Work Start Grant Programme Pursuant to section 124 (1) (d) of the Social Security Act 1964, I, Roger Morrison Sowry, Minister of Social Services, Work and Income, establish and approve the following welfare programme for special assistance. Dated this 29th June 1999. R. M. SOWRY, Minister of Social Services, Work and Income. A n a l y s i s 1. Title and commencement 2. Interpretation 3. Objects 4. Application of Social Security Act 5. Eligibility 6. Ineligibility 7. Financial Restrictions 8. Amounts of Grants 9. Applications 10. Payment of Grants P r o g r a m m e 1. Title and commencement 1.1. This programme is called the Work Start Grant programme, and every grant made under it is called a work start grant. 1.2. This programme comes into effect on 1 July 1999. 2. Interpretation 2.1. In this programme, unless the context otherwise requires, ``52 Week Period'', in relation to a Grant, means the 52 weeks immediately preceding the date of application for the Grant: ``Act'' means the Social Security Act 1964: ``Applicant'' means the person applying for a Grant under this programme, or, as the case requires, a person on whose behalf an application for a Grant is made: ``Bridging Finance'' has the meaning in clause 5.1.4 (b): ``Cash Assets'', in relation to any person, means the assets of that person and his or her Spouse (if any) that can be readily converted into cash and include (a) Shares, stocks, debentures, bonus bonds, and other bonds: (b) Bank accounts, including fixed and term deposits with any bank, friendly society, credit union, or building society: (c) Money invested with or lent to any bank, other financial institution, or person: (d) The net equity held in any property or land not used as the person's home: (e) Building society shares: (f) Mortgage investments and other long term loans: (g) Bills of exchange or promissory notes: (h) The person's share in any partnership, but do not include (i) The motor vehicle principally used by the person for his or her personal use: (j) A caravan, boat, or other vehicle: (i) The net equity in which is less than $2,000; or (ii) Which is used by the person or a member of his or her Immediate Family for day to day accommodation: (k) The personal effects of the person: ``Customer'' means a person of or over the age of 16 years who is seeking work, and who interacts with the Department as (a) A Beneficiary whose principal source of income is a Benefit under the Act; or (b) A Job Seeker: ``Employment'' means paid employment, but does not include self-employment: ``Grant'' means a work start grant, being the special assistance authorised under this programme: ``Immediate Family'', in relation to a person, means (a) In the case of a married person, that person and his or her Spouse and Dependent Children (if any); and (b) In the case of a Sole Parent, means that person and his or her Dependent Children: ``Income'' means income within the meaning of section 3 (1) of the Act, modified in accordance with clause 7.2: ``Job Seeker'' means a person who, in accordance with the policies of the Department, is actively enrolled with the Department as a job seeker: ``Parents'', in relation to an Applicant who is a Dependent Child, means the person or persons on whom the Applicant is financially dependent: ``Transition To Work Expenses'' has the meaning in clause 5.2. 2.2. Terms otherwise defined in section 3 (1) of the Act have the meanings so defined, unless the context otherwise requires. Note: Words, or phrases whose words begin with capital letters in this programme generally have the meanings defined in clause 2.1. In this programme, unless the context otherwise requires, or in section 3 (1) of the Act. 2.3. Words referring to the singular include the plural, and words referring to the plural include the singular. 3. Objects 3.1. The objects of this programme are to increase Job Seekers' prospects of obtaining sustainable Full-time Employment or Part-time Work, and thereby gaining financial independence, by providing non-recoverable financial assistance toward certain essential costs of entering Employment to persons who would not be able to enter Employment without that assistance. 