A Hutt Valley beneficiary has been payed nine-years' worth of a special benefit because Work and income staff had not told her she was entitled to it.
The High Court in Wellington has turned down an appeal from Work and Income that people have to apply for the specific benefit they
want in order to get it.
The appeal was based on a case taken by Valarie Scoble, who claims that when she applied for accommodation assistance, she was not told she was eligible for another benefit as well.
Mrs Scoble said the Department rejected her complaint, and her appeal, but it was upheld by tbe social Security Appeal Authority, then the High Court.
Beneficiaries would be forced to seek independent advice before applying for benefits to make sure they knew what they were entitled to receive, if the arguments made by the department were accepted, Justice Doogue ruled.
"I cannot contemplate that Parliament would have intended that the most disadvantaged members of our community should be further disadvantaged if their applications mis-named or failed to name the precise monetary benefits to which they are entitled."
