What automated processes, if any, does the Ministry of Social Development use to cancel, suspend, reduce, or stop benefits where requested documents have not been received or processed by a deadline?

Answer

I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) that there are several MSD processes where MSD is required to request that clients provide information or evidence either as a requirement to continue to receive a benefit, or as part of reapplying for a benefit they currently receive. These include: • 26-week reapplications for Jobseeker Support • reapplications for Temporary Additional Support • Mandatory reviews for specified benefits, otherwise called confirming your circumstances reviews The Social Security (Modernisation) Amendment Act 2026 clarifies when clients are required to provide information or evidence to continue to receive a benefit. These include: • Additional mandatory reviews for specified benefits • Medical reviews for medical evidence benefits, and • Confirming whether a child turning 18 is continuing in education and remains financially dependent Automated decision-making (ADM) is used to suspend a benefit when a client does not respond to the notice to provide information or evidence, or to reapply for the benefit, before the due date. MSD does not track the specific automation in its business processes except where that automation involves making decisions (that is, where it is automated decision-making, as defined in MSD’s ADM Standard). I am advised that in cases where clients have provided requested documents before the due date, but for some reason those documents were not processed prior to ADM decisions, MSD’s standard processes for reviewing decisions will be applied.