Notice is given of the making of the following instrument by the Minister for Social Development and Employment.

A copy of the instrument is available for free at: https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/about-msd/legislation/notice-of-change.html.

This instrument, of which clauses 4(1) and (2), 6(1) and (3), and 8 and 9 in Schedule 1 come into force on 6 November 2023, and of which the remainder comes into force 28 days after it is notified in the New Zealand Gazette, amends the Special Needs Grants Programme established and approved on 28 January 1999 and made under the Social Security Act 1964 (and saved by Schedule 1 of the Social Security Act 2018) to:

• Provide that MSD may only grant an emergency housing grant in respect of a supplier opted-in to the Supplier Standards Framework, except in certain circumstances.
• Remove eligibility for a recoverable grant under the Special Needs Grants Programme for applicants who are eligible for a recoverable grant under the Housing Support Programme for the same need.
• Maintain eligibility for a non-recoverable grant under the Special Needs Grants Programme for applicants who are eligible for a recoverable grant under the Housing Support Programme for the same need.
• Provide clarity that MSD may make recoverable security deposit grants for Emergency Housing outside of an emergency housing grant.
• Ensure that the same settings, including income limits, apply to eligible people accessing a security deposit grant regardless of whether they access Emergency Housing outside of an emergency housing grant.
• Revoke the Special Assistance to affected residents of Waihi as this assistance is no longer available.

This instrument also amends the Flexible Funding Programme, established and approved on 3 August 2020 and made under section 101 of the Social Security Act 2018, to extend the expiry date of the programme to 30 June 2024.

This instrument is secondary legislation and is administered by the Ministry of Social Development.

Dated this 7th day of August 2023.

Hon CARMEL SEPULONI, Minister for Social Development and Employment.