To receive the New Zealand pension, she must have been living here for 11 years since the age of 20. <\/p>\n
Five of those years must be after the age of 50, and the years only begin accruing from when the person obtains a residence visa, which happened recently for Yan.<\/p>\n
The couple rate is designed for people in a relationship who receive some form of Government benefit, and are able to share some financial costs, and therefore require less money than a person living alone.<\/p>\n
Barry Walker and his partner Yan are surviving on one reduced income after Walker’s pension was slashed under a Government policy.<\/p>\n
In Walker\u2019s case, his costs had gone up while his funds had gone down, and he calculated the amount lost to be $90,000-$100,000 across the 11 years it would take for Yan to start receiving the pension herself.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt really shows the fact that there\u2019s a hole in the system,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a nasty little hole.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c[There\u2019s] going to be people like me, the older guy who meets an immigrant 12 years into retirement and suddenly their super gets chopped.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walker was not expecting Yan to receive the pension before she was eligible, nor was he against the couple rate policy under \u201cnormal circumstances\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, he felt it was common sense he should remain on a higher rate if his retired partner could not receive an income.<\/p>\n
He said it would be difficult for Yan to go back to work, as they lived in a small town with little to no employment opportunities. <\/p>\n
If she were able to find a job in nearby Dunedin, that would take on a 65-year-old with a language barrier, the job would need to fit around the sparse public transport options available.<\/p>\n
Walker said life had been \u201cquite tough\u201d since his pension shrunk. He had been selling household items, such as his chainsaw, and getting financial help from his daughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not on the bones of my ass but I just feel that I have no flexibility. I can\u2019t really put anything away,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Barry Walker and partner Yan will be on a reduced income for the next decade.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have worked 50 years in New Zealand, paid all my income tax, paid my company tax, employee tax, contributed, I believe, to the country … I feel like I\u2019ve been betrayed by the Government.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walker previously worked in IT and considered himself financially stable before this happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you retire at 65 you know you\u2019re going to retire and you know to put money aside. My situation at 77 is so different to what I was at 65. My whole circumstances changed, my savings are completely evaporated compared to what they were at 65,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I have this happen, it\u2019s like pulling the rug out from under me because I fell in love with a Chinese lady.\u201d<\/p>\n
Simon MacPherson, Ministry of Social Development (MSD) deputy chief executive for policy, said the social security system was built on the understanding couples shared costs and supported each other financially.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why we are required by legislation to pay people different rates if they are single or in a relationship,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTreating some couples differently to others would raise questions about consistency and equal treatment. Any changes to this policy would be a decision for the government of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said someone over 65 who didn\u2019t qualify for the pension might still qualify for other financial assistance from MSD, such as an accommodation supplement, disability allowance, a community services card or temporary additional support.<\/p>\n
Barry Walker and partner Yan live in Karitane in the South Island.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe encourage anyone who\u2019s struggling financially to contact us and discuss what they may be eligible for.\u201d<\/p>\n
MSD also provided a \u201cwide range of support\u201d to help people find work, including older people.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe understand there are a range of views about how the welfare system should operate, and these debates have at times included the question of whether to individualise benefit payments.\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokeswoman for Social Development Minister Louise Upston noted past policy allowed for people in Yan\u2019s position to receive the pension early if they were in a relationship with someone eligible for super.<\/p>\n
That policy was changed by the previous Government in 2020 with the reasoning it would make the system more equitable, she said.<\/p>\n
There are no plans to make further changes to the policy.<\/p>\n