The Inland Revenue Department mistakenly sent out approximately 240,000 letters informing recipients of the cancellation of their Working for Families payments.
The letters included a Notice of Entitlement that stated payments would no longer be sent starting from April 1.
“Essentially, the letters shouldn’t have gone and we’re sorry for any distress caused,” said an Inland Revenue spokesperson. “If you have received a notice implying that your Working for Families entitlements will cease as of 1 April 2020, please ignore it. You can refer to your most recent Notice of Entitlement which includes the amount that you will continue to be paid. Apologies for any confusion this may have caused.”
The spokesperson added that the IRD is conducting an investigation to determine how this mistake happened.
Many New Zealanders, already dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown, expressed dismay and frustration online.
“What a stressful time to stuff up,” said one woman on Facebook. “I freaked out thinking we were going to be homeless because we now rely on this money now because of this Covid-19 and how it has affected hubbies [sic] work.”
In a press release, Inland Revenue explained that the letter refers to the previous tax year and that the Working for Families payments will continue to be sent out.
“We’re sorry that this has caused customers a lot of undue stress and confusion,” the press release says. “We want to assure you that if your circumstances haven’t changed, you’ll continue to receive your payments.”