Tēnā koe Katie Day,

Thank you for your email received 22 April 2024, 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: Kate Day <[FOI #26516 email]>
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2024 8:56 PM
To: OIA_Requests (MSD) <[MSD request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - WINZ grants for electricity bills

Dear Ministry of Social Development,

I would like to request the following information about grants, loans and advances WINZ gives/loans out for electricity bills. Please exclude the Winter Energy Payment from this request.

I would like to know:

1. The total sum of grants/loans/advances WINZ gave for electricity bills in the calendar year 2023, by region.
- What was the total paid out in Special Needs Grants for electricity bills in 2023?
- What was the total paid out in Advance Payments of Benefits for electricity bills in 2023?
- Were there any other types of grants/loans/advances given out by WINZ to help clients pay electricity bills in 2023? (Excluding the Winter Energy Payment.)
- What sum of each of the above was recoverable, versus non-recoverable?
- In 2023, besides the Winter Energy Payment, did WINZ give out any non-recoverable grant for electricity costs?

2. How many individual clients did WINZ give grants, loans, or advances for electricity bills in each year 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023? Please break this down by region.

3. What is the eligibility criteria for a client to receive from WINZ:
- a Special Needs Grant for electricity costs
- an Advance Payment of Benefit for electricity costs
- any other grant, loan or advance that WINZ offers to help people pay electricity costs (excluding the Winter Energy Payment).

4. Regarding Special Needs Grants for electricity costs:
- What's the maximum sum a client can receive per Special Needs Grant for electricity costs?
- What's the maximum number of Special Needs Grants for electricity costs that a client can receive per year?
- How many individual clients did receive this maximum sum, and/or maximum number of grants, in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023?

5. Regarding Advance Payment of Benefits for electricity costs:
- What's the maximum sum a client can receive on each Advance Payment for electricity costs?
- What's the maximum number of Advance Payments for electricity costs that a client can receive per year?
- How many individual clients did receive this maximum sum, and/or maximum number of Advance Payments of Benefits, in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023?

6. What was the total debt to WINZ (or MSD) for electricity bills in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023?

7. How many individuals owed debt to WINZ (or MSD) for electricity bills in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023?

Yours faithfully,

Kate Day

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