63Emergency benefit: discretionary grant on ground of hardship

1. MSD may grant an emergency benefit on the ground of hardship to a person (P)—

2. who is unable to earn enough income for P or P’s dependants (if any); and
3. who is not entitled to a main benefit under this Act (other than an emergency benefit) or to New Zealand superannuation or a veteran’s pension; and
4. to whom MSD has determined not to grant 1 of the following benefits on ground of hardship: jobseeker support, youth payment, or young parent payment.

5. Despite subsection (1)(b), MSD may grant an emergency benefit to a person (P) instead of or in substitution for a supported living payment, sole parent support, or jobseeker support.

6. The rate of an emergency benefit is at the discretion of MSD.

7. However, the rate of an emergency benefit must not exceed the rate of the equivalent benefit, that is, the main benefit under this Act (other than an emergency benefit) that MSD would grant to a person entitled to the benefit in circumstances similar to P’s.

8. MSD may, on a case-by-case basis, make the grant of an emergency benefit subject to any conditions imposed by MSD.

Compare

• 1964 No 136 s 61