Pursuant to section 124(1)(d) of the Social Security
Act 1964 (“the Act”), the Minister for Social Development and Employment makes the following amendment to the
Special Needs Grants Programme (as established and approved on 18 December 1998*).
Dated at Wellington this 17th day of September 2007.
HON. STEVE MAHAREY, Minister for Social Development and Employment.
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A m e n d m e n t
1. Title—This amendment is the Special Needs Grants Amendment (No. 3) 2007.
2. Commencement—This amendment comes into effect on 24 September 2007.
3. Programme amended—This amendment amends the Special Needs Grants Programme.
4. Disqualified spouse or partner—Clause 17.1.1 is amended:
(a) by inserting “receive” after “entitled to”;
(b) by omitting from paragraph (a) “he or she” and substituting “the benefit”;
(c) by inserting the following paragraph after
paragraph (a):
“(ab) after a date of first contact that applies to him or her and before a decision on his or her application for a benefit is made, he or she has yet to comply with a requirement under section 11D or 96A of the Act and:
(i) his or her application for a benefit has not lapsed; and
(ii) section 96A(9) of the Act does not apply to him or her; or”.
5. Sole parent high income—Clause 17.2.1 is amended
by revoking paragraph (a) and substituting the following paragraph:
“(a) would otherwise qualify for a benefit but is not entitled to receive that benefit because:
(i) the benefit is subject to a Stand Down; or
(ii) after a date of first contact that applies to him or her and before a decision on his or her application for a benefit is made, he or she has yet to comply with a requirement under section 11D or 96A of the Act and:
(A) his or her application for a benefit has not lapsed; and
(B) section 96A(9) of the Act does not apply to him or her; and”.
6. Serious hardship—Clause 17.3.1 is amended by revoking paragraph (b) and substituting the following paragraph:
“(b) would otherwise qualify for a benefit but is not entitled to receive that benefit because:
(i) the benefit is subject to a Stand Down; or
(ii) after a date of first contact that applies to him or her and before a decision on his or her application for a benefit is made, he or she
has yet to comply with a requirement under section 11D or 96A of the Act and:
(A) his or her application for a benefit has not lapsed; and
(B) section 96A(9) of the Act does not apply to him or her; and”.
Explanatory Note
This note is not part of the amendment but is intended to indicate its general effect.
This amendment to the Special Needs Grants Programme, which comes into effect on 24 September 2007, provides that recoverable assistance under clause 17 of the programme
is available to persons who have made a written or oral request of the department for financial assistance but have yet to complete the requirements of the application process under section 11D or any requirements under section 96A of the Social Security Act 1964. It also corrects minor drafting errors in clause 17.
*New Zealand Gazette, 28 January 1999, No. 8, page 202