HIYU - June 2021

Recruitment of new Community Representatives

Canterbury, Central, Bay of Plenty and East Coast have been finalising the recruitment of new Community Representatives.

If you know of anyone who is interested in being a Community Representative, they can apply at any time and there are details on the following link:

Review of ‘Out of Time’ Guidelines

The Ministry is undertaking a review of the current guidelines and training material available for staff and Benefits Review Committee members when considering a Review of Decision received more than three months after being notified of a decision (Out of Time).

This is in response to concerns raised by the Office of the Ombudsman, Community Law and members of the National Beneficiary Advocacy Consultative Group.

We have agreed to develop more detailed guidelines:

• For staff and coordinators to ensure that the review of decision is actually ‘Out of Time’
  • When and how was the applicant notified of the decision
  • Has the applicant contacted the Ministry to question the decision or seek clarification or complain about the situation (should this contact have been treated as an in-time review of decision?)
  • Has the applicant written to a Manager, Deputy Chief Executive, Chief Executive and or Minister about the decision (should this contact have been treated as an in-time review of decision?)
• For members of the Benefit’s Review Committee guidance on factors for considering ‘Good and Sufficient’ reasons for delaying the application of the review of decision
  • Complexity of the issue
  • Extent the applicant was made aware of the review process
  • New information received that could impact on the outcome
  • The impact of the original decision on the applicant
  • Barriers specific to the applicant that impact on their access to the RoD process
  • The length of the delay
  • The extent of prejudice to the Ministry or third parties

Earn more before the benefit reduces

There were changes from 1 April 2020 which increased the amount you could earn before your benefit reduces. There have been further changes from 1 April 2021 and a person receiving a benefit may earn up to $160 before tax each week before their benefit reduces.

Reinstating initial income stand-downs

From 25 July, initial income stand-downs are being reinstated. Clients applying for a main benefit will have an initial income stand-down period of up to two weeks after their entitlement date. These were temporarily removed last year as part of the Government’s response to COVID-19.

Budget 2021

With Budget 2021 the Government is making a further significant investment of around $3 billion in the country’s welfare system.

Funding from Budget 2021 is targeted at providing greater support for people in need, tackling inequality and poverty, and getting more people into work.

Main benefits will increase, Training Incentive Allowance will be available for higher-level courses and other changes have been announced as part of the 2021 Budget.

The other changes include for Childcare Assistance, student support increases, Orphan's Benefit and Unsupported Child's Benefit and Work capacity medical certificates.

The use of names in reports

We have clarified the convention of not naming clients, their partner and children in the Internal Review, Report to the BRC and Report of the BRC.

A client’s partner, their children and other parties can be named in the Internal Review, Report to the BRC and Report of the BRC.

However please refer to the client as the “Applicant” in the reports.

Also staff should be addressed using their titles only and not their names. For example, Case Manager or Investigating Officer.

Handy references

The following page has useful links and information about the ROD/BRC process including the expense claim form, information packs and the HIYU newsletter:

Feedback

Please let us know if you find these newsletters useful or if there is other information that you would like included in these. The Client Advocacy and Review Team welcomes any feedback from you. The team’s contact details are below.

For more details contact

• Raj Menon: 04 916 3648
• Uiti Pelenato: 04 916 3857
• Christina Price: 04 931 2389
• Kate Simons: 04 913 3252
• Steve Rowell: 04 916 3759
• Estene Ratima: 06 9521403
• Email: Review_Client_Rep_Team@msd.govt.nz