Domestic Purposes Benefit and Standard Tertiary Bursary

Some students receiving the Domestic Purposes Benefit may not know of the ruling by the Socail Security Commission that a person who is eligible for a DPB and a standard tertiary bursary Is Entitled to Receive Both.

The Commission has also ruled that neither the first S234 of a bursary, nor a student fees allowance are counted as income, and therefore as educational expenses cannot affect the DPB. The Women and the Law Research Foundation has had several enquiries indicating a lack of knowledge about the DPB — bursary area, and had collated information to clarify some of the points at issue.

The Foundation emphasises that this is only a general guide, as entitlement may vary in individual cases. Also the discretion given to the Social Welfare Department under the Socail Security Act appears to be excercised according to the unpublished directives of the Social Security Commission. The Foundation points out that it you are unhappy with a Social Welfare decision concerning yourself, you generally have the right of appeal, with free legal and available to you for this exercise.

Before you reach that stage, however, you should discuss any complaint with the supervisor of your local social welfare office — and make sure that the office is using up-to-date figures, as payments change regularly. The Council for the Single Mother and Her Child or a solicitor can assist you.

The DPB, an additional benefit and an emergency benefit may all be decreased in proportion to the amount of additional income and/or assets, but income does not include family benefit. Up to $21 per week of additional income is allowed before abatement of the DPB.

A standard tertiary bursary of $962, minus the first $234, equals $14 per week. Thus, for a beneficiary with only a bursary as extra income and/or assets (besides family benefit) There is No Effect on the Basic Rate of the DPB.

Additional Benefit

The Department may grant an additional benefit of up to $16 per week, of which $10 is related to income and assets. This $10 of the payment will decrease as income and assets increase, to the extent of $1 per week of every $2 of income above the first $2.

Thus, for anyone receiving additional benefit, the $14 per week from a bursary will mean a loss of $6 per week from the income related $10.

Emergency Benefit

This may be granted by the Department until any question of maintenance arrangements has been settled. Bursary income fo for the abatement of this benefit is calculated over a different period, namely, the university year of 36 weeks, which makes the weekly bursary allowance $20.22 instead of $14. Abatement is 10 cents for every complete 20 cents of income between $17 and $25 per week (and over this sum is 15 cents out of the 20). The emergency benefit, then, is reduced by $1.60 per week during the university year, but is unaffected in the remaining 16 weeks.

Relevant Materials

Social Security Act 1964, 1976 Reprint. Available from any office of the Government printer — see telephone book. This statute sets out entitlement to all social benefits including the DPB. Department of of Social Work pamphlets.

(a)	"DPB for Solo Parents and Women Alone" S.W.413
(b)	"Your Right to Additional Benefit" S.W, 414

These are available from any office of the Department of Social Welfare, Private Bag, Postal Centre, Wellington 1.

"Everything a Single Parent Needs to Know" published by the Council for the Single Mother and her Child. Box 47—090 Ponsonby, Auckland.

"Tertiary Bursary." Information for Bursary Applicants. Department of Education. Available from the Department or any educational institution.

Women and the Law Research Foundation Inc.

21 Princess Street Auckland 1 Phone 372-030