Hi Lyndal
We try to run our verification twice a year, once in October prior to extracting the November instalment print data and the second in June, prior to the rates and charges notice print data.
The OLG says in the Rating and Revenue Raising Manual – Councils should confirm the eligibility of pensioners with Centrelink as to the actual date of service of the annual rates and charges notice. The council may conduct the check against the Centrelink files etc. at a time prior to the effective date for determining eligibility under the Act. Some councils do this in order to informally advise applicants that their application appears to generally meet the eligibility criteria.
The AO has been making noises during our audit, they have signed off our claim without issue, but I suspect there will be something in their management letter as we only did one full verification during 2023-24. There were around 250 pensioners that did not verify, most of them had a reason and on re-application they confirmed eligible.
Please let me know the outcome of the audit, and if others are having similar issues.
Regards,
Andrew
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