Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

SOCIAL SECURITY ACT 1991 - SECT 514A

  (1)   If:

  (a)   a person is receiving a benefit PP (partnered); and

  (b)   the person's partner dies; and

  (c)   immediately before the deceased partner died, he or she:

  (i)   was a long - term social security recipient; or

  (ii)   was receiving a social security pension, a service pension, income support supplement or a veteran payment; and

  (d)   immediately before the deceased partner died, the surviving partner was a long - term social security recipient;

the surviving partner is qualified for payments under this Subdivision to cover the bereavement period.

Note 1:   For benefit PP (partnered) see section   18 and for long - term social security recipient see subsection   23(1).

Note 2:   Section   514B provides for the payment to the surviving partner, up to the first available bereavement adjustment payday, of amounts equal to the instalments that would have been paid to the deceased partner during that period if the partner had not died.

Note 3:   Section   514C provides for payment to the surviving partner of a lump sum that represents the instalments that would have been paid to the deceased partner, between the first available bereavement adjustment payday and the end of the bereavement period, if the deceased partner had not died.

Note 4:   For bereavement period see section   21.

  (2)   A surviving partner who is qualified for payments under this Subdivision may choose not to receive payments under this Subdivision.

  (3)   An election under subsection   (2):

  (a)   must be made by written notice to the Secretary; and

  (b)   may be made after the surviving partner has been paid an amount or amounts under this Subdivision; and

  (c)   cannot be withdrawn after the Department has taken all the action required to give effect to that election.