Grrrr Studylink and WINZ
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
Forum Description: For mums, dads, parents-to-be, grandparents, friends -- you name it! And you name the topic you want to chat about!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3828
Printed Date: 15 July 2025 at 6:33pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Grrrr Studylink and WINZ
Posted By: mummy_becks
Subject: Grrrr Studylink and WINZ
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 11:34am
|
We have in the past had a childcare subsidy and accomodation allowance. Since I have been on the Student Allowance we have had the Accom cut and they decided to cut the childcare subsidy - please tell me how a fulltime student and fulltime worker can have a child running around. I know that they have stuffed up there as the nice lady at WINZ told me they had!!! Now I have dropped a paper I am no longer eligable for the student allowance - by 2.5 points grrrr. So we are trying to get everything back to normal as we have a mortgage and bills to pay. I have to fill in all the forms and take in all the documents to get the allowances. This is going to take me forever but I have given myself till 3pm to get it all done. I am seriously thinking of going out and either doing temp work of at least part time (10-20 hours a week) of work just to survive as soon as my study finished in 5 weeks. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Replies:
Posted By: nicolaann
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 11:46am
|
The whole system sucks sometimes! Just look at how stupid it is for Janine. If she works fulltime she is worse off... how does that make sense?? Maybe you should go in and talk to them.. if they have stuffed up they might be able to fix it?? God I think you need to know what you are entitled to and then go in, otherwise they just tell you that your not entitlted to anything. But working part time might be good. Gets you out of the house for some time to yourself if nothing else!! ------------- Nicky, Mum to Alex (5) & Sophie (3) http://lilypie.com"> 
|
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 11:51am
|
Why did they cut the childcare subsidy? That doesn't sound right -it's income related and if you are studying you are entitled to up to 50 hours subsidised care even if you are on the student allowance. The accomodation supplement is different tho coz Studylink pay a one set amount Accmodation Allowance rather than the percentage of costs based one that WINZ uses.
With part time work, make sure you check out your options first as you may find you get stuck paying secondary tax which you will get back at the end of the tax year, but that doesn't help in the short term. Good luck at WINZ. I am going to see them myself at 3pm so will be thinking of you lol... -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
|
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 12:20pm
|
The stupid (and I will call her that forever now) didn't read the review form well enough and just skipped over the part that says I am studying. I have a letter from Massey (good thing about knowing the important people there) to say that I study for 37.5 hours a week and Andrew is in daycare for 36 hours a week. So I am sure we are covered for that. Have to find out about the secondary tax. I have just found the perfect job. It is however permanent (so not that great for me being pregnant - but could always lie and say I just found out after if I get the job), but the hours are just 9am till 1pm Monday to Friday. It is just around the corner from me so I could walk there. So I need to kind out about what I am entitled to from IRD when I finish my 10 hour a week job earning next to nothing. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 12:58pm
| I swear that one of the criteria for working at Winz is "can you pertend to know nothing about anything and look stupid"...no offence to anyone who works there, and actually our case worker is a complete doll. But seriously, studylink is so full of..it. Whenever I have ANY contact with them, I always ask for a name, I write down time, date adn the information they give. Apprently they record the calls now so if someone gives me wrong information WATCH OUT!! |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 1:37pm
The WINZ call centre is just as bad. And I mentioned in the IRD thread about how WINZ loaded my debt twice... Oh and when Willie and I split up and I went on the DPB my case manager left the Child Support forms sitting in my file and never sent them to the IRD so Willie got away with not paying until someone picked up the mistake 18 mths later. And they apparently can only charge him from the date the form was filed, which means he got 18 mths off having to pay while th egood old tax payer funded my DPB. As a taxpayer now...
I have a great case manager now (I think - will let you know after I see him at 3pm today lol), he actually gets the whole working for families thing. I hate that when I go there I always feel like some kind of dole bludger, and I've had case managers make me feel like that in the past, but my new case manager doesn't which is nice. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
|
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 1:59pm
|
Becks... some how my weasely flatmate managed to get the student allowance even tho he was below the full time EFTS. I think he talked to one of the careers advisors at Massey (in Wellington) and got them to write a letter recommending the allowance be reinstated???
