Mandatory Review for Orphan's Benefit and Unsupported Child's Benefit

MSD must review a caregivers Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit within 52-weeks of when their benefit commenced, or within 52-weeks from when the caregiver's last Mandatory Review was completed.

Caregivers must respond to the Mandatory Review before their review date, or their payments will suspend.

The purpose of a Mandatory Review is to:

• check for any changes to the caregiver's or child's circumstances
• determine if the caregiver still meets the qualifications for Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit
• determine if the child is still a dependent child
• confirm the income (other than personal earnings) received by the child or on behalf of the child over the last 52 weeks and
• review the rate of Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit payable

When a caregiver is getting Disability Allowance for a child who Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit is being paid for, they will have their Disability Allowance reviewed at the same time as their Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit.

If a caregiver is getting Disability Allowance for someone else, they will have a Mandatory Review for their Disability Allowance at least once in a 52-week period, but it will be separate to the Mandatory Review for Orphan's Benefit and Unsupported Child's Benefit.

If a caregiver is getting Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit and any other assistance (excluding Disability Allowance for the child the Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit is paid), the Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit has a separate Mandatory Review at least once in a 52-week period.

For any other assistance that has a Mandatory Review (excluding Disability Allowance for the child the Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit is paid), 26-week or 52-week reapplication, it is separate to the Mandatory Review for Orphan's Benefit and Unsupported Child's Benefit.

Note When the caregiver has provided information as part of the Mandatory Review that could affect their entitlement to or rate payable of any other assistance they get for themselves or the child, such as a main benefit or extra help, MSD may use this information to review that assistance.

Example

Justin was granted Accommodation Supplement on 11 March 2026.

He had his grandson Oliver come into his care and was granted Unsupported Child's Benefit on 5 May 2026.

Because Mandatory Reviews for Unsupported Child's Benefit are done separately to Accommodation Supplement, Justin will have two Mandatory Reviews. The review date for Accommodation Supplement is based on its commencement date and set for 52 weeks from 11 March 2026 and the review date for Unsupported Child's Benefit is based on its commencement date and reset to 52 weeks from 5 May 2026.

Caregivers are notified at least 20 working days before their Mandatory Review date, unless their Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit is suspended due to the client being temporarily overseas or in prison. The notice period allows sufficient time for caregivers to respond to the Mandatory Review.

Note if a client's Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit is suspended when the Mandatory Review notice is sent, they are not required to respond to their Mandatory Review until their Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit is to be resumed.

To respond to the Mandatory Review, the caregiver must:

• confirm or provide current information about their circumstances and
• provide further information to MSD if requested

Caregivers must confirm the information MSD holds is correct or provide any new information before their review date.

When a caregiver has responded to the Mandatory Review and MSD has determined they continue to qualify for Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit, their next review date is 52 weeks from the date their Mandatory Review was completed.

When a caregiver does not respond to the Mandatory Review before their review date, the Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit will suspend, as well as any other assistance they get for that child (excluding Child Disability Allowance, Childcare Subsidy, OSCAR Subsidy and Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment).

If the caregiver does not respond to the Mandatory Review to confirm their circumstances within 8 weeks after their payments have suspended, the Orphan's Benefit, Unsupported Child's Benefit and any other assistance that was also suspended will be cancelled.

A caregiver can still do their Mandatory Review during those 8 weeks. However, once the Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit has cancelled, the caregiver will need to apply for Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit if they still need this assistance.

A client's Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit cannot be resumed before they have responded to their Mandatory Review during the 8-week suspension period.

If a caregiver's Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit suspends as the result of the caregiver not responding to their Mandatory Review, all of the other assistance paid for that child will also suspend, except for the following payments:

• Child Disability Allowance
• Childcare Subsidy
• OSCAR (Out of School Care and Recreational Subsidy)
• Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment

The Mandatory Review is complete when MSD makes a decision about the caregiver's eligibility for Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit and the rate of benefit payable.

MSD will either:

• continue paying the benefit at the existing rate
• adjust the rate of benefit so the caregiver is getting the correct rate
• suspend the benefit if there is no rate payable for a period
• cancel the benefit if the caregiver no longer qualifies

When a child has come into a client's care, MSD should consider if there are any care and protection concerns.

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.

MSD staff must notify Oranga Tamariki if they are aware that the child’s sole caregiver has been remanded in custody and/or sentenced to a term of imprisonment.