How does the DSS view earnings within a LETSystem?
Inconsistently. On the one hand, LETSystem money is not legal tender. On the other hand, people can gain real benefits from their LETSystem transactions. The safest advice is for claimants to keep their LETSystem trading within any weekly disregard. Our position, which has not been officially accepted, is that claimants should accept reduction of benefit only when they use their LETSystem account to obtain the basics of life such as food, rent etc. Further, trading on non-monetised systems (e.g. hour based LETS) should not result in loss of benefit. In Australia, this has already been achieved through a government ruling. More details, in the form of position papers and reports, are available from your nearest LETSgo office or through the LETS-CONNECT network.
