SOCIAL SECURITY (ADMINISTRATION) ACT 1999 - SECT 81A Rate reduction determination for non - compliance with notice relating to rent assistance

SOCIAL SECURITY (ADMINISTRATION) ACT 1999 - SECT 81A

  (1)   Without limiting section   81, if:

  (a)   an amount of rent assistance is being added to a person's maximum basic rate of social security payment; and

  (b)   the person has been given:

  (i)   a notice under section   67 or 68 that requires the person to give the Department a statement; or

  (ii)   a notice embodying a requirement under Division   1 of Part   5; and

  (c)   any statement, information or document required by the notice relates to:

  (i)   whether the person qualifies for rent assistance; or

  (ii)   the amount of the person's rent assistance; and

  (d)   the person does not comply with the requirement of the notice;

the Secretary may determine that the person's rate of social security payment is to be reduced by not adding the amount of rent assistance to the person's maximum basic rate.

  (2)   The determination must also specify the new rate of social security payment.

  (3)   Subsection   (1) does not authorise the Secretary to make a determination if:

  (a)   another provision of the social security law provides that the rate at which the social security payment is payable to the person is to be reduced by not adding the amount of rent assistance to the person's maximum basic rate; and

  (b)   the determination would take effect at or after the time at which the reduction referred to in paragraph   (a) would take effect.