When MSD can decline an Emergency Housing Grant

An Emergency Housing Grant is a discretionary hardship grant. There are circumstances when MSD can decline to pay one.

These circumstances include when the client:

• can meet their emergency housing need in another way or
• has caused or contributed to their immediate emergency housing need or
• has failed to meet the expectations and conditions of grant for emergency housing

An Emergency Housing Grant is only available for emergency housing that is considered adequate for the client, their partner, and dependent children (if any).

When a client refuses to be assisted to stay in adequate accommodation, an Emergency Housing Grant will not be used to part-fund accommodation at another place.

In these cases, the client may be considered to be able to meet their immediate emergency housing need from their resources. If MSD determines this, the Emergency Housing Grant can be declined as they don't have an immediate emergency housing need.

Before declining an Emergency Housing Grant, MSD needs to consider if:

• the client has failed to meet the expectations and conditions of payment (e.g. the client contributed to their emergency housing need) despite being told and understanding what was required of them, and the consequences of not doing this
• the client has had access to appropriate services to support them to meet their needs
• there are children in the household and the impact

The client must be advised in writing and provided with their right to review the decision.

If a decision is made to decline when there are children, all reasonable efforts need to be made to manage any risk to their wellbeing.

If a child has been, or is likely to be harmed (physically, emotionally, or sexually), ill-treated, abused, neglected, or deprived, the case must be referred to Oranga Tamariki.