Decision guidelines - sole parents

When a sole parent Supported Living Payment client is imprisoned it is important that financial assistance is available to support any dependent children and that the patient is receiving full-time care and attention for Supported Living Payment (caring for a person).

While Supported Living Payment should generally be stopped when the client is imprisoned, there is discretion for payment to be continued and paid to the person who is caring for the client's dependent children and the patient for Supported Living Payment (caring for a person).

To help you decide whether it is reasonable to pay the Supported Living Payment while the client is in prison, you should consider the following:

• has the period in prison already passed
• is the client due to be released from prison shortly
• is the likely period in prison less than twelve months
• will the children return to the client's care on their release from prison
• has the temporary caregiver ceased work to care for the children and patient (for Supported Living Payment - caring for a person)
• has the temporary caregiver lost entitlement to their own benefit due to having to care for the children and patient (for Supported Living Payment - caring for a person)

For further help you can contact Helpline to discuss the circumstances before you make your decision.

For more information see:

• Temporary caregiver
• Rate of payment - sole parents
• Examples - sole parents
• Remanded in custody
• Sole parents