An interim payment will help those hit by the North Island extreme weather events
The government has announced support for displaced homeowners hit by the recent North Island extreme weather events, to provide them with “the certainty and confidence they need to plan ahead.”
An interim payment, called the North Island Weather Events – Temporary Accommodation Assistance (NIWE TAA), will be provided by the government to assist displaced homeowners when their insurance payments for temporary accommodation run out.
The payment will be available from Sept. 4, made weekly and directly to homeowners, and set at 100% of the average rent declared by Accommodation Supplement recipients in the recipients’ region.
“This payment will help bridge the gap until repairs are undertaken or a decision is made on the future of their property,” said Carmel Sepuloni (pictured above), minister for Social Development and Employment.
“After picking up the Auckland portfolio, I prioritised visiting areas impacted by the extreme weather events. Having talked informally to many residents, it’s clear that they need and deserve certainty so that they can plan, recover, and get back to a sense of normality.”
To be eligible for the payments, applicants must be New Zealand residents or citizens, or people recognised as a refugee or a protected person in New Zealand under the Immigration Act 2009, and are ordinarily a resident in New Zealand, who:
- are displaced from their home, which has received a red or yellow placard as a result of NIWE and continue to have costs associated with their damaged home (e.g., mortgage, rates, insurance etc)
- have a tenancy agreement under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the RTA) before July 19
- have previously been receiving payment for temporary accommodation from their insurer but are no longer receiving this payment
- are not currently in TAS supplied accommodation, but are registered
- are not receiving another government payment for their temporary accommodation costs in the same property (such as the Accommodation Supplement or the Student Allowance Accommodation Benefit).
“The government has prioritised setting up this payment now, as payments from insurers for temporary accommodation start to run out and the future for some people’s homes remain uncertain,” Sepuloni said. “If a longer-term solution is needed, there is work underway on what that might look like.”
NIWE TAA doesn’t cover the costs of commercial accommodation, such as motels and hotels; homeowners who received an upfront lump sum from their insurer for temporary accommodation costs; and homeowners receiving the Accommodation Supplement or the Student Allowance Accommodation Benefit for their temporary accommodation.
Applicants can contact MSD from Aug. 21 to book an appointment.
Eligible homeowners can receive a lump-sum payment covering them from as early as June 1.
Payments are not taxable and will not affect Working for Families and most other social assistance entitlements.
Click here for more information about NIWE TAA.
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