Clients can choose not to get the Winter Energy Payment

Clients may choose not to get the Winter Energy Payment by advising the Ministry of Social Development:

• at the time they first apply for a qualifying benefit
• before Winter Energy Payments start or
• at any time during the winter period

Clients who have chosen not to receive the Winter Energy Payment before the winter period starts will not receive the Winter Energy Payment for that winter period, or any future winter periods.

If at a later date they decide they would like to receive Winter Energy Payments they must advise the Ministry.

When a married, civil union or de facto client chooses not to receive a Winter Energy Payment the Ministry must be satisfied the partner has also chosen not to receive the Winter Energy Payment. Couples are eligible for the Winter Energy Payment as a unit therefore one partner cannot choose to not get the payment if the other partner wants to keep getting it.

This also applies for New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran's Pension when a grandparented non-qualified partner is included in their New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran's Pension.

When a client has decided not to get the Winter Energy Payment, they will not receive any payments. They can choose to get the payment again during that or any winter period, by advising the Ministry they would like to start getting Winter Energy Payments again. It will start from the first available date.

Winter Energy Payments will not be back paid for any winter period the client chose not to receive the Winter Energy Payment.