Battler gets more cash for elderly

Eighty-four-year-old Barbara White has taken on the Government and won a law change that will benefit 2000 other pensioners.

The Government yesterday said it was introducing legislation that will see some superannuitants get up to $59 extra a week - all as a result of a petition organised by Mrs White.

The Richmond woman's battle began last April when her joint married couple superannuation was halved because her husband, who has Alzheimer's disease, had moved into a rest home.

When Mrs White applied to get superannuation at the living-alone rate - worth an extra $59 a week - she was told she did not qualify because she was still married.
Mrs White said she "got a bit annoyed" at the injustice and, with the help of Labour MP Lianne Dalziel, organised a petition, which 1519 people signed.

In May Mrs White presented the petition to Parliament's social services select committee, which later recommended that the law be amended.

The Government accepted the recommendations and yesterday Prime Minister Helen Clark, speaking to Grey Power members in Nelson, said two changes were being made to legislation. They would remove anomalies which have prevented some superannuitants who live alone from getting the full living-alone payment of $255 a week.

About $6 million a year was set aside in this year's Budget for the changes, which come into force next July.

The first change will allow married superannuitants with a partner in long-term residential care to get the single superannuation rate. At present, people cannot claim this rate unless their partner suffers from dementia and can no longer recognise them.

This would equate to an extra $59 a week if the superannuitant is living alone, or an extra $40 if he or she is sharing accommodation.

The second change will remove the "sharing expenses rule", which prevented single pensioners getting the $19.67 a week living alone payment if they had help paying their expenses - for example family helping pay their rates.

"That certainly will make life easier for that group of older New Zealanders living on their own," Helen Clark said.

Age Concern chief executive Kerry Dalton welcomed the Government's move and said the extra money would have a big effect on superannuitants.

"These are people living on a fixed income often having to really economise and when you have things like power prices going up - this will make a big difference."

Grey Power also applauded the change.

Ms Dalziel described Mrs White as an incredible person.

"It is just a fantastic victory," the minister said.

"To think that one woman in Nelson started it all is great."

After Mrs White began the petition she had found she was in fact eligible for the single person benefit, because of her husband's disease.

However, she fought on for the others affected.

"I was doing it for other people who were involved in the war, who were not destitute, but cried on the phone to me," she said.

Ms Dalziel said that had made Mrs White's case even stronger.

"She absolutely wowed the MPs at the select committee because of her integrity and forthrightness and she went there because she cared what happened to other people."

Superannuation rates a week (after tax)

* Married couple (each): $196
* Single (living with others): $236
* Single (living alone): $255