20200227 Signed Response COLLIS.pdf

There are three stages to the review and appeals process.
•  Stage 1, Internal Review
When  a  client  applies  for  a  ‘Review  of  Decision’  the  Ministry  carries  out  an
internal review to examine any new information, review the information based
on which the original decision was made and to verify that the decision made
was in accordance with the appropriate legislation. A client may also withdraw
a case before a Benefits Review Committee hearing.

•  Stage 2, Benefits Review Committee
When  the  internal  review  outcome  is  not  favourable  (‘upheld’)  or  only
favourable in part (‘upheld in part’) to the client, the decision must be heard by
a Benefits Review Committee without any further request from the client.

•  Stage 3, Social Security Appeal Authority
Should  the  client  who  submitted  the  ROD  disagree  with  the  Benefits  Review
Committee  decision,  the  client  can  appeal  to  the  Social  Security  Appeal
Authority. You can find out information relating to appeals to the Social Security
Appeal  Authority  here:  www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/social-security-appeal-
authority/
Further information  regarding the ROD process can be found on the following web-
link:
www.workandincome.govt.nz/about-work-and-income/complaints/review-of-
decisions.html.
For the period 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019, there were a total number of 4294 Review
of Decision cases resolved. Of these resolved cases, 1623 cases (38%) were withdrawn
prior to a Benefits Review Committee hearing; 1487 (34%) were overturned at the
internal  review;  1055  (25%)  were  upheld  at  the  Internal  Review;  123  (3%)  were
partially upheld at the internal review; and six were overturned at the internal review,
however, the client requested for the case to be processed  by the Benefits Review
Committee. This response provides more information about these  resolved cases in
the attached tables.
Please find enclosed Tables One to Five, which provide the following information:
•  Table One provides the number of Review of Decisions received per month and
region for the Financial year ending 30 June 2019.
•  Table  Two  provides  the  number  of  decisions  that  were  overturned  internally
before a Review of Decision hearing by the Benefits Review Committee, for the
financial year ending 30 June 2019.
•  Table  Three  provides  the  number  of  Review  of  Decisions  that  were  partially
upheld prior to the Benefits Review Committee, for the financial year ending
June 2019.
•  Table  Four  provides  the  number  of  Reviews  of  Decisions  that  were  partially
upheld by a Benefit Review Committee, for the financial year ending 30 June
2019.
•  Table Five provides the number  of Reviews  of  Decisions that were upheld in
favour of the Ministry, for the financial year ending 30 June 2019.
Page 2 of 8

Table One: Number of Reviews of Decisions received by the Ministry during the Financial year ending 30 June 2019, broken down by month and region.
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
REGIONS
July 2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
Total
Auckland Services
85
83
79
75
60
77
56
68
91
69
74
68
885
Bay of Plenty
14
10
13
11
19
9
11
15
11
12
23
8
156
Canterbury
16
22
19
19
24
11
9
15
13
18
24
20
210
Central
16
14
9
19
15
S
9
10
16
7
8
6
134
Central Processing Unit
19
33
13
11
21
16
9
7
S
14
12
18
175
Centralised Services
54
48
52
51
72
42
49
63
83
64
81
71
730
Contact Centre
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
0
S
S
East Coast
17
9
13
7
11
14
10
12
12
8
10
8
131
National Debt Unit
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
National Fraud
0
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
National Fraud Investigation Unit Central North Hub
S
S
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
S
0
0
9
National Fraud Investigation Unit Central South Hub
0
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
0
S
0
0
11
National Fraud Investigation Unit Northern Hub
S
S
0
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
0
S
19
National Fraud Investigation Unit Southern Hub
S
0
0
0
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
S
15
National Office
S
S
S
S
S
0
0
0
S
S
0
S
19
National Programmes Centre
11
13
6
11
7
8
10
11
12
22
10
14
135
Nelson
6
S
S
S
7
S
6
7
S
S
S
S
53
Remote Client Unit
S
S
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
S
S
0
11
Northland
9
14
10
7
13
13
8
11
12
6
22
18
143
Senior Services
52
68
44
44
67
49
50
70
62
56
73
65
700
Southern
17
14
12
11
11
7
S
6
9
12
13
10
127
StudyLink
13
23
10
15
14
16
12
12
16
13
23
10
177
Taranaki
6
6
S
7
6
S
S
7
9
S
6
S
70
Waikato
18
13
12
17
12
15
14
14
11
9
19
10
164
Wellington
15
17
16
34
23
25
20
24
14
24
20
14
246
Total
383
407
318
347
393
321
287
356
382
350
425
355
4324

Notes:
•
Reviews of Decisions are normally assigned to the region where the decision under review was made.
•
Some business units in the Ministry (for example, Centralised Processing Unit, Centralised Services, Contact Centre, National Fraud investigation units, National Programmes Centre, National Office, Remote Client Unit,
Studylink, and Senior Services) are centralised units that make decisions for clients throughout New Zealand.
•
Seniors Services include all clients receiving the New Zealand Superannuation.
•
Review of Decisions processed by National Office include decisions made by contracted providers (e.g. course and training providers) and by staff who are employed in the Ministry’s National Office.
•
Some regions may be excluded from this table as there were no decisions overturned in that region prior to a Benefits Review Committee hearing in the financial year ending 30 June 2019.

