Hesitant About Asking For Help

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31152, 31 August 1966, Page 14

Hesitant About Asking For Help

People in trouble, especially women, were often hesitant and embarrassed about approaching the Social Security Department, Mr E. B. Pyne, Registrar of the department in Christchurch, told a Life-line counsellors’ training lecture last evening.

“I want you to tell them that everything will be all right and that they are nice people there,” Mr Pyne said. Mr Pyne said that most people knew of the more common benefits paid by the department but little publicity was given to the emergency benefits. These were paid according to the degree of hardship to people in a wide variety of trouble. They were generally paid to separated women with children who were not accepted as deserted wives: wives and children of men in prison: women and girls staying home to care for aged or siek relatives; husbands having to remain home to look after sick wives and children; the unemployable man who was not an invalid: and other people aged or sick but not entitled to the usual sick or age benefits.

Hardship was also catered for through supplementary assistance to usual benefits. This assistance was aimed at helping to provide the essentials of life such as food, clothing, fuel and housing. It was limited to £1 15s a week for a single person and £2 10s for a couple. The bulk of this additional assistance was paid at present fey- housing, towards rent, rates and mortgage.

The department was also empowered to spend up to £2OO on repairs to houses owned by beneficiaries. This assistance was only a loan, and was usually recovered from a person’s estate, Mr Pyne said. Two hundred wheelchairs were also owned by the department and were provided to those needing them, Mr Pyne said.