Scenario 1
Natalie is on compulsory income management and lives in Tennant Creek. During Natalie's interview to move to new income management Natalie tells Centrelink she would like to take part in the Matched Savings Payment initiative. Centrelink refers Natalie to your money management service, which is the closest operating money management service to Natalie's home. Natalie rings your service and you tell her that you have a course due to start in five days. You explain to Natalie that the course has three components, the registration, course reading materials and the face-to-face sessions. Natalie says she wants to register. You advise Natalie that you will send details of her course registration date, reading materials and face-to-face session dates and times. You send these details on the day that Natalie registers for your course.
During the initial conversation you ask Natalie whether she needs help to start her savings pattern before the course begins. Natalie says that Centrelink gave her some information on this, so she is confident she can start saving by herself.
Natalie completes her course in the 13 week qualifying savings period, saves $500, provides evidence of her savings pattern and her course Certificate of Completion to Centrelink who then determine that she meets all requirements for the Matched Savings Payment and her savings are matched. You offer to continue to help Natalie with her budgeting and savings plans, but Natalie tells you that she does not feel the need to continue to use your services at this stage, but says she is glad that she knows that you are there to help if she needs it.
Scenario 2
Sam is on compulsory income management and lives in Imangara (Ali Curung). During Sam's interview to move onto new income management he tells Centrelink that he is not interested in the Matched Savings Payment initiative. After talking to other family members who are already taking part, Sam decides he will give it a go. Sam rings your service, because it is his closest money management service. You advise Sam that he can access your outreach service, but your next course is not available for five weeks. You explain to Sam that the course has three components, the registration, course reading materials and the face-to-face sessions. Sam advises that he wants to register. You tell Sam that you will send details of his course registration date, reading materials and face-toface session dates and times. Sam says that he is unsure how to start his savings pattern. You make arrangements to meet with Sam on your next outreach visit in three weeks time to help him get started.
Sam completes the course in 13 weeks but has only saved $80 dollars. You explain to Sam that he can only access the Matched Savings Payment once, and if he has his $80 matched now he will not be able to apply for any further savings to be matched. Sam decides to keep on saving. After six months Sam has saved $300. Sam provides evidence of his savings pattern and course certificate to Centrelink who determine that he meets all requirements for the Matched Savings Payment and his savings are matched. You offer to continue to work with Sam as he is in the process of applying for a no interest loan to buy a new television. Sam is confident that he can budget to cover the loan repayments.
Scenario 3
Jean is on compulsory income management and lives in Bulman. Jean decides that she wants to take part in the Matched Savings Payment initiative and is referred to your service, as it is the nearest to her home. You deliver services to Jean's community through an outreach program. Jean calls your service and you tell her that your next available course is not due to start for another 10 weeks. You explain to Jean that the course has three components, the registration, course reading materials and the face-to-face sessions. Jean advises that she wants to register. You advise Jean that you will send details of her course registration date, reading materials and face-to-face session dates and times, which you post to her on the day she registers.
You offer to help Jean to start her savings pattern while she is waiting for the face-to-face session to start, but Jean says she has already started saving because she had heard about the Matched Savings initiative from her sister who has already completed an approved money management course. You tell Jean that her savings period will start on the day she registered for the course, so any savings she already has can't be counted when Centrelink work out how much of her savings they can match.
On the day before Jean's face-to-face session you learn that there was a death in her community. Your service is forced to cancel the sessions. As the next time you can visit Jean's community to deliver the sessions will be in four weeks time, you offer for Jean to attend a course in the next closest location. Jean says that the alternative location does not suit her and that she will wait for four weeks for her face-to-face session. You tell Jean that she will not be able to have her savings amount matched at the end of the 13 week minimum period as she will not yet have completed her approved money management course. Jean says that she is happy with this as she does not expect to reach her savings goal amount of $500 for another three months. Jean continues to use your service during regular outreach visits.
During one of Jean's regular visits you inform her of other financial products that she might be interested in. Jean says she is interested in applying for a No Interest Loan Scheme [NILS] loan to get a new fridge because her old one is on the blink. Jean is confident that she can make the repayments. You help Jean to apply for a NILS loan. Jean is successful and is now the proud owner of a new fridge. Jean continues to use your service during regular outreach visits.
Scenario 4
Dan is on compulsory income management and lives in Kalano. During Dan's interview to move to new income management he tells Centrelink he would like to take part in the Matched Savings Payment initiative. Centrelink provides Dan with information about the initiative and refers Dan to your service, which is his closest operating money management service. Dan visits your service and you tell him that the next available approved money management course starts in two weeks. You explain to Dan that the course has three components, the registration, course reading materials and the face-to-face sessions.
Dan advises that he wants to register. You send Dan a package with details of his course registration date, reading materials and his face-to-face session dates and times. You also offer to help Dan to start his savings pattern, and Dan says that he needs help to set up an Internet banking account for his savings.
Dan does not turn up to his face-to-face sessions because he has moved to Darwin. After five months in Darwin, Dan visits another money management service and registers and completes their approved money management course over a five week period. As Dan has already saved $500 he goes straight to Centrelink with his evidence of his savings pattern and course certificate of completion so that he can apply to get his Matched Savings Payment. Centrelink determines that Dan has not met all the requirements to receive the payment as he has not completed his minimum 13 week qualifying savings period. Dan thought that he would be able to use his registration date with your service as his commencement date, however as he did not complete all components of the course with your service, his registration date with the other service is his actual commencement date for his 13 week qualifying savings period. Dan had to save for a further eight weeks to meet all requirements and then re-apply to Centrelink for his Matched Savings Payment.
Disclaimer
These scenarios are fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons or organisations is coincidental.
The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide. The information is accurate as at August 2010. If you use this publication after, please check with FaHCSIA that it is correct.