28-day rule for clients with an initial stand down

When clients apply for Emergency Benefit within 28 days of their entitlement date, the commencement date rules are different when the equivalent benefit is:

• Sole Parent Support
• Supported Living Payment
• Jobseeker Support on the grounds of health condition, injury, or disability
• Jobseeker Support granted to a sole parent
• Jobseeker Support granted to a client who has recently lost the financial support of their partner due to death, commenced living apart (including imprisonment), or ending of a de facto relationship
• Youth Payment
• Young Parent Payment

For these clients, the commencement date is the day after the initial stand-down ends.

This means, in some situations, MSD can commence a benefit from a date earlier than the application date.

If the application is not received within 28 days, MSD cannot backdate the commencement date.

Note the 28-day rule only applies to clients who have an initial stand down imposed.