Question 1

What can I use my funding for?

Accepted Answer

The guidelines on what you can use your funding for are different depending who is your Funder. Ministry of Social Development(MSD) and various Te Whatu Ora regions have different rules, but both Funders allocate the bulk of their funding to cover Home and Community Support Services(HCSS). HCSS is split into two categories, Personal Care and Household Management. Provided from the MSD website are some examples of what you can use your funding for.
Household management or general household tasks may include:
preparing meals
washing, drying or folding laundry
house cleaning, vacuuming and tidying.
Personal care may include:
assisting with your eating and drinking
dressing and undressing
getting up and ready for bed
bathroom needs care
getting around your home.
This is not a complete list of possible uses of your funding, but a helpful starting point for ideas.

The below Purchasing Guidelines relate to funding provide by MSD only, not Te Whatu Ora.
We suggest you refer to the MSD’s funding guidelines. There are four main criteria for use of your disability support funding:
1. Helps people live their life or makes their life better
2. Is a disability support
3. Is reasonable and cost-effective
4. Isn't subject to a limit or exclusion So, you can use your funding to cover the cost of your support (hours of work or services provided by a support person or support provider).

Currently, you must also be able to justify a purchase will enable the disabled person to complete task(s) more independently AND create a reduction in ongoing support costs.

Purchasing Guidelines for IF Respite
Tablet devices, noise cancelling headphones, sensory items (such as fidget spinners) and weighted blankets, are all able to be funded from Carer Support, Individualised Funding Respite (IF Respite), EIF and EGL Personal Budgets, where this creates a break for family carers.

These items – and only these items – can be purchased through Carer Support and IF Respite.

Tablet devices and noise cancelling headphones can be purchased no more than once in an allocation period (usually 12 months).

Purchases of tablet devices and noise cancelling headphones must continue to meet the requirements of all four purchase rules. Tablet devices and headphones can be purchased where: 
They are related to the specific disability-related challenges that the disabled person encounters. 
They are reasonable and cost-effective. It is not cost-effective, for example, to purchase another tablet device or set of headphones if the disabled person has one that works and was purchased from a previous year’s allocation; and 
Attempts have been made to access relevant other agency funding, including, for example, Ministry of Education funding for some devices.

You can also use your funding to cover costs that your support worker incurs while providing support to you.

Example 1 If your support person drives you to an activity such as swimming in their own car, you can claim any entry fees for your support person and mileage for the trip. You cannot claim any entry fees for yourself or mileage if you use your own car.
Example 2 If you need a computer, cell phone or tablet to help you manage your funding, you can use your funding to pay for this with some restrictions.
Example 3 You would like your staff to do some training, for example, an NZQA qualification. You can use your funding to pay for this.

Question 2

What can't my funding be used for?

Accepted Answer

You cannot use your funding to buy services or utilities that a person would reasonably be expected to pay for if they did not require Home and Community Support Services, such as:
• bills, such as power, gas, telephone and internet costs (unless internet costs have been specifically approved)
• general household fittings, furniture and whiteware, standard electrical goods and consumer products
• food, groceries and other common household goods (unless this is for the support worker to use)
• mortgage payments or rent
• general vehicle purchases, modifications or maintenance
• house, contents, life, or other insurance
• travel costs such as fuel, plane, train, bus or taxi fares (unless this is for the support person)
• paying off personal debts
• donations to charitable or church organisations
• professional services unrelated to the Home and Community Support Services or the management of the individualised funding arrangements
• complementary therapies and non-government funded or subsidised health treatment

There are always exceptions and our Customer Experience Centre team are here to help and offer their experience and advice on a case by case basis. In addition, Individualised Funding also cannot be used to:
• increase the personal income of the person or their household
• purchase personal advocacy services
• purchase anything that is illegal; and/or
• purchase goods or services that are the responsibility of other government agencies or publicly funded organisations such as GP visits, therapies, Behaviour Support and Child Development services

Question 3

Who is an IF Manager?

Accepted Answer

IF Manager refers to the person who chooses to manage some or all of their disability supports through Individualised Funding. Manawanui might use the term customer or IF Manager, or client – they are all the same thing.

Question 4

Who is an Agent?

Accepted Answer

An Agent is someone who assists a person receiving funding to manage their funding and associated supports, usually because the IF manager is unable to do so themselves. In this instance, the term Agent has no special legal status. This is generally an unpaid role, though there are exceptions in some special circumstances.

Question 5

What does an Agent do?

Accepted Answer

The role of an Agent may include, but is not limited to:
Recruiting staff
Managing staff
Managing a budget
Submitting funding claims and/or employee time sheets

Basically they are responsible for ensuring the funding is used within the funding guidelines and also for the benefit of the disabled person the funding is allocated for.

Question 6

How does it work when an Agent is involved?

Accepted Answer

When an IF Manager uses an Agent to manage their supports, Manawanui enters into a service agreement with the Agent to ensure services and supports are in place and working for the client. The Agent submits timesheets and/or expense claims on behalf of the IF Manager.

Question 7

Who can act as an Agent?

Accepted Answer

Anyone who can manage the responsibilities of being an employer, manage budgets and will prioritise the IF Manager’s quality of life and best interests can become an Agent. This is usually a family or whanau member, but can also be a friend or acquaintance.

Question 8

What Supporting Evidence is required for paying Employees and Contractors?

Accepted Answer

Employees - All employees need to have a corresponding timesheet that accurately records the hours for the current fortnight period. Regardless of whether they worked, were sick or took annual leave etc., the timesheet should show the days and hours for the employee to be paid their fortnightly wages.

