dec 4, 1964 - Home Ownership Act
Description:
The Social Security Act 1964 received the Royal Assent. This Act, consolidated changes to the Social Security Scheme that had been made since 1938. The consolidated Act came into force on 1 April 1965.
The rates of Benefits payable were:
• Superannuation Benefit £249 12s per year, with discretion for the Social Security Commission to increase the rate payable by £26 per year where the beneficiary was an unmarried person;
• Age Benefit:
unmarried beneficiary £275 12s per year, reduced by £1 for every £1 of annual income in excess of £208 (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £26 per year where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person);
married beneficiary (whose wife or husband was granted an Age Benefit or an Invalids Benefit in their own right) £249 12s per year, reduced by 10s for every £1 of annual income of the couple in excess of £208;
married male beneficiary whose wife is not granted a benefit in her own right, £249 12s per year, increased by £249 12s per year in respect of the wife, reduced by £1 for every £1 of annual income of the couple in excess of £208;
any other married beneficiary £249 12s per year, reduced by £1 for every £1 of annual income of the couple, including any benefit payable under Part 1 of the Social Security Act 1964 granted to the spouse of the beneficiary, in excess of £457.12 per year; and
Additional Age Benefit for South African War Veterans £26 per year.
• Widows Benefit (no children) £275.12 per year, reduced by £1 for every £1 of annual income in excess of £208 (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £26 per year where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person);
• Widows Benefit (dependent child or children) £275.12 per year reduced by £1 for every £1 of annual income in excess of £312, (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £26 per year where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person) and discretion for the Social Security Commission to increase the rate payable by a Mother’s Allowance of:
One child £184 12s per year;
Two children £210 12s per year;
Three children £236 12s per year;
Four children £262 12s per year;
Five children £288 12s per year; and
Six or more children £314 12s per year.
• Orphans Benefit £137 16s per year, reduced by £1 for every £1 of annual income of the orphan in excess of £52;
• Family Benefit 15s per child per week;
• Invalids Benefit:
unmarried beneficiary under the age of 20 years £236 12s per year, reduced by £1 for every £1 of annual income in excess of £208 (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £26 per year where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person);
unmarried beneficiary £275 12s per year, reduced by £1 for every £1 of annual income in excess of £208 (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £26 per year where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person);
married beneficiary (whose wife or husband was granted an Age Benefit or an Invalids Benefit in their own right) £249 12s per year, reduced by 10s for every £1 of annual income of the couple in excess of £208;
married male beneficiary whose wife is not granted a benefit in her own right, £249 12s per year, increased by £249 12s per year in respect of the wife, reduced by £1 for every £1 of
annual income of the couple in excess of £208; and
any other married beneficiary £249 12s per year, reduced by £1 for every £1 of annual income of the couple, including any benefit payable under Part 1 of the Social Security Act 1964 granted to the spouse of the beneficiary, in excess of £457.12 per year.
• Miners Benefit and Miners Widows Benefit:
married beneficiary £249 12s per year, increased by £249 12s per year in respect of the wife;
unmarried beneficiary £275 12s per year (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £26 per year where the beneficiary was
sharing household expenses with another person); and
miner’s widow £243 12s per year (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £26 per year where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person).
• Sickness Benefit:
unmarried beneficiary under the age of 20 years with dependants £4 1s per week, reduced by 1s for every 1s of weekly income in excess of £4 (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £10s per week where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person);
any other unmarried beneficiary £5 6s per week, reduced by 1s for every 1s of weekly income in excess of £4 (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £10s per week where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person);
married male beneficiary £4 16s per week, increased by £4 16s per week in respect of the wife, reduced by 1s for every 1s of weekly income of the couple in excess of £4; and
married female beneficiary, £4 16s per week, reduced by 1s for every 1s of the total weekly income of the couple, including any benefit payable under Part 1 of the Social Security Act 1964 to the husband, in excess of £8 16s per week.
• Unemployment Benefit (Maximum Rates):
unmarried beneficiary under the age of 20 years without dependants £4 1s per week (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £10s per week where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person);
any other unmarried beneficiary £5 6s per week (with discretion for the Social Security Commission to reduce the rate payable by £10s per week where the beneficiary was sharing household expenses with another person); and
married male beneficiary £4 16s per week, increased by £4 16s per week in respect of the wife
married female beneficiary, £4 16s per week.
The Social Security Commission had the discretion to fix the rate of Unemployment Benefit having regard to any income received by the beneficiary and his wife. Policy at the time was apply the income test applicable to the Sickness Benefit, but with any income from personal earnings being a direct deduction]
The 1964 Act retained the so-called “morals clause”. The Commission could in its discretion refuse to grant any benefit, terminate any benefit granted or grant a benefit at a reduced rate where the Commission was satisfied…..
“that the applicant is not of good moral character and sober habits, or is living on a domestic basis as husband or wife with a person to whom he or she is not married….” [This provision was removed in 1972]
The Family Benefits (Home Ownership) Act 1964 consolidated changes to the Family Benefit Capitalisation Scheme that had been made since 1959.
Source: https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/about-msd/history/social-assistance-chronology-programme-history.html
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