Pike River: ACC working to ease money fears

ACC Minister Nick Smith. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The ACC will ensure money is the least of the worries for the families of the Pike River 29, says ACC Minister Nick Smith.

Dr Smith yesterday said ACC's total Pike River payout was expected to be its largest ever for a single event.

Although the 1979 Mt Erebus air disaster claimed more lives, it was not a workplace accident and occurred outside New Zealand.

"It is for this sort of awful tragedy that New Zealanders subscribe to the ACC scheme.

"Compared with countries where people may face months or years of uncertainty over legal disputes, the great advantage of our ACC scheme is that families will get access to entitlements immediately."

ACC sent senior staff to Greymouth on Monday to develop specific information packs for the families and those packs were being provided to families yesterday.

In addition to ongoing weekly financial support of up to 80 per cent of the miners' lost earnings, partners of the victims are eligible for one-off funeral and survivor grants and childcare support from ACC.

ACC staff will be working to provide the assistance in their own time to ensure it is delivered as quickly as possible, Dr Smith said.

"These families have more than enough on their plate without financial woes."

A spokesman for Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said Work and Income would be assisting affected families with grants for food, accommodation and transport costs.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Financial support to the Pike River families:
* ACC will pay weekly income compensation of up to 80 per cent of wages depending on the number of dependants.
* Payments continue for five years or until the youngest child turns 18.
* ACC will also pay families funeral grants of $5541, survivor grants of $4940 for spouses and $2970 for each child.
* Work and Income provides grants for food, accommodation and transport.