Page 4 of 8

Table Two: Number of decisions that were overturned prior to a Benefits Review Committee hearing during the financial year ending 30 June 2019, broken down by region and month
REGIONS
July
August
September  October  November  December  January  February
March
April
May
June
Total
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
Auckland Services
21
38
17
14
21
26
22
22
22
29
33
19
284
Bay of Plenty
S
S
7
S
8
S
S
S
S
S
S
8
47
Canterbury
11
10
8
10
10
S
7
7
S
S
9
8
88
Central
S
6
7
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
0
0
32
Central Processing Unit
7
21
14
S
13
S
S
S
S
S
6
6
84
Centralised Services
20
24
17
24
25
18
23
24
24
18
49
47
312
East Coast
6
6
S
S
S
7
S
S
7
S
6
7
61
National Fraud Investigation Unit Northern Hub
0
0
S
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
National Office
6
S
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
12
National Programmes Centre
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
6
S
S
33
Nelson
S
S
0
0
S
S
S
S
S
0
0
S
11
Remote Client Unit
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
S
Northland
S
S
S
0
S
S
S
S
S
S
6
6
41
Senior Services
16
28
14
13
13
14
9
17
16
15
26
8
188
Southern
S
S
S
0
S
S
0
S
0
S
S
S
22
StudyLink
S
10
S
6
11
7
9
S
9
6
7
6
83
Taranaki
S
S
S
S
6
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
29
Waikato
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
7
S
44
Wellington
8
8
S
9
15
18
10
7
9
11
10
8
117
Total
122
172
115
103
145
113
100
106
111
107
167
132
1493

Notes:
•
Some regions may be excluded from this table as there were no decisions overturned in that region prior to a Benefits Review Committee hearing in the financial year ending 30 June 2019.
•
Review of Decisions are normally assigned to the region where the decision under review was made.
•
Some business units in the Ministry (for example, Centralised Processing Unit, Centralised Services, Contact Centre, National Fraud investigation units, National Programmes Centre, National Office, Remote Client Unit,
Studylink, and Senior Services) are centralised units that make decisions for clients throughout New Zealand.
•
Seniors Services include all clients receiving the New Zealand Superannuation.
•
Review of Decisions processed by National Office include decisions made by contracted providers (e.g. course and training providers) and by staff who are employed in the Ministry’s National Office.
•
This table includes cases that were overturned but still proceeded to a Benefits Review Committee.

Page 5 of 8

Table Three: Number of decisions that were partially upheld prior to a Benefits Review Committee hearing during the financial year ending 30 June 2019, broken down by region and
month

August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
May
REGIONS
July 2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2019
2019
2019
April 2019
2019
June 2019
Total
Auckland Services
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
S
S
S
S
S
29
Bay of Plenty
S
0
0
0
0
S
S
0
S
0
0
0
S
Canterbury
0
0
S
0
S
S
S
0
0
S
S
0
11
Central
S
S
S
S
0
S
S
0
S
0
S
0
10
Central Processing Unit                              S
S
0
0
S
0
0
0
S
0
0
0
S
Centralised Services
S
0
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
S
S
12
East Coast
0
S
S
0
S
S
0
0
0
0
0
S
7
National Office
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
National Programmes Centre
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
30
Nelson
0
S
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
S
Northland
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
S
Senior Services
7
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
36
Southern
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
S
StudyLink
0
0
0
0
S
S
0
0
0
S
0
0
S
Taranaki
0
0
S
0
0
0
S
0
S
0
0
0
S
Waikato
S
0
0
S
S
S
0
0
0
0
S
0
9
Wellington
S
0
S
S
0
S
0
S
S
0
S
S
15
Total
23
14
24
19
18
15
9
16
16
10
15
9
188

Notes:
•
Regions may be excluded from this table as there were no decisions partially upheld prior to a Benefits Review Committee hearing in that region for the financial year ending 30 June 2019.
•
Some business units in the Ministry (for example, Centralised Processing Unit, Centralised Services, Contact Centre, National Fraud investigation units, National Programmes Centre, National Office, Remote Client Unit,
Studylink, and Senior Services) are centralised units that make decisions for clients throughout New Zealand.
•
Seniors Services include all clients receiving the New Zealand Superannuation.
•
Review of Decisions processed by National Office include decisions made by contracted providers (e.g. course and training providers) and by staff who are employed in the Ministry’s National Office.
•
Review of Decisions are normally assigned to the region where the decision under review was made.

