Steps to Freedom

A person who meets all the qualifications may be paid a grant to re-establish themselves in the community when they were in prison or held in custody on remand for 31 days or more and they have been:

• released from prison (including up to 5 days before release)
• released from court after being held in custody or on remand

This includes when they are:

• released on home detention or
• released from prison to a residential facility or
• released from a residential facility or
• deported from overseas (back to New Zealand) following release from prison

A re-establishment grant can also be made to an immediate family member of a person who meets the above criteria.

A non-recoverable grant, up to a maximum of $350, may be paid towards the cost of:

• accommodation, bond, or rent in advance
• beds and bedding
• essential appliances
• connecting telephone, electricity, and gas
• food
• clothing and toiletry items or
• other re-establishment costs

For more information see:

A re-establishment grant cannot be paid for emergency housing costs.

The amount payable must be reduced by any money held by the prison or other custodian on the person's behalf. This includes any money held in the prisoner's trust account, canteen account or earnings account.

Generally, Steps to Freedom grants should not be paid when:

• they do not have an initial stand-down or
• a prisoner has a partner getting benefit assistance, and their partner's benefit is changed to the couple rate from the date of release

Generally, if the client is returning to an established home there would be no re-establishment costs.

However, if the client can show that they have valid re-establishment costs then a payment of the Steps to Freedom grant may be appropriate.

Some examples are:

• a prisoner's partner had moved in with family while their partner was in prison, then upon their release, they needed to set themselves up with new accommodation
• a prisoner was returning to their parents' home upon their release, but their parents did not have enough bedding or food
• a prisoner was returning to their partner's home, and required assistance for clothing and toiletry items

If a prisoner has been released from prison and is entering a residential facility, see:

• Entering residential facility

If a prisoner has a partner you may need to interview them together to determine what re-establishment costs are required.

Note the income and cash assets of a prisoner's partner must be taken into account when checking to see if the client meets the qualifications for a Special Needs Grant before assessing eligibility for a Steps to Freedom grant.

For more information see:

• Income
• Cash assets

New Zealanders deported from overseas (sent back to New Zealand) following the completion of a prison sentence can receive a Steps to Freedom grant.

Deportees are required to supply evidence they have served 31 days or more in prison and/or remanded in custody and to supply evidence of any funds they were released with.

A client who has already received the maximum amount payable for Steps to Freedom who continues to face hardship may qualify for other financial assistance, such as a recoverable Special Needs Grant.

When Steps to Freedom does not cover the full amount needed for bond or rent in advance, consider whether the client qualifies for any Housing Support Products for the remaining amount.