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Item 13.7 - Attachment 1 |
Voluntary Pensioner Rebate Policy |
Council’s Voluntary Pensioner Rebate Policy
Contents
· Scope
· Purpose
· Policy
· Criteria / Qualification
· Procedure
Scope
This policy applies to any ratepayer
who qualifies for the mandatory pensioner rebate under section 575 of Local
Government Act 1993 and who has owned and continuously resided in Parramatta
Local Government District for 5 successive financial years.
Purpose
To provide an additional rate rebate
to qualifying ratepayers in the Parramatta LGA
Policy
The policy on the Voluntary Council Rate Rebate
applicable under Section 582 of the Local Government Act, 1993 is as follows:
Criteria for Rebate:
1 Only ratepayers living within the local government area are
granted rebates.
2 To qualify for the voluntary rebate a pensioner must have owned
and continuously resided on a property in the Parramatta City Council area for
at least five (5) successive financial years prior to claiming the rebate.
3 If a person becomes entitled to the proportionate mandatory
pensioner rate rebate under Section 575, then the voluntary council pensioner
rate rebate will apply at the same pro-rata percentage as the mandatory
pensioner rate rebate.
4 Regardless of how many lots of land and cottages the rate
payer owns, the council pensioner rebate will only apply to the property
occupied by the ratepayer.
5 Where a pensioner dies or sells a property, a rebate will not
be granted for the remaining full quarters of the current financial year, from
the date of death or settlement date, unless the property is jointly owned with
another eligible pensioner.
6 Where an applicant has sold part of the property and makes a
claim in respect of the part of the property retained, a separate valuation is
required before an allowance can be made.
7 Where an applicant is not shown in the Council’s records as
the owner of the property, and it is appearing in the name of a Deceased
Estate, an allowance is made to the applicant, subject to submission of a
Statutory Declaration that the applicant is the person who would pay the rates.
(The applicant does not have to be related to the deceased).
8 Where an applicant is not shown in the Council’s records as
the owner of the property, but has been granted life tenancy, an allowance is
made to the applicant upon receipt of documentation proving life tenancy, and
subject to submission of a Statutory Declaration that the applicant is the
person who would pay the rates. (This is based on who is on the will).
WHO IS ENTITLED TO A REBATE UNDER
SECTION 575
The
Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 defines “eligible pensioners” as
follows:
a) Persons who receive a pension, benefit or allowance under
Chapter 2 of the Social Security Act 1991 of the Commonwealth, or a service
pension under Part III of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 of the Commonwealth,
and who are entitled to a pensioner concession card issued by or on behalf of
the commonwealth government: or
b) Persons who receive a pension from the Commonwealth Department
of Veterans’ Affairs and are the holders of a pension concession card issued by
Centrelink.
Rebate Processing Procedure:
Rebate application:
v Customer calls
enquiring about rebate for rates
v Confirm ownership on
the rates account, if they are the owner or part owner
v They have to come
into council to fill out Pension Concession form, voluntary rebate form and
statutory declaration if applicable and bring original Pension Concession card
for us to view and photocopy of both sides.
v If they are unable to
come into council, reason eg: house bound or advanced age, vision impaired,
etc. A pension concession form,
voluntary rebate form and statutory declaration will be sent out with letter
informing the pensioner on how to complete the forms, attaching photocopy of
both sides of pension concession card to be sent in for processing.
v Once form/s and
photocopy of both sides of pension concession card is received, form is checked
to make sure that all details have been filled out and signed in corresponding
areas.
v If information is
missing we contact the applicant to confirm details. If form/s missing, or not signed, we contact
applicant by phone to request them to come and complete application.
v If they are unable to
come in to Council, we resend the form out to them for completion.
v Once we receive the
form and all details required are completed, we process an online Centrelink
applicant confirmation for CLINK (Centrelink) or DVA (Veterans affairs)
v If all details do not
validate, we send letter out to the applicant informing them that their
application has been declined (see letter A attached)
v If details validate,
we process the application and grant the discount on their rates account.
v Check on system for
Notice of Sale transfer to see if applicant is eligible for Voluntary rebate.
(form should be filled out at same time as pension concession form)
Rebate Scenarios:
- If the applicant is
the owner, not living in the property they are not eligible for rebate and
letter above (A) should have been sent.
- If the applicant is
the sole owner, living in the property less than 5 full financial years they
are eligible only for full rebate (pro-rata as per card start date, maximum
$250.00).
- If the applicant is
the sole owner, living in the property for 5 full financial years or more they
are eligible for mandatory and voluntary rebate (pro-rata as per card start
date, maximum $250.00 + $100.00 = $350.00).
- If the applicant is
not the owner, living in the property as sole life tenant and responsible for
paying rates for less than 5 full financial years they are eligible only for
mandatory rebate (pro-rata as per card start date, maximum $250.00).
- If the applicant is
not the owner, living in the property as sole life tenant and responsible for
paying rates for 5 full financial years or more they are eligible for mandatory
and voluntary rebate (pro-rata as per card start date, maximum $250.00 +
$100.00 = $350.00).
- If the applicant is a
part owner with someone that is not a spouse and not a pensioner, living in the
property less than 5 full financial years they are eligible only for 50% of the
mandatory rebate (pro-rata as per card start date, maximum $250.00).
- If the applicant is a
part owner with someone that is not a spouse and not a pensioner, living in the
property for 5 full financial years or more, they are eligible only for 50% of
the mandatory rebate and half voluntary (pro-rata as per card start date,
maximum $250.00 + $100.00 = $350.00).
- If the applicant is a
part owner with someone that is not a spouse but is a pensioner, living in the
property less than 5 full financial years they are eligible for mandatory
rebate (pro-rata as per card start date, maximum $250.00), both owners will
have to fill in forms
- If the applicant is a
part owner with someone that is not a spouse but is pensioner, living in the
property for 5 full financial years or more, they are eligible for mandatory
rebate and full voluntary (pro-rata as per card start date, maximum $250.00 +
$100.00 = $350.00), both owners will have to fill in forms
- If the applicant is a
part owner with more that one person and they are not pensioners, living in the
property less than 5 full financial years they are eligible only for a
proportionate amount of the mandatory rebate (pro-rata as per percentage of
ownership and card start date, maximum $250.00).
- If the applicant is a
part owner with more that one person that are not pensioners, living in the
property for 5 full financial years or more, they are eligible only for a
proportionate amount of the mandatory rebate and voluntary (pro-rata as per
percentage of ownership and card start date, maximum $250.00 + $100.00 =
$350.00).
- If the applicant is a
part owner with more that one person and they are pensioners, living in the
property less than 5 full financial years they are eligible for mandatory
rebate (pro-rata as per card start date, maximum $250.00), both owners will
have to fill in forms
- If the applicant is a
part owner with more that one person that are not pensioners, living in the
property for 5 full financial years or more, they are eligible for mandatory
rebate and full voluntary (pro-rata as per card start date, maximum $250.00 +
$100.00 = $350.00), both owners will have to fill in forms