Change in relationship status
If an applicable parent enters or ends a relationship, this can affect who is considered an applicable parent for the Parental Assistance Test. When this happens, MSD may review the young person's Jobseeker Support Student Hardship to determine if they still qualify.
Applicable parent enters relationship
When an applicable parent enters a relationship, their new partner becomes the young person's step parent. This means the step parent may be considered an applicable parent. Whether the step parent is an applicable parent depends on:
- who the other applicable parent is (if any) and
- whether the young person has a Parental Support Gap with the new step parent
If the step parent is an applicable parent, their income must be assessed for the Parental Income Test to determine if the young person qualifies for Jobseeker Support Student Hardship.
Applicable parent ends relationship
When an applicable parent ends a relationship, this will only affect the Parental Assistance Test if:
- the person they separated from was an applicable parent
- that applicable parent was a step parent of the young person and
- the young person has another step parent that they do not have a Parental Support Gap with
In this situation, the other step parent must have their income assessed for the Parental Income Test to determine if the young person continues to qualify for Jobseeker Support Student Hardship.
Young person does not qualify for Jobseeker Support Student Hardship
If the young person stops qualifying because of the change, their Jobseeker Support Student Hardship must be cancelled if they are single or in a relationship and are the primary client. If they are included in another client's benefit as a partner, they must be excluded.
For more information see:
Legislation
- Discretionary review of entitlement to, or rate of, benefit granted subpart 3 part 6, Social Security Act 2018
- Jobseeker support: parental income requirement sections 23A to 23I Social Security Act 2018
