NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

No. 8

Social Welfare

Social Security Act 1964

Special Needs 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.

I revoke my approval of the special needs grant programme dated 8 January 1996 and the amendments to that programme approved on 26 March 1996, 17 June 1996, 10 September 1996, 23 September 1996, 23 January 1997, 11 April 1997, 30 March 1998, 24 April 1998, 7 May 1998, 27 July 1998, and 14 September 1998, except for so much of that programme as relates to the recovery of any recoverable special needs grants made under that programme.

Dated this 18th day of December 1998.

ROGER MORRISON SOWRY, Minister of Social Services, Work and Income.

Special Needs Grant Programme

Analysis

1. Title and commencement
2. Objectives of the Programme

Part 1

General Provisions

3. Definitions
4. Application of the Social Security Act
5. Principles

Part 2

Universal Entrance Criteria

6. Residence
7. Income Limits
8. Cash Asset Limits
9. Restriction on Payments

Part 3

Essential Needs

10. Need to be both Immediate and Essential

11. Non-recoverable Grants for Essential Needs

    11.2 Food

    11.3 Transition to Work for beneficiaries

    11.4 Medical

    11.4.2 Vasectomies and Termination of Pregnancies

    11.4.4 Laser Therapy for the Removal of Birthmarks

    11.4.5 Wigs and Hairpieces

    11.4.6 Health Travel Costs

    11.5 Occupational Training Course

    11.6 Travel for Stranded Persons

    11.7 Bedding

Part 4

Emergency Needs

12. Requirement for Emergency Situation

13. Non-recoverable Grants for Emergency Needs

    13.2 Emergency Dental Treatment

    13.3 Emergency Medical Treatment

    13.4 Accompanying Medical Treatment Overseas

14. Other Emergency Grants

Part 5

Payments to People in Specific Circumstances

15. Re-establishment Costs

    15.1 Refugees

    15.2 Sole Parents

    15.3 Long Term Patients Resettling in the Community

    15.4 Steps to Freedom Payments for Released, Sentenced and Remand Prisoners

16. Beneficiaries Transferring Between Benefits

17. Benefit Stand downs

    17.1 Disqualified Spouse

    17.2 Sole Parent

    17.3 Serious Hardship

Part 6

Special Assistance to the Rural Sector

18. Grants to Farmers, Orchardists etc.

Part 7

Administration

19. Applications
20. Payment of Grants
21. Rules as to Recovery
22. Transitional provisions

Schedule

1. Title and commencement

   1.1 This welfare programme is to be known as the Special Needs Grant Programme and any grant made under it is to be called a Special Needs Grant.

   1.2 This programme is to come into effect on the date the Minister has given his approval to it.

2. Objectives of the Programme

   The objectives of this programme are to--

   (a) provide non recoverable financial assistance--

   (i) for the stated essential and immediate needs set out in Part 3 of this programme (except in relation to clause 11.4.6.4);

   (ii) to meet the immediate needs in the emergency situations set out in Part 4 of this programme;

   (iii) to the people in the rural sector as set out in Part 6 of this programme;

   (b) provide recoverable or non-recoverable financial assistance to people in the specific circumstances set out in Part 5 of this programme;

   (c) to provide such assistance complementary to the advance payments of benefit available to beneficiaries under the Act and the recoverable assistance payments available to non-beneficiaries under the Recoverable Assistance Program;

   (d) ensure that the financial assistance set out in paragraph (a) and (b) is provided within the limits and for the reasons prescribed.