civil defence processing standards

temporary arrangements

Warrants to arrest

If a young person needs to seek clearance of their warrant, they should speak to Ministry of Justice on 0800 COURTS (0800 268 787).

Obligation failures

Reminder to consider if young people have a good and sufficient reason for not meeting their obligations before you make your recommendation. Generally, young people will have a good and sufficient reason for not meeting their obligations during Civil Defence emergency.

hardship payments

MSD makes temporary payment card changes to support those who can’t get to the supermarket.

Friends or family members can use another person’s payment card to buy essential items on their behalf if they’re unable to get to the supermarket. It means checkout operators no longer need to check the person’s signature matches the signature on the payment card.

We write to Foodstuffs, Countdown etc to let them know we’re relaxing our rules. We’ll let them, and you, know when we’re returning to our normal processes.

hardship payments

All hardship payments will be made via direct credit to the supplier. If there is no way to make a payment directly to a supplier, MSD will make the payment directly to the young person.

payment card services are down

If payment cards service are down, young people will be referred to the local Work and Income site to collect a Direct Credit hologram form.

Direct Credit hologram forms are like vouchers and are paid directly to a supplier. The young person will need to select a supplier to use this voucher.

payment card balance transfer

If a young person needs available funds from their payment card, the Youth Coach will need to complete a payment card balance transfer task in ART.

To get the funds to the young person as soon as possible, YSSU will process a recoverable hardship payment. The funds will go directly into the young person’s bank account. 

YSSU will recover the hardship payment debt with the funds on the payment card. This step of the process can take up to 10 working days.

updating the Youth Service plans (NEET/YP/YPP/partners)

The requirement of completing Youth Service plans are put on hold. It is expected that Youth Coaches are in regular contact with all young people. Youth Service providers are required to provide regular updates to their Regional Contracts Manager on the well-being of their staff and young people during a Civil Defence emergency.

other processing standards

Accepting forms    

• Forms must be fully completed – discretion can be applied in some cases
• Editable pdf forms can be completed on a young persons’ behalf as a last resort.

Agents

• An Appointment of Agent form and agent identification is needed
• In some cases, a Power of Attorney, Court Order, or a letter/privacy waiver with the required information can be accepted instead of a form
• The form and evidence can be accepted electronically (e.g. email)

Applications               

• Applications may be accepted online, by paper form, or using an editable pdf

Bank accounts       

• Bank account evidence is not needed if:
  • there’s already evidence recorded
  • we’ve made payments to this account for them before
  • there’s a change in suffix only
• Evidence must show bank logo, account number and name
• Evidence can also be accepted electronically (e.g. email) or by sighting online banking

Cancellation

• Information and/or evidence of the young persons’ circumstances should be recorded at cancellation

Child changes         

• Evidence is required when including or excluding a child

Extra Help / Hardship evidence              

• Evidence (eg quotes) is not always needed
• In some cases, it’s required by law or can be requested using discretion
• If evidence is needed, it can be accepted by directly sourcing this yourself on a website or directly with the supplier (with permission). It also can be accepted electronically

Identification

• For new applications we need one primary and one secondary form of ID OR two primary forms of ID
• We can only ask for verbal confirmation for documents already saved in ART

Income and assets

• Evidence is not needed:
  • when it’s already held in the system, or
  • for first-time employment income
• Unless the above applies, evidence is needed for:
  • applications (unless already receiving ongoing assistance)
  • for all other new or changed income and assets,
  • when required at a review of annual income or annual review of IRR
• Evidence can be accepted electronically

Inland Revenue number

• You can accept, and record written or verbal evidence of a young persons’ IR number

Obligation failures

• An obligation failure must only be initiated when a young person or their partner fails to comply without a good and sufficient reason.

Partner changes

• Evidence is required when including a partner 

Recording information

• Good quality notes should be easy for someone else to understand and detailed enough so that they can see how you reached your decision

Redirection of Benefit Payment          

• A Redirection of Benefit Payment application form is needed along with other supporting evidence – in some cases, other evidence such as a Court Order can be accepted instead of a form
• The form and evidence can also be accepted electronically (eg email)

Scanning and recording

• Documentation only needs to be scanned when it’s not held already on file
• Scanned documentation and good quality notes are important to understand the young persons’ circumstances and the decisions you’ve made

Transfers      

• A new application form and supporting evidence may be needed in some cases
• It’s important to ensure the young person understands their obligations