Domestic Purposes Benefit Caring for Sick or Infirm (DPB – CSI) Retrospection Factsheet
Introduction
The following information is for those who may want to apply for a retrospective Domestic Purposes Benefit Caring for Sick or Infirm.
If you are a parent or caregiver who provided full time care and attention at home for a high needs dependant child (who would have otherwise required hospital care) you may be eligible for retrospective (backdated) payments.
You do not have to be a sole parent to receive this type of benefit, however there is an income and asset limit that you will need to meet.
If you had been receiving a sole parent rate of benefit, generally your request for backdated assistance will only need to go as far back as 1991. Sole parent benefit rates were the same before 1 April 1991.
How to apply for retrospective payment of DPB-CSI
Contact us to see if you qualify now or may have qualified in the past.
Ask for a one hour appointment at a service centre as you need to go through both the DPB-CSI application process and the retrospective review process.
Ask Work and Income to send you the relevant paperwork so you can gather the information required before your appointment.
If your child receives or has received the Disability Allowance or Child Disability Allowance, these medical certificates will be on file and may be sufficient to verify the medical condition of your child. If they are not on file, Work and Income can obtain current medical information with your permission, or you can provide this.
Level of Care required to receive DPB-CSI
If you are making an application for any time up to July 2007 you will need to show that your child would have otherwise needed hospital care, if your application covers the period after July 2007,the level of care required includes residential disability care.
Retrospective Applications
There are 4 stages in the assessment process for retrospective DPB-CSI applications.
Stage 1
You will need to complete a Carer's Statement containing the following information:
- Documentation showing the level and type of support provided by the family carer and the hours of support required in a 24 hour period.
- Consent to contact the child's specialist if the existing medical information held by Work and Income is not sufficient.
- Dates the decision is to go back to.
Stage 2
This information is sent by your Work and Income case manager to Work and Income, National Office in Wellington for a review of your entitlement.
When a decision is made to backdate your entitlement to Domestic Purposes Benefit - care of sick or infirm is reached, and if you are a sole parent or were a sole parent for any period of time that is included in the review, Work and Income send the information to Inland Revenue in order for them to assess any Child Support back payments you may be entitled to receive.
Stage 3
Inland Revenue process and make their decision on any Child Support payments that may be owing and then they will send this information back to Work and Income.
Stage 4
Work and Income assess benefit arrears taking Child Support payments into account as chargeable income for the period the payments represent.
- Work and Income will call you to let you know if and when benefit arrears will be made and how much the payment will be.
- Inland Revenue will also call you to let you know if any Child Support is owing and when they will pay you.
Will the benefit arrears affect my benefit?
No. The benefit arrears you receive for DPB-CSI retrospection will not effect your entitlements from Work and Income for 12 months from the date you receive them.
Will the benefit arrears affect Working for Families Tax Credits and Income Tax?
Yes. Benefit arrears and any Child Support arrears will affect the year’s family assistance based on the family’s income for that financial year. You should contact Inland Revenue to discuss this once you know the amount you are going to receive.
