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Emergency Maintenance Allowance : Contents

Absence from New Zealand

Emergency Maintenance Allowance is an Emergency Benefit. It provides income support for sole parents with 1 or more dependent children under the age of 14 who do not qualify for any other benefit.

Emergency Maintenance Allowance clients generally cannot be absent and continue to get payment

Clients getting Emergency Maintenance Allowance cannot generally be absent from New Zealand and continue to get payment of their benefit. The Government's obligation to pay income support usually stops when the client leaves New Zealand.

All clients have an obligation to advise of departure from New Zealand

All clients receiving a main benefit must advise MSD before they leave New Zealand. If the client does not advise MSD before their international travel, their benefit payments will stop from the day after they leave New Zealand.

Paying Emergency Maintenance Allowance while client is absent from New Zealand

Generally, a client is not entitled to get Emergency Maintenance Allowance while they are absent from New Zealand.

However, in limited circumstances, the Emergency Maintenance Allowance can be paid for up to 28 days in a 52 week period when a client is absent from New Zealand for:

Payment of benefit while absent for more than 28 days in any 52 week period

Generally, a benefit cannot be paid for more than 28 days in any 52 week period.

However there are limited circumstances where a benefit can be paid for more than 28 days in a 52 week period.

Mandatory Review while overseas

Mandatory Reviews apply to clients getting Emergency Maintenance Allowance when their benefit has an expiry date of more than 52-weeks or has no expiry date.

Clients getting Emergency Maintenance Allowance who have temporarily left New Zealand must still respond to the Mandatory Review before their Mandatory Review date.

Temporary absence from New Zealand (e.g. personal travel) does not pause or defer the Mandatory Review.

Clients must contact MSD to talk about their situation if they are unable to respond to the review or if more time is needed to do it.

For more information see:

    Legislation

    • Obligation to notify absence from New Zealand section 114 Social Security Act 2018
    • General rule: benefit not payable while beneficiary absent from New Zealand section 219 Social Security Act 2018
    • Beneficiary's duty to provide information for review section 310K Social Security Act 2018
    • Factors affecting benefits: absence from New Zealand subpart 6 part 4, Social Security Regulations 2018
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