SOCIAL SECURITY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 129, 14 March 1939, Page 3

SOCIAL SECURITY

APPLICATION FOR BENEFITS. FORMS READY TO-MORROW. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, March 13. The Pensions Department advises that application forms for monetary benefits under Part 2 of the Social Security Act, 1938 —that is, the age, widows’, orphans’, family, invalids’, miners’, sickness, and unemployment benefits—will be available on and after March 15 at the office of any Registrar of Pensions or district employment officer of the Labour Department in the larger centres, and at the local Post Office in smaller towns throughout the Dominion. The Act comes into operation as from April 1, and the application forms, when completed, should be forwarded to the nearest Social Security office. Those already in receipt of pensions or allowance’s are not required to apply for similar monetary benefits under the Social Security Act, as the changeover will he made without personal application. For example, an old-age pensioner receiving a pension of 22s 6d a week will be granted from April 1 the age benefit of 30s a week without application, and a person holding a current pension certificate will be able to produce it as sufficient authority to receive payment of the corresponding benefit from the Social Security 7 Department at the next pay-day. It is anticipated that a large number of applications will he received by the Department in the initial stage’s, but ; no time will be lost in preparing each case for the Social Security Commission’s decision, and any accumulation of applications will be reduced to normal as expeditiously as possible. DUE DATE OF PAYMENT. (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, March 13. Officers of the Pensions Department stated to-day that nil the pensions provisions under 'the Social Security Act would comb into operation as from April 1. Arrangements had been made for tbe first payment of the increased age benefits ana other pensions on April 23. The due date for payment does not fall until April 30, since the department normally follows the practice of paying at the end of the month all pensions falling due at the beginning of the month. However, the usual system will be followed of paying a, week in advance of the due date.