What can TILA be used for

TILA can be used on a variety of different goods and services to assist you moving from life in formal care to independent living.

The following information can help you identify which goods and services TILA can be used for and which cannot. The TILA – Guide for Young People provides step by step instructions to help you apply for TILA, and you can print out the What can TILA be used for factsheet if required.

What TILA can be used for

Category

Items
Housing

Housing

  • Support to connect to utilities such as electricity and gas
  • Moving costs
  • Payment of rental bonds
  • Pre-payment of rent
Essential household items

Essential household items

  • Includes new or pre-loved household furniture and appliances such as lounges, TV, fridges, washing machines, microwaves or electrical items
  • Portable air conditioner or heater that is not installed in your accommodation.
Life skills programs

Life skills programs

  • Financial or budgeting courses
  • Cooking and nutritional courses
  • Home maintenance courses.
Employment and education

Employment and education

  • Purchase of books and computer/laptop
  • Enrolment fees for education course
  • Internet connection
  • Clothing for work or a work interview
  • Transport to attend studies or employment.
Transport - Your own wheels

Transport - Your own wheels

  • Purchase or part-payment of a car, motorbike or bicycle
  • Driving lessons
  • Car or motorbike registration and insurance
  • Car or motorbike repairs.
Public transport

Public transport

  • Purchase of bus, ferry, train or tram passes
  • Taxi fares to attend studies or employment.
Counselling

Counselling

  • Counselling costs to address issues identified in your transition from care plan i.e. mental health, physical or nutritional health.
Other items

Other items

  • Other items not on this list will be considered on a case by case basis.

What TILA cannot be used for

There are some goods and services that TILA cannot be used for. Some of these include:

Category

Items
Reimbursement of moving costs

Reimbursement of previous purchases or costs

Cannot be used to reimburse the purchases or costs of items that were paid before TILA was applied for, including:

  • moving and utility connection costs
  • cost of electrical equipment such as laptop or mobile phone
  • other items that were purchased before TILA was applied for.
Crisis assistance

Crisis assistance

  • Cannot be used to pay overdue bills, rent, speeding, parking or other fines.
Rent-to-buy

Rent-to-buy

  • Cannot be used on rent-to-buy schemes for furniture or whitegoods.
Overseas travel

Overseas travel

  • Cannnot be used for overseas travel.
TV subscription or Electronic games

TV subscription or Electronic games

  • Cannot be used to purchase or hire games consoles such as Nintendo Wii or Microsoft Xbox or subscriptions to paid TV services.
Fixed housing items

Fixed housing items

  • Cannot be used to purchase items that are not portable and installed in a premise that is not owned by you, such as a fixed  air conditioner or heater, garden shed or a permanent garden.
Reimbursement of moving costs

Reimbursement of moving costs

  • Cannot be used to reimburse moving and utility connection costs that were paid before TILA was applied for.
Cash

Cash

  • Cannot be paid as a cash payment to you or transferred to your bank account.

It’s important to remember that you and your caseworker or support worker decide together on the best use and timing of TILA. Your purchase must meet the relevant life domains in your transition from care plan. TILA can be used to meet your needs outlined in the plan or needs that may not have been included in the plan. TILA must be the best way to fund the purchase taking into account other supports available to you.

Contact DSS at TILA@dss.gov.au if you have any questions regarding TILA.

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