Worth a try!! I'll ask him tonight the exact process and see if you can replicate it. (Although by now you'll probably be soo sick of the paper trail and to-ing and fro-ing!!) |
Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 2:04pm
|
You can apply for Limited Full Time status if you are below the EFTS, the criteria are that you are either finishing a course and the number of credits you need are less than full time, or that you have circumstances that mean you can't study full time. I managed to scrape in on that one when I was preg with Maya... ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
|
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 2:21pm
|
I've been told to do that, but the financial officer at Massey (in Palmy) told me it is really hard to get as i'm not quite half way through my pregnancy - And she would battle for me if needed. I have decided studylink can go to h*ll and we'll just get the money from WINZ. Probably get a bit more of accom as the rates have gone up.... I have decided (without talking to DH - oh well) that I am going to look for part time work after my exams, so start looking pretty soon. 20 hours would be enough and I could easily continue it after having number 2 and seeing if family are willing to help with the caring of the bubs. Even if bubs is in care for 3 days and someone else (family) is looking the other 2 days. And I will continue to study but part time so 1 or 2 papers a semester, enough to get my fees paid and get the CRC. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 3:43pm
|
Limited full time status.. that's what i got.. i was preg and had to pull out of a few papers.. then to finish off 2nd year had to go part time.. as long as your EFTs add up to a certain number you still qualify for all the same as a full time student, you just need a letter from the MW and from the uni to basically state that these are the reasons and that your hours still add up to this amount..
Also, I know you might not want to do it.. but for us we never bothered with the student allowance cos it's a taxable income thingie and affects mikes tax.. try going thru your student loan.. claiming the living costs.. which is non-taxable as you have to eventually pay it back.. you can get up to $150 a week.. that's what we did, and yeah my student loan got bumped up a bit.. but hey, if it means you can live and make the mortgage then go for it. speaking of those lovely people.. i received a letter today to say that they had overpaid Ayja's daycare subsidy for that one week that i had worked before ringing them.. what they don't take into account is that when they did my review a few months back and sent me a letter saying the girls daycare subsidies had been dropped to 9 hours a week each.. they never actually paid any of Paris's one at all i now find.. so really.. i don't see why they can't just transfer it.. they said if i want them to pay her subsidie up till when i started work i can get them to do that.. grr why don't they just be sensible and write it off. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
|
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 5:13pm
|
I got everything to the lady at WINZ and she was most impressed that I got all the documents and filled in the forms in the 4 or so hours and having Andrew with me. She couldn't understand why studylink had cancelled the accom or cut the childcare down to 9 hours a week. I am going to ring the Temp agents in Palmy on Monday and have a chat with them as to work from the beginning of November. I could only work 3 days a week, but still 3, 6 hours shifts is still 18 hours and on temps wages - which can be quite high, it will be a big help. And we will still qualify for the subsidies and accom which is great. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 22 September 2006 at 10:51pm
|
When I was studying and preg and dp was on ACC on $260 a week we were getting about $80 accomodation supplement and that was all we were entitled to. I had to get student loan $150 a week just to live and then use the $1000 course related costs to last until bubs arrived. It made me so mad because I was real preg and couldn't work and ben was waiting for surgery so he couldn't work.
And why do they only have people that can't speak english in the call centres. Hope things work out 4 ya |
Posted By: Leish
Date Posted: 23 September 2006 at 8:33am
|
I worked for WINZ for a while. After being on DPB for a while, I figured I could do a much better job than the retards who were supposed to be looking after me. It used to infuriate me - the number of people that come in week after week and completely rip off the system and then the people like you guys - who only ever came in when they were completely on the bones of their arses and it was because they were working towards being in full time employment - not just making a lifestyle choice like the rest of them!! Grrrrrrr - made me so mad. I remember one woman came in - DPB two children in private schools getting $1000 in the hand p/w complained that she didn't have enough to survive!! I told her that she got paid more than me and I had to work for it and put my child in daycare every day. Needless to say - I couldn't stand that job for very long. I totally admire you ladies studying and just trying to make it work. It pi$$es me off that you don't get support from the government to do that. In the end, you will be contributing more to this country than those people that are just on the unemployment benefit out of choice yet they get a free ride!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
|
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 23 September 2006 at 11:57am
hhhhm Becks.. just you take it easy.. 18 hours of work a week.. doesn't sound too much like resting up to me. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
|
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 23 September 2006 at 9:04pm
|
Well I have decided to bite the bullet and on Monday I am ringing up to get the $150 a week I can get. It will help to get us through the next few weeks, till we can get things sorted at WINZ. I think from memory that I won't get the first amount till the following week but still it will help then. May ask the bank to have an overdraft next week of $100 just so we don't get penalties on a/p's going out next week. $150 a week for the next 7 weeks will be very helpful, and at the end of the day it is interest free which will help a lot. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 25 September 2006 at 10:23am
|
I'm so annoyed with StudyLink (annoyed it not really the word - but I can't put those words in there). I am sure they make it so hard for people to study that have children and have partners. First Call (5 minutes): I don't qualify for the Living costs because of my EFT's. He told me to go to WINZ and go and apply for the sickness benifit - tell me how I can get the sickness benefit please. I am pregnant not SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He also told me that being pregnant does not qualify you for Limited full time status - anyone wish to disagree, cos I sure as hell didn't want to listen to him anymore. I got his name and hung up on him. Second Call (20 minutes): Got a really nice person who advised me that as I have a letter from Massey and my MW that I should apply for limited fulltime status (hmmm, same call centre, should give same info). He also told me I could get the allowance and get the top up from the living costs. I have opted for just the living costs as the allowance is just causing too much hassle for me. He also told me that giving out the option f going on the sickness benefit is the last option as it's not the best option to do when you are pregnant. Got his name and now heading to the outreach centre thing to apply for limited full time status and he also told me to apply for a grant to get some money so we can pay the mortgage this week. I think after this my studying days are over, I can't handle going through this again. (I would also hate to see what my BP is at the moment) Fingers crossed I can get some money to survive this week. My last option is to get an overdraft on my account which I don't want to do. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 25 September 2006 at 4:45pm
|
argh i hate that - sometimes you get people that are really willing to help out and other times you get people who have no idea and just make you stressed to the max.