Before an employee can be paid we must verify the employee's IR330, Kiwisaver form, Bank Verification and a signed Support Worker Privacy Declaration. It is also highly recommended to have a written and signed employment agreement as well as a job description, but we do not need to store this for your employees.

Contractors - All contractors must provide a legitimate and unique invoice for each fortnightly period they provided you with support. The invoice must be accurately dated, with detail covering the hours of support, dates the support was provided and the hourly rate that the support is invoiced at. This requirement is in place to ensure IRD requirements are met with regards to proper records relating to compensating workers for their support.

If you have any concerns around meeting the above requirements, please contact our Customer Experience Centre cec@manawanui.org.nz or 0508 462 427.

Question 9

What are the timeline expectations for submitting Expenses/Timesheets and then receiving payment?

Accepted Answer

All Expense Claims and Timesheets for both Payroll and Self Managing customers must be submitted by midnight Monday, the day after your fortnight ends. All Self Managing Expense Claims submitted on time are paid out on the following Tuesday evening and can be expected in your account by Wednesday morning. Timesheets submitted on time by Payroll customers are paid out on the Wednesday evening and can be expected in the employee account by Thursday morning.

If an Expense Claim or Timesheet is submitted late, you can expect the team to process payment within 5-10 business days following submission.

Question 10

Can I use my Individualised Funding to purchase personal protective equipment?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you are able to source these, then you can use your Individualised Funding to pay for them. As long as it is related to providing disability support for the disabled person.

Question 11

I want to get my groceries delivered, will my funding cover this?

Accepted Answer

This is for Ministry of Social Development funded customers, DHB funding or IF Respite do not cover purchases such as grocery delivery.

IF cannot be used pay for food as that is an ordinary cost. But it may pay for the delivery fee if you can explain how it fits the purchasing guidelines to do so in your specific situation.

Question 12

How do I return Funding I didn't use?

Accepted Answer

There are some cases where it is needed to return funding you have claimed for, to your Individualised Funding balance in the Portal.

1. You were paid in advance based on a quote, but the actual cost was lower than the amount claimed.
2. You didn't end up purchasing the item at all.

In these cases you should return the money to Manawanui, so we can add it back to your Individualised Funding available balance.

Please forward the amount to the below bank account number and Manawanui will continue to process your employee’s timesheets.

ASB Bank Account Holder:   Manawanui Support Ltd
ASB Bank Account number: 12-3136-0222554-01

Please ensure you provided the following references.
Particulars: Your Surname
Code: NHI number
Reference: Returned Funding

Any questions on this process can be answered by our CEC team.

Question 13

What is the difference between Ministry of Social Development vs DHB funded IF?

Accepted Answer

While some DHBs have specific clauses in their IF policy, for the most part all DHBs have the same rules for the Individualised Funding that they allocate to people.

The Individualised Funding budget must be used towards the costs of paid support that fall within the description of Personal Care or Household Management. Some funding can be used to cover the costs of running a business or associated overheads, if you’d like to get further information on this we are happy to talk this through with you.

For Ministry of Social Development funded customers, the IF guidelines include more flexibility in what your funding can be used towards. The same principle applies as DHB funding, that your funding is to cover the costs of paid support for Personal Care or Household Management. But the difference comes with the addition of the Purchasing Guidelines from Enabling Good Lives, this allows for a much broader interpretation for approved purchases of items. If you would like to learn more about the Purchasing Guidelines, you can view the Purchasing Guidelines information on the Ministry of Social Development website.

Question 14

Who is my NASC?

Accepted Answer

A NASC is a Needs Assessment and Service Coordination agency, they are responsible for assessing disabled people in a particular region and then allocating support based on the needs of the disable person. Depending on where you are in New Zealand, your NASC will be a different organisation, you can find out who your NASC is by finding your region on the National NASC website here.

Or choose the right option from the list below
Northland – Northable
Phone: 09 430 9468, Email: bronwyn.collett@northable.org.nz

Auckland – Taikura Trust
Phone: 0800 824 5872, Email: info@taikura.org.nz

Waikato – Disability Support Link
Phone: 07 839 1441, Email: dsloffice@waikatodhb.health.nz

Bay of Plenty / Lakes - Support Net Kupenga Hao Ite Ora
Phone: 07 571 0093, Email: SupportNetBOP@bopdhb.govt.nz

Tairawhiti - Your Way | Kia Roha Tairawhiti
Phone: 0508 447 627, Email: referrals@yourwaykiaroha.nz

Hawkes Bay - NASC Hawkes Bay
Phone: 06 870 7485, Email: NASC.HB@hawkesbaydhb.govt.nz

Taranaki - Your Way Kia Roha Taranaki
Phone: 06 758 5201, Email: taranaki@yourwaykiaroha.nz

Wanganui - Your Way Kia Roha Whanganui
Phone: 06 348 8411, Email: whanganui@yourwaykiaroha.nz

Manawatu – Mana Whaikaha
Phone: 0800 626 255, Email: admin@manawhaikaha.co.nz

Wairarapa - Focus
Phone: 0800 900 001, Email: info@wairarapa.dhb.org.nz
Wellington

Your Way Kia Roha Lower Hutt
Phone: 04 569 3102, Email: referrals@yourwaykiaroha.nz

Capital Support
Phone: 04 230 6400, Email: capitalsupport@ccdhb.org.nz

Nelson/Marlborough - Support Works
Phone: 0800 244 300, Email: support.works@nmdhb.govt.nz

Canterbury / West Coast - LifeLinks
Phone: 0800 866 877, Email: community@lifelinks.co.nz

Otago - Your Way Kia Roha Otago
Phone: 0800 758 700, Email: otago@yourwaykiaroha.nz

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