Tēnā koe M.R.M

Thank you for your email received 14 March 2022, under the Official Information Act 1982. Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate officials at National Office to respond. 

Ngā manaakitanga,

Official and Parliamentary Information Team | Ministerial and Executive Services
Ministry of Social Development

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to help themselves to be safe, strong and independent
Ko ta mātou he whakamana tangata kia tū haumaru, kia tū kaha, kia tū motuhake

-----Original Message-----
From: M.R.M. <[FOI #18876 email]>
Sent: Monday, 14 March 2022 7:07 PM
To: OIA_Requests (MSD) <[MSD request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Accommodation supplement increases

Dear Ministry of Social Development,

Please provide me with the relevant data in relation to Accommodation Supplement increases over the past 15 years:-

1) The effective date of every Accommodation Supplement increase
2) The percentage of the increases on all of the abovementioned increase dates
3) How many people on the abovementioned increase dates were receiving Accommodation Supplement
4) The historical Accommodation Supplement entry thresholds and maximum rates for all regions/areas in N.Z., and, what locations were included in each identified area
5) Definitions of areas prior to 1 April 2005
6) Definitions of areas from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2018
7) If there was a change to the definitions of areas between 1 April 2018 and date of processing this information request, those definitions too.

It would be appreciated in your reply if you could comment on why the abovementioned information is not published at the Ministry of Social Developments various agency websites as used to be the case? (Note that all links provided do not return appropriate results with the information one expects to find readily available).

Lastly, it would be appreciated in your reply if you could also comment on why Accommodation Supplement is not increased annually given the massive hikes in rents, interest rates, etc. in recent years?

Yours faithfully,

M.R.M.

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This email and any attachments may contain information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify the author immediately and erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or attachments after transmission from the Ministry.

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Dear M.R.M.

We refer to your below request made to the Ministry of Social Development
(the Ministry) under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):

o The effective date of every Accommodation Supplement increase
o The percentage of the increases on all of the abovementioned increase
dates
o How many people on the abovementioned increase dates were receiving
Accommodation Supplement
o The historical Accommodation Supplement entry thresholds and maximum
rates for all regions/areas in N.Z., and, what locations were included
in each identified area
o Definitions of areas prior to 1 April 2005
o Definitions of areas from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2018
o If there was a change to the definitions of areas between 1 April 2018
and date of processing this information request, those definitions
too.
o It would be appreciated in your reply if you could comment on why the
abovementioned information is not published at the Ministry of Social
Developments various agency websites as used to be the case?  (Note
that all links provided do not return appropriate results with the
information one expects to find readily available).
o Lastly, it would be appreciated in your reply if you could also
comment on why Accommodation Supplement is not increased annually
given the massive hikes in rents, interest rates, etc. in recent
years?

This letter is to advise you that the Ministry requires more time to
respond to this request. In accordance with section 15(1) and 15A of the
Act, the Ministry’s decision will be with you no later than 3 May 2022.

The reason for the extension is that consultations necessary to make a
decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request
cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.

We will respond to you sooner if we are able to.

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of
this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this
decision, please feel free to contact [2][MSD request email]. 

Kind regards

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive
Services

Ministry of Social Development

Our purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whânau.

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. mailto:[MSD request email]

Dear M.R.M.

 

Please find attached the Ministry’s response to your Official Information
Act request.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive
Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whânau.

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------