Invalidity Pensioners In Hospitals

Northern Advocate, 14 July 1939, Page 2

Invalidity Pensioners In Hospitals

[Special to “Northern Advocate”] WELLINGTON, This Day. The position of people receiving the. invalidity benefit who find it necessary to enter hospital for? treatment is better under the Social Security Act than it was under the old legislation providing. for invalidity pensions, said the Acting Minister of Social Security, the Hon. W. E. Parry, in a statement yesterday. Hospital authorities had power to take instalments of a pension, said Mr Parry. Under-the new Act if a person receiving the invalidity pension was in hospital for less than a month the whole of the benefit instalment due was paid to him. If he was in hospital for more than a month, 25 percent. at least of the benefit was paid to him, and, having regard to the circumstances, consideration was given to the payment of the balance due. During the month of discharge from hospital the full benefit for that month was paid. * Apart from that, provision was made in the regulations for the payment of the whole or part of the benefit to the wife or near dependants of a married man receiving the invalidity benefit who had the misfortune to bo in hospital. A favourable review was generally given to a case of that kind, Mrs Parry added.