Domestic Purposes Benefit and Standard Tertiary Bursary

Some students receiving the Domestic Purposes Benefit may not know of the ruling by the Socail Security Commission that a person who is eligible for a DPB and a standard tertiary bursary Is Entitled to Receive Both.

The Commission has also ruled that neither the first S234 of a bursary, nor a student fees allowance are counted as income, and therefore as educational expenses cannot affect the DPB. The Women and the Law Research Foundation has had several enquiries indicating a lack of knowledge about the DPB — bursary area, and had collated information to clarify some of the points at issue.

The Foundation emphasises that this is only a general guide, as entitlement may vary in individual cases. Also the discretion given to the Social Welfare Department under the Socail Security Act appears to be excercised according to the unpublished directives of the Social Security Commission. The Foundation points out that it you are unhappy with a Social Welfare decision concerning yourself, you generally have the right of appeal, with free legal and available to you for this exercise.

Before you reach that stage, however, you should discuss any complaint with the supervisor of your local social welfare office — and make sure that the office is using up-to-date figures, as payments change regularly. The Council for the Single Mother and Her Child or a solicitor can assist you.

The DPB, an additional benefit and an emergency benefit may all be decreased in proportion to the amount of additional income and/or assets, but income does not include family benefit. Up to $21 per week of additional income is allowed before abatement of the DPB.

A standard tertiary bursary of $962, minus the first $234, equals $14 per week. Thus, for a beneficiary with only a bursary as extra income and/or assets (besides family benefit) There is No Effect on the Basic Rate of the DPB.