Outcomes of a Mandatory Review

Clients must respond to their Mandatory Review before their Mandatory Review date, 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. partner has variable income)
• cancel the benefit if the client no longer qualifies

The Mandatory Review is complete when MSD makes a decision about the client's eligibility for Supported Living Payment and the rate of benefit payable (if applicable).

MSD may also carry out a separate review of the Supported Living Payment at any time, where there is good reason.

When a client responds to their Mandatory Review and confirms they have had no change in circumstances, MSD must generally continue their Supported Living Payment 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 Supported Living Payment e.g. the client has had no change to their declared income amount for three consecutive years.

When a client responds to the Mandatory Review with a change in circumstances, MSD must use the information provided to determine if the client continues to qualify for Supported Living Payment, or any other benefits they get that are subject to a Mandatory Review (excluding Orphan's Benefit and Unsupported Child's Benefit) and the rate payable.

MSD can request further information from the client where it's unclear whether the client continues to qualify for Supported Living Payment.

Date of change

When a client declares a change in circumstances, MSD must assess if the client still qualifies for Supported Living Payment 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 the client has provided information as part of the Mandatory Review that could affect their entitlement to or the rate payable of 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 Supported Living Payment, their Temporary Additional Support must be reviewed, and the rate may change or stop if they no longer qualify.

If further information is needed to determine if the client continues to qualify for Supported Living Payment or that the rate of payment is correct, MSD must give a reasonable timeframe for the client to provide it.

The date the client is given to provide the information by becomes the client's new deadline to respond to the Mandatory Review. If the client does not provide the information that was asked for before the deadline, MSD must suspend the Supported Living Payment from the new deadline date.

If the client provides the information that was asked for and MSD determines the client continues to qualify for Supported Living Payment (including the rate payable), the future Mandatory Review date is 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 change in circumstances and this doesn't affect the client's eligibility for Supported Living Payment, e.g. the client has declared a new cost.

Example 1

Davey is getting Supported Living Payment and has a Mandatory Review for his benefit.

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

MSD completes the Mandatory Review and continues the Supported Living Payment at the existing rate as the change declared by Davey doesn't affect his eligibility for Supported Living Payment.

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

Example 2

Billy is getting Supported Living Payment and Disability Allowance and has a Mandatory Review for both.

Billy responds to the Mandatory Review to confirm their circumstances. Billy tells MSD they have a new disability cost but nothing else has changed.

MSD completes the Mandatory Review and continues the Supported Living Payment and Disability Allowance at the existing rate. MSD advises Billy that they need to provide a medical certificate from their medical or nurse practitioner to confirm the additional cost, and they must provide proof of cost to have the new cost included in their Disability Allowance.