What is the Benefit Rights Advocacy Service?

An advocacy service for people dealing with benefit entitlement. The Wellington People's Centre can provide a benefit advocate to assist you in dealing with Work and Income for no charge.

How did it begin?

The Benefit Rights Service is part of the Wellington People's Centre, which was set up in 1992 by the Wellington Unemployed Workers Union and DPB Action with help from the Downtown Community Ministry.

The idea was to complement the political lobbying carried out by these organisations by introducing advocates to provide practical help for people on benefits and low incomes. The Wellington People's Centre now provides a range of services including medical and dental care, counselling, acupuncture, massage and free advocacy services.

What is the philosophy of the Benefit Rights Advocacy Service?

The Benefit Rights Advocacy Service has two main objectives:

• To provide an accurate and up to date information and to provide trained benefit advocates to help you with your benefit entitlement
• To lobby for changes that will benefit people on low incomes

These two objectives are interdependant. Their advocacy work ensures that any lobbying that is undertaken is in touch with the reality of living on a low income. By lobbying for change, the service hopes to go beyond dealing with the consequences of living in poverty to start dealing with the causes of poverty in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

What does the service offer?

• Free, accurate and up to date information on benefit entitlements
• Support in negotiations with Work & Income
• Support or representation through the process of reviewing a decision
• Advocacy training for community workers on benefit entitlements
• Written resources including the Benefit Fact File (a series of papers on benefit entitlements for individuals and community groups) and Welfare Scene (provides regular reports on decisions of the Social Security Appeal Authority and changes to welfare legislation). Both are available on subscription

Who can Benefit Rights help?

Anyone seeking assistance from, or having problems with Work & Income

What are their ethics?

Benefit Rights advocates have a non-judgemental approach and do not discriminate against gender, age, ethnicity, socio-econimic class, religion or sexuality.

Who works for Benefit Rights and how are they trained?

Benefit Rights advocates are volunteers who are trained over a 6 day course by current advocates and overseen by a paid coordinator. In addition, they receive regular weekly training and individual supervision.

Opening Hours:

Mondays: 12.30pm - 3:30pm
Tuesday - Friday: 9:30am - 3:30pm
Ph: 04 385 8596 or just drop in!;