Re: sickness benefit.. it is a sucky option like the guy said.. cos it gets given to both you and your hubby.. meaning tax code changes and all that guff.. we nearly had to apply for it before i had paris.. and it would have actually made us LOOSE money, not gain it. Good luck... and take it easy.. Don't want you ending in hospital and delivering early.. If i see you in neonates lady i will tell you off. te he he he, lololol, J/Kidding. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
|
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 25 September 2006 at 6:04pm
|
I seriously would be happy having this baby early. But not too early. I'm thinking at 37 weeks would be fine - then I wouldn't see you there. But if we did end up there at least I might be able to trust 1 person with my baby I don't think we would be able to get hte sickness benefit cos of Nigel's wage but who knows. The nice lady at the outreach centre told me we could apply for a food grant, but I think I wait a bit for it, we shop fortnightly and I did it last week so we just need bread and milk no biggy. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 25 September 2006 at 8:47pm
|
lol, there's a heap of us there that are all nice (i think in my opinion we are the nicest bunch in the hospital lol) There's another chicka there that went to school with us which is kinda kewl to catch up with.. considering we never talked at high school. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
|
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 27 September 2006 at 8:35pm
|
We've had our run of Study Link and WINZ too, with both girls DH was studying full-time and I was working under 10 hours a week. It sure is hard and so frustrating to try to talk to anyone nice! Becks if you're still having trouble I have often wondered whether it would help to see a budget advisor, just because they probably know what WINZ/SLink outght to be paying you and can work at them on your behalf.... just a thought, I never quite got there myself. ------------- |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 28 September 2006 at 12:37pm
|
Well WINZ have done everything for us it is wonderful. We got quite a bit money this week for back payment of money we should have been paid a while ago. Its good to know that we can pay our bills this week. I have learnt my lesson and never getting a studen allowance again as it was more of a hassle than a help. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 28 September 2006 at 1:23pm
|
ggr, have to ring them again today (am running out of time before work so it might be tomorrow now. lol)
got 2 letters yesterday, 1 saying please pay what you owe for Ayjas daycare subsidy that was overpaid.. and the other saying that Paris's daycare subsidy has been 'suspended' for 8 weeks.. hello what's that about.. i thought it was being stopped? why only for 8 weeks, and they put the date it was stopped from as being the 25th of sept.. they haven't paid it for months.. what dufusses. so again, shall ring and i think i might make an appointment with someone to nut it out, the phone people have no idea. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
|
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 28 September 2006 at 1:56pm
|
I swear they were put here to make thinks so much harder for parents wanting to go back to work or study. I should hear tomorrow if I get limited full time status - i'll be most upset if I don't get it. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 28 September 2006 at 11:50pm
|
I think they turned me down first time... I went back.. took 1 more paper than last time to boost the efts.. and applied again. lol ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
|
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 29 September 2006 at 10:06am
|
Well yesterday we get a letter to say the childcare change of hours had been done but the review had not and the childcare would be stopped on 09/10/06 . I rung them up and was told I was not allowed to access the info about the childcare subsidy, as it is under DH's name. That got me MAD . I told him to get his supervisor as I sure as h*ll can talk about it. He put me on hold and then came back with a "oh yes you are allowed to talk about the childcare subsidy" well hello I am the mother, my name is on those forms as well. He sent an email to someone at the Palmy office and he just rung me to say that it has been stuffed up and the stuff up is at their end. Finally someone has realised they have made a mistake and are going to fix it!!! ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 02 October 2006 at 1:29pm
|
I got limited full time status. Well I was sure I would get it. So happy I know we will have money now!!! And they are back dating my allowance as they stopped it a week back. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 02 October 2006 at 9:24pm
|
still haven't rung, will ring tomorrow arvo. didn't finish work till just after 4 today.. by the time i got home - too late.
Yay on getting LFT status. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
|