occur. Once MSD has determined if the client qualifies, MSD will either:

• continue paying the benefit at the existing rate
• adjust the rate of benefit so the client is getting the correct rate
• suspend the benefit if there is no rate payable for a period (e.g. client has variable income)
• cancel the benefit if the client no longer qualifies

The Mandatory Review is complete when MSD makes a decision about if the client continues to qualify for Disability Allowance and the rate of benefit payable (if applicable).

MSD may also carry out a separate review of the Disability Allowance at any time, where there is good reason. This could be where MSD is unsure about a cost e.g. a change in pharmaceutical subsidies has happened and the client has not advised of that change.

When a client responds to their Mandatory Review and confirms they have had no change in circumstances, MSD must generally continue their Disability Allowance at the same rate.

The client's next review date will be set for 52 weeks from the date MSD completed the review.

Exceptions when a client declares no change

When a client responds to their Mandatory Review and confirms they have no change in circumstances, there are some situations when MSD can request further information from the client before deciding whether to continue Disability Allowance e.g. the client is a non-beneficiary and has no income.

When a client responds to the Mandatory Review with a change in circumstances, MSD must use the information provided to determine if the client qualifies for Disability Allowance, or any other benefits they get that are subject to a Mandatory Review (excluding Orphan's Benefit and Unsupported Child's Benefit, unless Disability Allowance is paid for the child that Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit is being paid for) and the rate payable.

MSD may request further information from the client if it is unclear if the client continues to qualify for Disability Allowance.

Date of change

When a client declares a change in circumstances, MSD will need to assess if the client still qualifies for Disability Allowance and determine the rate payable and from what date, depending on when the change in circumstances happened or will happen.

Client is also getting other assistance

When a client has provided information as part of the Mandatory Review that could affect their entitlement to or the rate payable for any other assistance (e.g. Temporary Additional Support or Flexible Childcare Assistance), MSD may use this information to review that assistance.

When the other assistance is affected by the outcome of the Mandatory Review, MSD must change the rate, suspend or cancel that assistance where appropriate.

For example, if the outcome of the Mandatory Review is that the client is no longer entitled to Disability Allowance, their Temporary Additional Support must be reviewed, and the rate may change or stop if they no longer qualify.

When a client has responded to the review and further information is needed to determine if the client continues to qualify for Disability Allowance or if the rate of payment is correct, MSD must give a reasonable timeframe for the client to get the information.

The date the client is given to provide the information by will become the client's new deadline to respond to the Mandatory Review. If the client doesn't provide the information that was asked for before the deadline, MSD must suspend the Disability Allowance from the new deadline date.

If the client provides the information that was asked for and MSD determines the client continues to qualify for Disability Allowance (including the rate payable), the next Mandatory Review date will be set 52 weeks from the date MSD completed the review.;

In some circumstances MSD can still complete the Mandatory Review when a client has declared a new costs and this does not affect the client's eligibility for Disability Allowance.

Example 1

Jennifer is getting Disability Allowance (non-beneficiary) and has a Mandatory Review for this assistance.

Jennifer responds to the Mandatory Review to confirm her circumstances. She tells MSD she has a new disability cost but nothing else has changed.

MSD completes the Mandatory Review and continues the Disability Allowance at the existing rate. MSD advises Jennifer that she needs to provide a medical certificate from her medical or nurse practitioner to confirm the additional cost, and she must provide receipts or invoices to have the new cost included in her Disability Allowance.

Example 2

Denzel is getting an Emergency Benefit and Disability Allowance and has a Mandatory Review for both.

Denzel responds to the Mandatory Review to confirm his circumstances. Denzel tells MSD he now has accommodation costs but nothing else has changed.

MSD completes the Mandatory Review and continues the Emergency Benefit and Disability Allowance at the existing rate. The change declared by Denzel doesn't affect his eligibility for the Emergency Benefit or Disability Allowance.

Denzel can apply for Accommodation Supplement based on his new accommodation costs. This application is separate to the Mandatory Review.