payment card balance transfers
payment card balance transfer
The balance will either be paid to a third party, such as a landlord, or back onto the payment card for use at a specific supplier.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for a Payment Card Balance Transfer a young person must:
- have an essential need that falls under the Payment Card Balance Transfer categories.
- be requesting a need that is of a reasonable cost.
- have enough resources to meet essential needs that would otherwise be met with their payment card until their next benefit payment.
Payment Card Balance Transfer Categories
- Health services or products (including travel costs)
- Essential household furniture, bedding, and whiteware
- Driver licenses
- School expenses
- Stranded travel
- Costs associated with attending funerals and tangihanga
- Utilities, rental, and tenancy costs
- Other goods or services deemed to be essential depending on the client's circumstances, such as a birth certificate.
reasonable costs
The requirement that the cost is reasonable is more flexible than the most economic requirement for Special Needs Grants. YSSU retains the discretion to decline an application if the cost appears unreasonable.
This is because a Payment Card Balance Transfer is technically a repayment of the young person's benefit under Money Management, with the knowledge of the young person's circumstances. Where the cost appears unreasonable or excessive, this would need to be met by the young person's in-hand allowance.
preferred suppliers
Because a Payment Card Balance Transfer is not hardship assistance, young people do not need to use a preferred supplier. However, they can purchase goods under the preferred supplier arrangement if they want to.
process
To process a Payment Card Balance Transfer, you need to:
- create a Payment Card Balance Transfer task under the Hardship Assistance task category in ART.
identify the client as per processing standards for SNGs. - note in ART the quote for the non-standard costs.
- scan and upload both sides of the young person's payment card.
- complete the task template.
Note: if money is paid onto the payment card to use at a supplier then the young person has three days to use it.
review of decision
There is no right to review a decision for Payment Card Balance Transfers. This is because the transfer is made under Money Management regulations.