In total, $9,520,629 was paid out in advance payments to Bay of Plenty beneficiaries last year, up from $9,375,471 in 2011-2012 but down from $10,372,982 in 2010-11.
Rotorua Salvation Army Captain Brian Martin said he had not seen a reduction in the number of budgeting clients needing advance payments.
Almost all clients on benefits were making repayments for bonds, rent arrears, power bills or whiteware.
Repayments ranged from $5 per week to about $25.
"It is substantial when you're getting [a low] income."
However the alternative was getting evicted or having no power.
Sometimes the service had to help clients with food for a few weeks while they paid off a debt, he said.
Nationwide, Work and Income gave out 306,528 advance payments last year totalling more than $113 million, down from 403,828 payments in 2010-11 totalling nearly $129 million.
The money was mostly needed to cover bond or rent, followed by accommodation and electricity or gas. Other expenses included whiteware, car repairs and school uniforms.
Federation of Family Budgeting Services chief executive Raewyn Fox said the drop in applications was partly due to the corresponding drop in unemployment. But it also reflected that many beneficiaries had already had several advances during the global financial crisis.
"If you get any more advances you can't afford to live."
Ms Fox was not surprised tenancy costs were the most commonly cited advance expenses.
"It's a big lump of money that you have to try and save up to get yourself into a house."
