FAMILY BENEFIT PAYMENTS

Chronicle (Levin), 6 April 1946, Page 4

FAMILY BENEFIT PAYMENTS

-Press Association

SOME APPLICANTS WILL HAVE TO WAIT

Bv Telegravh-

WELLINGTON, April 5. T.he arrfingements made in regard tp the date of payment of the family benelits were referred to hy the Minister QX Soqial Security (Hon. W. E. Parry) ip. a statement today. * ' ' The Social Security Department ip. « cecent weeks has repeiyed 'OYBi 150,000 uew applications for the family benetit," said Mr. Parry. "In the ordinary course of events the first instalments of" the "benefits grairied to tfese apjplicants would have been available ori "April ll, bu,t oyiirig to the amount of work necessary to" ;deal with these applications, some applicants will not receive payrpgirit pntil later. Thoje yrho have received formal advice from the Social Security Department of the granting of the benefit and who desire to uplift .instalments at the nearest post ofiice qjr Social Security office will be able to veceive the first instalment on or aft^r Ap.ril 11. These_ instalrqents will available for collection fo.r onp mpnth; that is, until May 11, when Ihe next .ipstalment will become due. ' ' r3jhe Minister added that those persops who :hafi asked that payment be jmade'to tlieir " Post" Office Savings Eap^k accourits arid who had received formal notification that their applications hafi bpen finalised would have the amoupt of the first instalment credited to thqir Post Office 'Savirigs Bank accounts pri April 11, subsequent instalments being credited on the 11th of each succeedipg month. Payment* to the Commissioner of Taxes would be dealt .with ip ^ix^lar maiiner. " If an applicant for the benefit has not yet receivef forn^al nptifipafion jp;f the grant of the benefit, rio" paymerit will be available ori April 11, but I qpsire to assure all applicants that their ^cases vrill be finalised by the Social Security Department as early as posSible. No.iijication pf the grant of Tthe benefit will be issued to applicants imiriediately the payriiehts are' available.'' The Minister emphasised that, ,altlvpugh ,the first instalment may not .be ayailable for payment on April 11, the b'enefifs will cpmmence on April 1, 19^8, for all thpse childrf^i pligible" ;and Ipr whom applications "'ffiaW'b.een maae. Applicants .will n.pt, th^rpforP, pe *^- prived of" ariy behefi^' merely jbecai^e action on their casos has ndfc ye.c hepn completed. The Minister wished to remind those who have not yet filled in applicatipn forms that, if they do not lodge their applications with the Social Securfiy Department hy April 30, payment cajinot commence earlier than the first day of the month in v/hich they lodge thpir claiips. It is imperative, therefore, tliat pprsons d'egiring payment from April J., should lodge 'their applications t^s month.