LSA to require benefit verification

The Legal Services Agency has advised legal aid providers that it will soon require many legal aid applicants to verify their benefit status and any benefit income before their legal aid application is approved.  

The LSA has told the New Zealand Law Society that from 14 March, it will require legal aid applicants to verify their benefit income before legal aid is approved in all non-urgent family and civil matters. Family violence proceedings and urgent proceedings will be exempted from advance benefit verification requirements. However in each instance, verification of benefit status and income will be required before further funding is approved.

In response to the Law Society’s enquiries, the LSA says the changes were made because they did not have direct access to benefit information and under the old benefit attestation system a large number of applicants had falsely recorded that they were beneficiaries. 

The Law Society is advising its members that legal aid applicants can prove their benefit income by providing a copy of their bank statement, potentially generated through internet banking, or by sourcing the information from WINZ directly in the following ways:
  • callling WINZ on 0800 599 009 (helpful if a client does not know their WINZ number);
  • making a specific enquiry regarding benefit amounts via 0800 333 030; or
  • making an online enquiry which ensures that there is a record of the request. 

© New Zealand Law Society 2008