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Benefit Advocacy
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| FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE THE FOLLOWING: |
THANK YOU: DCM would like to thank the TG Macarthy Trust, the McKenzie Trust and the Community Grants Scheme (COGS) and Child Youth and Family Services (CYFS) for their support of our benefit advocacy service. |
Compassion House, Lukes Lane PO Box 6133, Marion Square, Wellington Ph:04-384-7699; Fx:04-384-7688 |
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The DCM advocacy services can be divided into two broad categories:
- Benefit Advocacy - specifically directed at ensuring people receive their full benefit entitlements; and
- Advocacy to assist clients with a wide variety of other problems which range from finding emergency accommodation to assisting bill arrears.
DCM focuses on supporting individuals and households to gain assistance through:
- the provision of information about available supplementary allowances;
- supporting people to seek reviews of decisions that we assess as incorrect, including preparation of documentation that is required;
- supporting or representing people at Benefit Review Committee hearings;
- taking appeals to the Social Security Appeal Authority;
- taking appeals of Social Security Appeal Authority decisions to the High Court; and
- providing advice and training to community groups on advocacy issues.
While some people approach DCM directly for advocacy assistance, many people become aware of our services through the use of the foodbank. For example, during the foodbank interview process, often we find that people are entitled to WINZ assistance.
DCM has also been involved in extensive research, lobbying and campaigning on Special Benefit and Disability Allowance issues. In the long term this work, and other efforts to improve benefit administration by WINZ, should ensure that people receive their correct entitlements.
For more information on the benefit advocacy service, you can read an article on Special and Unusual Circumstances: DCM's Benefit Advocacy Service here.
