Kiwisaver Hardship Withdrawals

These documents appear frequently at our service desks. Increasingly applications to withdraw Kiwisaver due to financial hardship can be completed online. 

They are presented to the JP in 2 different ways.

Either

• The entire paper form is brought to the JP who is required to verify the client’s identity using photo ID, maybe certify proof of address (this may or may not be required) and take the statutory declaration. Completing this is straightforward.

Or

• The client prints and presents ONLY the Statutory Declaration page and requests the JP to complete this. This is usually because the application has been completed online, and the problem is that the applicant is making a declaration that the information in the (online) application is “complete, true and correct.” without any link between the application and the declaration.

NOTE: When a JP is presented with a single (Statutory Declaration) page, it is unreasonable to request the client to print the whole application. This would cost the client money and the pages would be discarded after completion.

Suggested JP response to this situation: 

Gently advise the client of the risk, and that alterations to the application should not be made after the declaration has been completed.

Administer the Statutory Declaration. Number the Statutory Declaration page clearly “p 1 of 1”

Make a note in your log book that only one page was presented to you.