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Emergency Benefit : Contents

Would qualify for Supported Living Payment - health condition, injury or disability, or totally blind

This exemption may apply to partners with work or work preparation obligations.

If a partner meets the qualifications for Supported Living Payment on ground of a health condition, an injury, a disability or total blindness, they can be exempt from meeting some or all of their work or work preparation obligations.

The partner must be:

  • both permanently and severely restricted in their capacity for work because of a health condition, or injury or disability, from an accident, or a condition they have had since birth or
  • totally blind

Note totally blind and legally blind are not the same.

For more information see:

This can be a full or partial exemption depending on the whether the partner can plan for a return to work.

MSD should discuss with the partner whether they can still:

  • plan for employment and
  • undertake certain work related activities

If it is unclear whether a full or partial exemption should be granted, seek advice from the Regional Health Advisor or Regional Disability Advisor.

Evidence

To support their exemption, the partner must provide a Work Capacity Medical Certificate or medical information signed by a registered medical practitioner, nurse practitioner or psychologist.

The medical certificate or information must confirm:

  • a diagnosis (what the illness is) and
  • the impact of the condition on their ability to work and
  • the likely duration of the impact and
  • their capacity for work planning, training and part-time work and
  • any other information that is required

Duration

This exemption can be granted for up to 12 months.

This exemption should then be reviewed.

At the review MSD should consider the partner's circumstances and whether it is appropriate to extend the exemption. MSD can ask the partner to provide evidence that the exemption should be extended.

For more information see:

Legislation

  • Exemption from work-preparation obligations regulation 100 Social Security Regulations 2018
  • Exemption from work-test obligations: work-tested spouses or partners regulation 102 Social Security Regulations 2018
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A Work Capacity Medical Certificate provides information to help determine a person's eligibility for a benefit.

Jobseeker Support - health condition, injury or disability requires a Work Capacity Medical Certificate, or other medical certificate with equivalent information, to determine eligibility and activity obligations.

This medical certificate can also be used to determine if people on other benefits are unable to meet work related obligations or to determine eligibility to Supported Living Payment ...

A psychologist is a health practitioner who is registered under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 and with the New Zealand Psychologists Board. Psychologists are concerned with the study of behaviour.

Psychologists must be listed on the New Zealand Psychologists Board's Register and hold a current practising certificate.

Psychology is a broad field of practice and research which applies psychological principles to:

A medical practitioner is commonly referred to as a doctor. Medical practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand as practitioners of the profession of medicine and hold a current practising certificate.

All medical practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Medical practitioners don't need to have completed their training in New Zealand but must be registered with the New Zealand ...

Nurse practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and hold a current annual practising certificate.

Nurse practitioners are expert or specialist nurses with advanced education, clinical training and experience. They have demonstrated clinical competence and have the legal authority to practice as independent healthcare providers.

All nurse practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Some nurse practitioners have specialised ...

Permanent means the health condition, injury or disability your client has is expected to continue for at least 2 years. Your client's health condition, injury or disability is also considered permanent when they have been diagnosed with a terminal illness (where your client is not expected to live for more than 2 years).

Severely means that your client cannot regularly work 15 hours or more per week in open employment.