Social Services Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform) Act 2018 (26 of 2018)

Schedule 6   Cessation of widow allowance

Part 1   Amendments closing claims for widow allowance

Social Security Act 1991

3   At the end of Subdivision B of Division 1 of Part 2.12

Add:

603AC Relief from activity test - cessation of claims for widow allowance

(1) A woman is not required to satisfy the activity test for a period (the relevant period ) if the following apply:

(a) she made the claim for newstart allowance on or after the commencement of this section;

(b) she was born on or before 1 July 1955;

(c) she ceased to be a member of a couple after turning 40;

(d) she satisfies the Secretary that she has no recent workforce experience on the day she made the claim for newstart allowance;

(e) the woman is not a member of a couple throughout the relevant period.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(d), recent workforce experience is employment of 20 hours or more a week for a total of 13 weeks or more at any time during the 12 months immediately before the day the woman made the claim for newstart allowance.