Dear Ministry of Social Development,

Please provide me with the following information:

1. A copy or copies of the legislation - laws and regulations - relevant to the Unsupported Child Benefit.

2. A copy or copies of the policies, procedures, rules, guidelines, etc. - all non-laws and non-regulations requested above in other words - relevant to the Unsupported Child Benefit.

3. A copy or copies of the processes that must be used to evaluate and approve or decline a second Unsupported Child Benefit application when the first Unsupported Child Benefit application was approved and payments made for more than 2 years, and the child left the applicant's home but returned more than 1 year later causing a stoppage of the payments to be requested by the applicant then a second application to be made and submitted to WINZ ... with all of the original application personal and other information remaining unchanged in the interim period other than the child's age. (What I am needing here is a copy or copies of a directive or other sort of instruction to WINZ staff how they are required to process a second Unsupported Child Benefit application when they already have all of the relevant information on record from a first Unsupported Child Benefit application).

Yours faithfully,

M.R.M.

Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),

Thank you for the information provided thus far.

Five separate documents were attached to your reply dated 3 September 2025. None of them can be read in HTML format. I have therefore needed to download them in .pdf.

The second one is titled: “01 Orphan s Benefit and Unsupported Child s Benefit Procedures Doogle.pdf”
Refer --- https://fyi.org.nz/request/31929/respons...

The third one is titled: “02 Unsupported Child s Benefit Case manager guidelines for interviews Doogle.pdf”
Refer ---
https://fyi.org.nz/request/31929/respons...

Both the second and third documents have many links contained within them (appearing in green ink). None of them lead me to accessible and/or downloadable information. I am therefore asking you to please provide me with copies of the information hiding behind each of the (highlighted in green ink) links.

The final one is titled: 04 Orphan s Benefit and Unsupported Child HIYA with CSR Process.pdf
Refer ---
https://fyi.org.nz/request/31929/respons...

On page 2 of 12 of this document there is a table which identifies steps and processes to be followed when a new or an existing client applies for a “OB / UCB”.

In relation to Task 3. “New Application appointment” reads; “UCB only: if the child is aged 14+ please encourage the client to bring them to the appointment as they’ll both need to sign the UCB interview sheet.” I understand this to mean that there is nothing in law that says a UCB applicant “must” bring the child who is the subject of the application with them to the appointment. Please can you confirm or deny this, and also provide me with a copy or copies of the relevant internal policy or similar document/s. In addition, it is possible / permissible for a UCB applicant to be e-mailed or posted a blank UCB interview sheet for completion by them at their home, then have the child who is the subject of the application sign it there, and subsequently have the applicant bring the completed and signed form to the appointment? Again, please also provide me with a copy or copies of the relevant policy or similar document/s.

In relation to Task 4. “Complete the Request Screen” reads as follows:
• Note the request screen
• Verbally advise the client of the 20 working day rule
Don’t send the request letter (unless the client requests the letter or you have not advised the 20 working day rule).
Please provide me with the following information related to an application for UCB;:
1. What is the meaning of a “request”?
2. What is the purpose of a “request”?
3. What is the “20 working day rule”?
4. How could it happen that a client is not verbally advised of the “20 working day rule”?
5. Is there an alternative way to advise a client – other than verbally – of the “20 day working rule”
6. How important is the “20 day working rule” to a client’s application being granted or declined?
7. Is it possible for a client’s application to “lapse” if they have not been verbally advised of the “20 working day rule”
8. Is it possible for a client’s application to “lapse” if they have not been advised – other than verbally – of the “20 working day rule”
9. Why should a “request letter” not be sent to a client unless they request it?
10. How would a client know to request a “request letter” if they are not told they can or must request a “request letter”?

Yours sincerely,

M.R.M.