Temporary Additional Support -- No Dependant Children or Partner

Rhys Walker made this Official Information request to Ministry of Social Development

The request was successful.

From: Rhys Walker

Dear Ministry of Social Development,

I, Rhys Walker, a citizen of New Zealand, request under the Official Information Act, any and all information regarding Studylink's policy of automatically declining Temporary Additional Support when a student doesn't have a dependant child, or a partner.

I have searched the website, searched legislation and haven't been able to find anywhere of this being a valid reason for declining an application, yet, on enquiring with the call centre I was informed that it was policy to automatically decline such applications. Such discriminatory practices aren't in line with WINZ's eligibility criteria, and I request information outlining the reasoning and legality behind this.

I request that this information is provided via reply email so as to be tracked on the FYI website.

Yours faithfully,

Rhys Walker

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From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development

Tēnā koe Rhys Walker

Thank you for your emails received 5 April 2016. Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate officials at National office to respond. You may expect a response to be sent to you as soon as possible.
 
Nā mātou noa, nā

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

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From: OIA_Requests (MSD)
Ministry of Social Development

Tēnā koe Rhys Walker

Thank you for your emails received 5 April 2016. Your request has been forwarded to the appropriate officials at National office to respond. You may expect a response to be sent to you as soon as possible.
 
Nā mātou noa, nā

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

show quoted sections

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From: Nicola Bell
Ministry of Social Development

Dear Rhys,

 

You have requested information about the policy for Temporary Additional
Support as it applies to single students.

 

A full-time student is not eligible for Temporary Additional Support
unless they meet certain criteria. Regulation 7 of the Social Security
(Temporary Additional Support) Regulations 2005 states:

 

“Regulation 7 -  Who is ineligible for support (in part)

 

(d) a person who is a full-time student unless-

(i) the person is a beneficiary; or

(ii) the person, or his or her spouse or partner, is the principal
caregiver of 1 or more dependent children; or

(iii) the person, or a member of his or her family, has disability costs
(as defined in regulation 4)”

 

You can find this legislation  by clicking the following link:

 

[1]http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulatio...

 

Full-time students (and their spouses or partners) can receive Temporary
Additional Support when:

 

·        The client or their spouse or partner is the principal caregiver
of a dependent child

OR

·        The student or any member of their family is receiving the
maximum amount of Disability Allowance and has excess disability costs

OR

·        The client is a beneficiary client (for example Supported Living
Payment) who is studying full-time.

 

Please click the following link to the Work and Income website where you
will find further information about Temporary Additional Support for
full-time students

 

[2]http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/inc...

 

Please let me know if you require any further information.

 

Kind Regards

Nicola Bell

Report Writer

 

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duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
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References

Visible links
1. http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulatio...
2. http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/inc...

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