Principles of choosing a review period

Awards of disability assistance do not have a fixed end date after which an individual has to re-apply. As all our awards are ongoing, most awards will be reviewed to ensure that the individual continues to receive the right amount of assistance.  You should schedule the review for a time where it is most likely that the individual’s needs will have changed.

Generally, review periods range between 2 and 10 years. Some conditions or their impact on the individual are likely to in the short to medium term, so a shorter review period (i.e., 2 to 5 years) may be appropriate to ensure that the individual remains on the correct rate of ADP in the future.

For conditions unlikely to see significant changes in overall impact, this might suggest a longer period between reviews (i.e. 5 to 10 years) may be appropriate. You should also consider other factors that may impact on the individual’s level of need to determine what review period would be appropriate.

For some individuals who are on the enhanced rate of both the daily living and the mobility component and whose needs are highly unlikely to decrease, even a long review period might be inappropriate [ADP Regs, reg. 37]. These individuals might benefit from an indefinite award (award without review period).

Individuals who have a terminal illness will not have a scheduled review of their entitlement.

In all other instances, when making a determination of entitlement for Adult Disability Payment, you must choose to do one of the following:

• set a review date that is appropriate for the individual’s circumstances
• not set a review date, as it is highly unlikely that the individual’s circumstances will change1. Awards without a review date are called 'indefinite awards'

Small changes in the individual’s condition might make a significant difference to their overall level of entitlement for Adult Disability Payment, depending on the score for each activity awarded by the case manager for the daily living and mobility components. This should not prevent a case manager from setting a longer review period, as the individual is still responsible to report changes in their circumstances. This would then trigger an unscheduled review ahead of any scheduled review date. 

You should factor in time for recovery and adjustment. For example, if the individual has surgery planned for the near future which is expected to impact their level of need, a review at a point following the anticipated recovery period after surgery might be appropriate. Depending on the condition and treatment or surgery, the length of the recovery period will differ. For more information refer to the guidance on planned treatment or surgery.

Individuals do not need a formal diagnosis of their condition or disability that causes their needs, for those needs to be relevant to their entitlement.

The start date of any review period must always be the date of the determination, rather than the date of the application. For example, an individual applies for Adult Disability Payment on 15 April 2024. You make a determination of entitlement on 20 October 2024 and set a review period of five years. The individual’s next review will be on 20 October 2029.

You must justify your review period or indefinite award decision in the individual’s decision letter, including setting out to the individual any specific updates we are likely to need at their next scheduled review to make a determination.