Winz

[shut018]

Hi,

Has anyone had any experience with WINZ as soon as arriving in NZ? Just wondering what documents are useful to bring from UK.

Thanks,

[bluesky]

Am I right in saying there's a two year period in which you can't claim any benefits after arriving? Seems fair enough - if you're planning that you're going to come to NZ and claim a benefit you shouldn't be coming. Different if circumstances change once you've been living here a while.

[ralf-nz]

Am I right in saying there's a two year period in which you can't claim any benefits after arriving? Seems fair enough - if you're planning that you're going to come to NZ and claim a benefit you shouldn't be coming. Different if circumstances change once you've been living here a while.

Recently there was another thread on this: http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=30385

[Flutterby]

My partner registered with Winz a week after we moved (and i'll add that as his partner on a temp work permit i wasn't entitled to anything) what sort of thing did you want to know?

[Margarita]

I'm not sure why anyone would move with the intention of claiming anything as soon as they arrive. Surely you're looking to give back to the place not just move there to take stuff from it.

[Gran]

Possibly the only reason one would go to WINZ on arrival would be for a superanuant to arrange for a swap of British Pension to a NZ one, the NZ Govt gets the British one and hands out a NZ pension. Thats probably the best way to go at the moment, because the British Govt will not pay any increases to its Commonwealth recipients, only the base rate when the person left UK.
Gran

[shut018]

Sorry I should have said that although I live in Scotland I hold dual NZ and UK citizenships. I previously lived in NZ within the last 10 years and therefore do qualify for assistance from WINZ upon arrival. I am not face with a rather unplanned move back to New Zealand (due to circumstances relatively outwith my control) and was wondering if anyone in a similar situation had experience with WINZ (as I have never been to them before).

In particular does anyone know how long it takes to process payments and how quickly the overall process takes? What documentation should I gather from the UK if anything? Is it possible to start the process before arriving in NZ?

[Margarita]

Sorry I should have said that although I live in Scotland I hold dual NZ and UK citizenships. I previously lived in NZ within the last 10 years and therefore do qualify for assistance from WINZ upon arrival. I am not face with a rather unplanned move back to New Zealand (due to circumstances relatively outwith my control) and was wondering if anyone in a similar situation had experience with WINZ (as I have never been to them before).

In particular does anyone know how long it takes to process payments and how quickly the overall process takes? What documentation should I gather from the UK if anything? Is it possible to start the process before arriving in NZ?

That makes a bit more sense. I don't know the answers for you and hope someone comes along soon. I do know that when I returned to the UK from NZ the first time around I had real trouble getting any help from the UK lot because I had been out of the country for so long. I wasn't my choice to return my student visa ran out. I hope that you don't face the same the other way around as it was a really big uphill battle in which I had a job and a month or so's pay in my pocket before anything was sorted.

[Mgee]

Found this on the WINZ web pages:
http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/ind...t-meeting.html

I don't want to be a spoilsport, and I don't know exactly how the system in NZ works, but in some countries you cannot claim any benefits if you've just moved from abroad, even if you're a citizen of that particular country. There might be a few months' "quarantine period" before you can start claiming anything. If I may suggest, it might be a good idea to check the matter with WINZ before you make any arrangements for moving. Hope it works out for you.

[Flutterby]

if you are a Citizen and have been out of the country for less than 10 years its all relatively simple you apply to IRD for proof of your income within NZ for the last 12months and present this with your IRD number (and those of your accompanying family even if they are NOT citizens) and they will give you a form to fill in and get you to attend a seminar (info on jobs in the area and the facilities available to help you find work)
Once all the info was presented and forms filled in i think it took about 2 weeks to receive 1st payment and they backdate to when you 1st applied (although someone mentioned a 1 week stand down period) if you have children they will sort out your WFFTC and pay you that with the benefit also. as far as i'm aware you cannot start the process from outside NZ, but it really doesn't take very long.
And if you need help with rent they can help with that too (although i don't know the details as we initially stayed with family)


And before anyone feels the need to judge us DP is a Citizen and returned within 10 years, he moved from where he had no job and was struggling to find work and it was the 1st time in his life that he claimed WINZ help and the money was used to pay for food and keep at the family home we stayed and petrol to drive to interviews.

Does that answer your question shut018?