The new Social Security Act 2018 came into effect on 26 November 2018. It doesn't change anyone’s benefits or entitlements and it makes the legislation clearer and simpler to follow.
Three new Acts replace the previous Social Security Act 1964:
Under the new Residential Care Act and Regulations, MSD continues to conduct financial means assessments for the Residential Care Subsidy. The new Act doesn't change the way we do things or the policy governing our assessments.
The new Acts change the numbering of the legislation and some detail is now found in regulations. Information about the old and new numbering is in Schedule 12 of the new Act.
The new Acts replace some outdated terms with more inclusive language and plain English. MSD has updated all its websites, forms and letters with the new terms.
Below is a table about the new terms, and the extended functions that Nurse Practitioners can do for MSD clients.
The Regulations for the Social Security Act 2018 have also been updated.
Twenty four separate Social Security regulations have been combined into one set with a clear layout and easy to find section headings. Some things in the old Social Security Act 1964 have moved into the Regulations. For example, the process for applying and assessing benefit applications.
Anything about residential care that was in the Social Security regulations has been moved into the new Residential Care and Disability Support Services Regulations 2018.
Old term
New term
Social Security Act 1964 (SSA 1964)
Social Welfare (Reciprocity Agreements and New Zealand Artificial Limb Service) Act 1990
Social Security Act 2018 (SSA 2018)
Residential Care and Disability Support Services Act 2018
Artificial Limb Service Act 2018
This change replaces the term ‘an income of less than the amount that would fully abate that benefit’ and other similar terms.
This is found in the parts of the Act that describe the basic qualifying criteria for Jobseeker Support, Youth Payment and Young Parent Payment.
More inclusive language
The term MSD replaces chief executive in most places of the new Act.
MSD means the department or the chief executive, and includes a person acting under delegated authority from the Chief Executive.
Replaces the term ‘in exceptional circumstances’ in sections 159 and 165 of the 1964 Act.
Replaces the term ‘is undertaking or is available for a full-time course of secondary instruction, or tertiary education, or approved training, or approved work-based learning’, and other similar terms in sections 158 and 164 of the 1964 Act.
New wider definition of health responsibilities.
A health practitioner means a person registered with an authority as a practitioner of a particular profession under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.
Nurse Practitioners
Nurse Practitioners can complete a wider range of medical and disability certificates and medical examinations for MSD, including applications and reviews of:
Nurse Practitioners will be able to provide the required confirmation to support a client’s application for a Special Needs Grant for the following needs:
For the purposes of clients meeting their social obligations, MSD recognises that Nurse Practitioners:
Nurse Practitioners will also be able to become Designated Health Practitioners (previously Designated Doctors) if they meet specific criteria.
Old term
New term
Reason
