Social Security Amendment Bill passes final reading

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says an amendment bill passed in Parliament today addresses ambiguities and technical errors in the Social Security Act.

The Social Security Amendment Bill (No3) clarifies the Act to ensure consistency for students seeking accommodation assistance and for treatment of weekly compensation payments.

“The welfare system delivers assistance to over one million New Zealanders every year and we want to make sure people are treated fairly and equally,” says Mrs Tolley.

“The Bill ensures students receive the assistance designed for them, acknowledging the shared approach taxpayers, students, and their families take to support students through study, by closing a loophole in the legislation that allowed some students to access the Accommodation Supplement.”

The Bill also amends the Act to confirm people receiving weekly compensation are treated the same, whether they receive it through ACC or the Accredited Employer scheme.

“Work and Income has always treated weekly compensation payments equally no matter where they come from and it’s important the Act reflects this,” says Mrs Tolley.

The Bill also returns the Accommodation Supplement threshold for non-beneficiary sole parents to its intended level, returns the personal earning exemption for Supported Living Payment recipients to those it was intended for, and clarifies eligibility to New Zealand Superannuation for people who have had a period of overseas employment.

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