Child Disability Payment decision making guide

What a determination of entitlement is

Case managers are responsible for determining whether or not an individual is entitled to CDP.

CDP has two components. Each component is payable at different rates.

The components and rates of CDP are:

  • the care component (lowest, middle or highest rate)
  • the mobility component (lower or higher rate).

Case managers must determine whether an individual meets the criteria of entitlement to CDP. The criteria of entitlement refer to:

  • the residence and presence conditions, which are set out in the Residence and Presence chapter
  • age criteria, which are set out below
  • care component criteria, which are set out in the CDP Care Component - Rates and Criteria chapter
  • mobility component criteria, as set out in the CDP Mobility Criteria – lower rate and the CDP Mobility Criteria – higher rate chapters.

Individuals entitled to any of the following benefits are not entitled to CDP:

  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment (CDP regs, reg 10).

Individuals must meet the residence and presence conditions and the age criteria to be entitled to CDP.

The care component criteria only apply to entitlement to the care component of CDP. The mobility component criteria only apply to entitlement to the mobility component of CDP. This means that individuals do not need to meet the care component criteria to be entitled to the mobility component and vice versa.

A determination of entitlement to CDP consists of:

  • a decision about whether or not the individual is entitled to either or both the care and mobility components of CDP
  • if the individual is entitled to CDP, a decision about:
  1. the weekly rate of CDP they are entitled to
  2. when they will become entitled to CDP
  3. reducing the payment of the weekly rate of the care component to zero when the individual is resident in alternative accommodation for more than 28 days.

This chapter provides an overview of how and when case managers make determinations of entitlement to CDP. More detailed information on the specific aspects of making determinations are provided in linked chapters.

Case managers are required to make determinations of entitlement when they:

  • receive an application for CDP
  • are required to make a determination without application as part of a scheduled or unscheduled review
  • an individual requests a re-determination.

The rules also require a court or tribunal to make determinations of entitlement if an individual makes an appeal regarding a determination of entitlement. This chapter will focus on determinations of entitlement made by case managers (SS Act 2018, s25).

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