Page 6 of 8

Table Four: Number of decisions that were partially upheld by a Benefits Review Committee for the financial year ending 30 June 2019, broken down by region and month

July
August  September  October  November  December  January  February  March
April
May
June

REGIONS
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
Total

Auckland Services
S
0
S
6
S
S
0
S
S
S
S
0
23

Canterbury
S
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
S
S

Central
S
0
0
S
0
S
0
S
S
0
0
0
S

Central Processing Unit
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
S
S
0
0
0
S

Centralised Services
0
0
S
S
0
S
0
S
0
0
S
S
6

East Coast
0
0
0
0
0
S
S
0
S
0
0
S
S

National Fraud Investigation Unit Central South Hub
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S

National Office
0
S
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S

National Programmes Centre
S
S
S
S
0
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
19

Nelson
0
S
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
S

Remote Client Unit
0
0
S
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S

Senior Services
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
S
S
7
S
S
41

Southern
0
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S

StudyLink
0
0
0
S
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
S
S

Taranaki
S
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
S

Waikato
0
0
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S

Wellington
S
0
S
0
0
S
0
S
S
0
S
0
10

Total
11
S
12
18
6
14
S
13
16
10
11
9
130

Notes:
•
Regions may be excluded from this table as there were no decisions partially upheld by a Benefits Review Committee in that region for the financial year ending 30 June 2019.
•
Some business units in the Ministry (for example, Centralised Processing Unit,  Centralised Services, Contact Centre, National Fraud investigation units, National Programmes Centre, National Office, Remote Client Unit,
Studylink, and Senior Services) are centralised units that make decisions for clients throughout New Zealand.
•
Seniors Services include all clients receiving the New Zealand Superannuation.
•
Review of Decisions processed by National Office include decisions made by contracted providers (e.g. course and training providers) and by staff who are employed in the Ministry’s National Office.
•
Review of Decisions are normally assigned to the region where the decision under review was made.

Page 7 of 8

Table Five: Number of Decisions upheld in favour of the Ministry of Social Development by a Benefits Review Committee during the financial year ending 30 June 2019, broken down by
region and month

July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
Region
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
Total
Auckland Services
14
21
16
26
14
7
9
16
14
15
24
6
182
Bay of Plenty
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
6
0
S
31
Canterbury
6
S
S
S
9
S
8
S
S
S
S
S
51
Central
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
S
S
27
Central Processing Unit
6
8
S
S
S
S
0
S
S
6
S
S
44
Centralised Services
S
S
S
6
S
10
S
S
S
S
6
S
48
Contact Centre
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
S
East Coast
S
S
S
0
S
0
0
S
S
0
0
6
18
National Fraud
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
National Fraud Investigation Unit Central South Hub
0
0
S
0
S
S
0
0
0
S
0
0
S
National Fraud Investigation Unit Northern Hub
0
0
0
0
S
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
S
National Fraud Investigation Unit Southern Hub
0
0
0
0
0
S
0
S
0
0
S
0
S
National Office
S
8
0
S
0
S
0
0
0
0
S
0
15
National Programmes Centre
S
S
S
S
0
S
S
S
S
S
S
6
34
Nelson
0
0
S
S
0
S
0
0
S
0
S
0
7
Remote Client Unit
0
S
S
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
Northland
0
9
S
S
S
0
S
S
0
S
S
S
31
Senior Services
25
16
17
19
12
17
S
17
18
14
18
18
194
Southern
0
S
6
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
27
StudyLink
0
0
S
S
0
S
0
S
0
S
0
0
6
Taranaki
0
S
S
S
S
0
S
S
S
S
0
0
14
Waikato
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
0
19
Wellington
S
S
6
9
S
S
S
S
6
0
8
S
44
Total
79
93
77
95
58
59
35
65
57
57
81
54
810

Notes:
•
Regions may be excluded from this table as there were no decisions upheld by a Benefits Review Committee in that region for the financial year ending 30 June 2019.
•
Some business units in the Ministry (for example, Centralised Processing Unit, Centralised Services, Contact Centre, National Fraud investigation units, National Programmes Centre, National Office, Remote Client Unit,
Studylink, and Senior Services) are centralised units that make decisions for clients throughout New Zealand.
•
Seniors Services include all clients receiving the New Zealand Superannuation.
•
Review of Decisions processed by National Office include decisions made by contracted providers (e.g. course and training providers) and by staff who are employed in the Ministry’s National Office.
•
Review of Decisions are normally assigned to the region where the decision under review was made.

Page 8 of 8