4. Application of Social Security Act 4.1. Sections 3, 12, 62, 63, 64, 66, 66a, 66b, 68, 68a, 71, 73, 74, 74a, 76, 77, 80a, 81, 82 (7), 82a, 84 and 86j of the Act apply to this programme and to an applicant for a Grant under this programme, as if a Grant were a Benefit under the Act. 4.2. Nothing in clause 4.1 limits any other provision of the Act. 5. Eligibility 5.1. Subject to this programme, the Chief Executive may make a non-recoverable Grant to an Applicant who 5.1.1. Is Ordinarily Resident in New Zealand; and 5.1.2. Is a Customer; and 5.1.3. Has been (a) Offered Employment for at least 15 hours a week; or (b) Offered an interview for Employment of at least 15 hours a week; and 5.1.4. Has an immediate need for financial assistance for one or more of the following types of essential costs (a) For an Applicant taking up the offer of Employment, Transition To Work Expenses: (b) For an Applicant whose Benefit is cancelled or suspended upon entering the Employment, essential living expenses in the period between the end of the Benefit and the first payment of wages or salary (``Bridging Finance''): (c) For an Applicant to whom clause 5.1.3 (b) applies, the essential costs of attending the interview; and 5.1.5. Is unable to meet the need for Bridging Finance or costs from his or her resources or from any other source (including any other form of assistance available under the Act); and 5.1.6. Cannot enter or continue the Employment or, as the case requires, reasonably attend the interview, unless the Grant is made. 5.2. In clause 5.1.4 (a), ``Transition To Work Expenses'' mean the essential costs that the Applicant will need to incur to enter the Employment, such as (a) The cost of job-related clothing or equipment (not being clothing or equipment the employer is required to supply to comply with the employer's obligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992): (b) Initial child care costs: (c) Initial transport costs: (d) The costs of tattoo removal (if the Applicant is referred to a tattoo removal service by a registered medical practitioner): (e) Relocation costs, if the Applicant needs to relocate his or her place of residence to take up the Employment, but do not include the cost of any training. 5.3. In clause 5.1.4 (c), the essential costs of attending the interview, the essential costs of attending the interview are costs such as (a) Clothing costs: (b) Child care costs: (c) The cost of an interpreter: (d) Transport costs: (e) The costs of tattoo removal (if the Applicant is referred to a tattoo removal service by a registered medical practitioner). 6. Ineligibility 6.1. An Applicant is not eligible for a Grant during a period when the Applicant is subject to 6.1.1. A Non-entitlement Period under any of sections 60h, 115, or 116 of the Act, unless the Applicant is participating in an Organised Activity and is receiving a Benefit granted provisionally under section 123b of the Act; or 6.1.2. A reduction or suspension of Benefit under any of sections 115, 116, or 117 of the Act; or 6.1.3. A stand down of his or her Benefit under section 80ba of the Act. 6.2. For the avoidance of doubt, an Applicant is not eligible for a Grant to enter 6.2.1. Employment-related training (except for training paid for by the employer as part of the Employment the Applicant is entering), education, or work experience; or 6.2.2. Community work or voluntary work; or 6.2.3. An Organised Activity other than attending an interview for Suitable Employment. 7. Financial Restrictions 7.1. An Applicant is not entitled to a Grant if his or her Income is such that it would prevent the payment of an invalid's benefit under the Act. 7.2. In clause 7.1. An Applicant is not entitled to a Grant if his or her Income is such that it would prevent the payment of an invalid's benefit under the Act, an Applicant's Income includes the Income of (a) His or her Spouse (if any); or (b) If the Applicant is a Dependent Child, his or her Parents. 7.3. An Applicant is not entitled to a Grant unless the Applicant and the persons mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) of clause 7.2 have no Cash Assets. 8. Amounts of Grants 8.1. The amount of a Grant under clause 5.1. must not exceed $250. 8.2. The Chief Executive may make more than one Grant under clause 5.1. to an Applicant in a 52 Week Period, but the maximum amount of Grants made to the Applicant in a 52 Week Period must not exceed $250. 8.3. For the purposes of clause 8.2., the following grants are to be considered Grants under this programme: (a) A non-recoverable grant for transition to work expenses under the Special Needs Grant welfare programme approved under section 124 (1) (d) of the Act: (b) A grant under the Job Start programme formerly administered by the Department and the New Zealand Employment Service of the Department of Labour. 9. Applications 9.1. An application for a Grant is to be made to the Department on a form supplied by the Department. 10. Payment of Grants 10.1. Every Grant made in relation to the purchase of goods and services is to be paid (a) Where practicable, to the person providing the goods or services for which the Grant was made; or (b) In the discretion of the Chief Executive, to the Applicant. 10.2. Every Grant for Bridging Finance is to be paid to the Applicant.