Child leaves care
When a dependent child leaves the client's care, the child should be excluded from the start of the pay period following the date the child leaves care and any extra help the client gets should be reassessed at the appropriate rate where applicable.
If the child is the client's last dependent child aged under 14 years Emergency Maintenance Allowance must be cancelled. MSD must determine if the client qualifies for another benefit.
Note different rules apply when a child stops being a dependent child of a sole parent client because of a sudden change of circumstances beyond the control of the client.
Example
A sole parent client getting Emergency Maintenance Allowance has two dependent children included in their benefit, one aged 11 and the other aged 13 years.
The younger child leaves care to start living with another caregiver as planned and is excluded from the start of the pay period following the date they left care so the client does not incur a debt.
Six months later the remaining child turns 14.
The client no longer meets the qualification for Emergency Maintenance Allowance and MSD must determine if the client qualifies for another benefit.
Family tax credit
Family tax credits should be stopped from the start of the pay period following the date the event took place to avoid an overpayment with Inland Revenue for the client.
For more information see:
- Child leaves care suddenly
- Absence from New Zealand Child absent
- Child comes into care
- Child not living at home
- Parent in prison
Legislation
- Emergency benefit: discretionary grant on ground of hardship section 63 Social Security Act 2018
- Ending of benefits section 325-330 Social Security Act 2018
