Notices of change to legislation in 2019

We publish notices of changes, and the document setting out the changes, to make sure changes to legislation are open, transparent and publically available.

Temporary Accommodation Assistance Amendment

17 December 2019

The Minister has approved amendments to the Temporary Accommodation Assistance (Canterbury Earthquake) Programme.  The amendments allow temporary accommodation assistance under the Programme to be only granted to a person who applies for assistance under the Programme on or before 31 December 2019.  The instrument inserts a new clause that revokes the Programme on 31 December 2020. 

Employment and Work Readiness Assistance programme

17 December 2019

The Minister for Social Development has approved changes to Employment and Work Readiness Assistance Programme.  These changes, which come into force on 16 January 2020, will restrict funding for course costs for longer education or training courses under the programme to courses which are Level 3 and below on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.  

Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment Amendment Programme

25 November 2019

The Minister for Social Development has approved an amendment to the Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment Programme, which comes into force on 1 January 2020. The amendment is needed following a change in cohort entry policy which means that no children can start school before they turn five.

The amendment ensures that the Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment can be paid for a child enrolled in a cohort entry school until the first term or mid-term start date on or after the child’s fifth birthday.

Direction on Special Benefit Amendment

16 October 2019

The Minister for Social Development has approved an amendment to the Ministerial direction in relation to Special Benefit given on 10 February 1999.  The Direction on Special Benefit Amendment (No 5) 2019, which comes into force on 17 October 2019, excludes as a person’s chargeable income for a period of 12 months:

• any lump sum payment made to a person on or after 17 October 2019 by the Ministry of Social Development and
• any income derived (directly or indirectly) by the person from such a payment. 

Housing Support Assistance - amendment to the welfare programme

4 November 2019

The Minister for Social Development has approved amendments to the Housing Support Assistance welfare programme made under the Social Security Act 1964.  The Housing Support Assistance Amendment, which comes into force on 4 November 2019, allows for recoverable grants of rent arrears assistance to specified people and revokes letting fees assistance payable under the programme because section 17A of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 makes it unlawful to charge letting fees.

Ex gratia and compensation payments exemption - amendment to the Direction in relation to Special Benefit

21 June 2019

The Minister for Social Development has signed an instrument updating a ministerial direction in relation to Special Benefit. The amendment exempts specified ex gratia and compensation payments and any income derived from such payments from being counted as chargeable income and removes the time limit by aligning with Schedule 8 of the Social Security Regulations 2018.

Christchurch Mosques Attack Welfare Programme - amendment to welfare programme

14 June 2019

The Minister for Social Development has approved amendments to the Christchurch Mosques Attack Welfare Programme (as established and approved on 27 May 2019) that will come into force on 14 June 2019.

The amendments widen the category of people who are eligible under the programme:

• Clause 6 is being amended to enable a person who is applying for the Christchurch visa and has been granted or is eligible for the emergency benefit to receive payments under the Act or programme, but not both;
• Clause 8 is being amended to extend the programme to the partners/spouses and parents of people who died, were injured or were present in the attacks.

Christchurch Mosques Attack Welfare Programme - new Ministerial welfare programme

3 June 2019 

The Minister for Social Development has made a new welfare programme under section 101 of the Social Security Act 2018 (the Act) that comes into force on 3 June 2019.

The purpose of this programme is to provide for payments of special assistance to people who that have been affected by the Christchurch mosques attack but who do not qualify for support under the Social Security Act 2018. Part 2 of the programme specifies the people that the programme applies to.

People who fall under the programme can apply for the same types of support that is available to a person who meets the requirements of s 205(1) of the Act (refugees, protected persons, or people who are applying for permanent residence but are compelled to remain in New Zealand by unforeseen circumstances). The types and rates of support that are available, and the criteria that must be met to access them, are specified in Part 3.

This programme will expire on the close of June 4 2020.

Christchurch mosques attack support payments and Housing New Zealand’s zero-tolerance methamphetamine contamination policy exemption from income and cash asset tests - amendment to Direction in relation to Special Benefit

16 April 2019

The Minister for Social Development has signed two instruments updating a ministerial direction in relation to Special Benefit. The amendments excludes specific types of payments and income derived from specific payments from chargeable income for a period of 12 months.

Rural Assistance Payments for upper South Island farmers affected by drought and Tasman District fires in 2019 - amendment to welfare programme

12 April 2019

The Minister for Social Development has signed an instrument that gives approval under the Special Needs Grants Programme to make Rural Assistance Payments to farmers affected by the:

• Tasman District fires in the Tasman District, and 
• 2019 drought in the districts of Buller, Marlborough, Nelson City, and Tasman.

The changes will commence on 12 April 2019 and will apply until the close of 12 October 2019.

Annual General Adjustment changes to rates and thresholds - amendments to welfare programmes and the Direction in relation to Special Benefit

1 April 2019

The Minister for Social Development has signed an instrument updating a Ministerial direction and a number of welfare programmes. The changes will commence on 1 April 2019. The amendments adjust certain rates and thresholds to reflect a 1.69% increase in the New Zealand Consumers Price Index, as well as minimum wage and average regional rents for two specified rates, respectively. There is also a minor technical change to amend a definition in the Special Needs Grants Programme.