For everyone that receives FAO payments - the letters that explain your payments are changing as of now. I haven't received my own letter yet, so can't say exactly how it will appear, but basically it's going to show the MAXIMUM ftb/rent assistance for your family (based on number of children and their ages) and then it will have a 'rate reduction' of x amount. X amount COULD be due to income, child support you receive etc.

the amount you receive will still be the same - you're not losing anything - it's just that someone somewhere thought it would make more sense to do it this way. unfortunately, the response to the changes so far is not at all positive, and i've had a couple of friends message me to ask what has happened, so thought i'd put it out there for all of you!

keep in mind that any income over about 5k for the lower income earner in a family, and 47.5k** combined means that your income reduces your ftb entitlement, which is where X comes in to play

(** i've used 47.5k as that's the current level - it will be different from 1 July)