Imprisonment

Clients who are in prison generally do not qualify for a main benefit and therefore cannot get Winter Energy Payment.

When a client with a partner is imprisoned and they are the primary client, the partner who is still in the community will need to see if they qualify for assistance in their own right.

In cases where a main benefit can continue, e.g. for clients remanded in custody, Winter Energy Payment will continue to be paid.

Where the client's main benefit is continuing to be paid to a caregiver while the client is in prison, Winter Energy Payment can continue to be paid.

Sometimes a person who has been remanded in custody or is serving a term of imprisonment, is detained in or transferred to a psychiatric hospital.

In these circumstances, when the client’s payment reduces to the hospital rate of benefit, the Winter Energy Payment can continue to be paid. 

If a sole caregiver is remanded in custody and/or sentenced to a term of imprisonment, the case must be referred to Oranga Tamariki.

In other situations, if MSD believes any child has been, or is likely to be, harmed (physically, emotionally or sexually), ill-treated, abused, neglected, deprived or MSD has concerns about the wellbeing of the child, the case must be referred to Oranga Tamariki.