Posts by Hilary Stace
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I would like to say that that most (not all) of the people I have interacted with during my son's long history with Work and Income have been very pleasant and polite. It is the crooked unrealistic system they work in which is the problem, and this comes from the top - ie the Government.
The idea that Autism and Down Syndrome are curable, and you need to prove that you or your offsping haven't yet been cured, are indicative of the unrealistic barriers and punitive culture. Which somehow miraculously changes when you reach 65 and are then entitled to the respectable benefit regardless of what other wealth or assets you have, which is also the one that costs the country more than all the others put together.
The sad thing is that a lot of disabled people and poor people don't reach that milestone. Our latest stats for people with intellectual disability, for example, showed a life expectancy of about 20 years less than for the population without ID.
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Up Front: Cui bono?, in reply to Joe Wylie,
Gold card varies according to local authorities. Some have no time restrictions (Auckland?) while Wellington is 9 -3, after 6pm and all day weekends, I think.
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Up Front: Cui bono?, in reply to Lilith __,
Yes the times I come across young people without the bus or train fare to get to that essential training course or appointment. Transport costs can take a major part of the benefit. Some groups of people can apply to the Wellington City Council to get a discounted Snapper card but few people know about that or how to do it.
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Up Front: Cui bono?, in reply to Jackie Spencer,
I was talking to someone about this earlier this week. Son had dyslexia and other conditions. Eventually managed to work with his strengths and now works for Corrections. Because he knows about learning difficulties through his own lived experience has realised how widespread they are among the prison population. But access to any literacy or other programmes is only as a reward for good behaviour so any meltdowns etc means you don't get access to the one thing that can help you.
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I hope all those people who think that begging is a life style choice will read this post.
They should have to offer to accompany one of those 'opportunistic beggars'* to Work and Income and navigate the appointment process, the 45 page application form with its requirements for numerous forms of ID and proof of an address and bank account, and try and work out how to coordinate a paid up cellphone and workable computer to sign up for Real Me which is how you are expected to interact with government agencies these days. And not trip on any of the numerous barriers which will see your benefit cut, or a new stand down period. Too bad if you have poor literacy, or any kind of impairment whereby reading, talking, walking or seeing is problematic. And all for an income with allows you to survive but not thrive.
On a more positive note it is good that 65-year olds now have to be exposed to that same dehumanising system to get their National Super. Although I note that some offices have separate waiting rooms and even entrances so they don't have to mix with the hoi polloi.
*An early entry for the word of the year.
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Cold calling a number of employers every week is another requirement. And proving that you have called them. I'm sure HR people around NZ (or as they are now called 'Talent') have some gripes about that.
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Oh and the Kiwibank person then said that W & I had automatic access to beneficiary bank accounts so all this paperwork wasn't even necessary. Joined up government only seems to work against people not for them.
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That requirement to no longer reconfirm a permanent diagnosis was one of the last actions of the last Labour government – so about 2007. A few years later a National voting friend, no longer having to reconfirm her impairment, congratulated the National government for getting rid of it. But funny and sad how punitive policy never really goes away.
What annoys me is how easy it is to cut a benefit eg within hours of going overseas for three days in my son’s case, which then took three weeks to rectify. And also how inflexible they are. I have been having a paper war with W & I since January trying to prove that my son didn’t have some secret slush (trust?) fund income since he lost his part time job in December 2015. My analysis of his sparse Kiwibank account is not enough. They want detailed official accounts covering a calendar year when most agencies like Kiwibank use the financial year. All over a few dollars a week. I am his authorised agent and I have no idea how his peers without an advocate or agent ever manage with all the complex requirements.
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Up Front: Cui bono?, in reply to Russell Brown,
That requirement to reconfirm an ASD or other permanent diagnosis went about a decade ago. They shouldn't be asking, but yours is not the only recent example I have heard about. I mentioned it to someone senior in MSD who didn't believe it was still happening.
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Thank you, Emma.
(A little more trust in people would be appreciated, rather than money in trusts)