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Emergency Maintenance Allowance : Contents

Mandatory Review dates for Emergency Maintenance Allowance

MSD must review a client's Emergency Maintenance Allowance within 52 weeks of the commencement date of the benefit, or within 52 weeks from when the client's last Mandatory Review was completed.

A future Mandatory Review date will only be set if the expiry date for the Emergency Maintenance Allowance is more than 52 weeks. The next Mandatory Review date will be set 52 weeks from the date MSD determined the client continues to qualify for Emergency Maintenance Allowance and the rate of benefit payable (if applicable) i.e. when MSD completes the review.

Note when MSD has an interaction with a client that confirms all of the same circumstances as a Mandatory Review, this can push out the client’s Mandatory Review date by 52 weeks. This is known as a specific engagement.  

Initial Mandatory Review dates

Benefit commencement date

Mandatory Review dates

Benefit commenced before 2 March 2026

Clients whose Emergency Maintenance Allowance commenced before 2 March 2026 will have their initial Mandatory Review either:

  • 52 weeks from the commencement date of the benefit

or

  • 52 weeks from when their last periodic review was completed

or

  • 52 weeks from when MSD last contacted the client to confirm if the information MSD holds about their circumstances is correct (annual circumstances letter).

Whichever date is later.

Benefit commenced on or after 2 March 2026

If a client's Emergency Maintenance Allowance commenced on or after 2 March 2026, their initial Mandatory Review date is either:

  • 52 weeks from the commencement date of the Emergency Maintenance Allowance

or

  • 52 weeks from the completion of a specific engagement.

Clients who have been notified to complete 26 week review before 2 March 2026

Clients who have an "in-flight" 26 week periodic review

On 2 March 2026, some clients will have an "in-flight" 26 week periodic review and will still need to complete this.

This only applies to clients who have already been notified about the 26 week review before 2 March 2026.

Their initial Mandatory Review is set for 52 weeks from when their 26 week periodic review was completed.

For more information see:

Legislation

  • Beneficiary must notify change of circumstances section 113 Social Security Act 2018
  • Mandatory review of entitlement to, or rate of, specified benefit granted subpart 3A part 6, Social Security Act 2018
  • Provisions relating to the Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Act 2025 part 12 schedule 1, Social Security Act 2018
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