For immediate Release:
Petition Gains Momentum to End Benefit Cuts for Hospitalised Individuals, Highlighting the Story of Rhiannon Purves
Advocates across New Zealand are calling on the government to urgently review a policy that reduces benefits to $56.58 per week for individuals hospitalised for over 13 weeks. This policy has left vulnerable individuals, like 34-year-old Rhiannon Purves, unable to afford essential medications and personal items while battling severe illness.
Photo Source: Re news
Rhiannon, who suffers from ME/CFS, was bedridden in Wellington Hospital for months. Her benefit was slashed from $480 to $55 per week, leaving her unable to meet basic living expenses. Advocates say this automated reduction process exacerbates the suffering of those already facing immense physical and emotional challenges.
Advocates are urging the government to:
1. End the automatic reduction of benefits for hospitalised individuals.
2. Implement a case-by-case review process to assess individual needs.
3. Ensure financial security for all, regardless of their circumstances.
“This policy punishes people when they are at their most vulnerable,” said Fiona Charlton, ANZMES President. “We need a welfare system that protects, not penalises, those who rely on it during critical times.”
Even when patients are gravely ill and hospitalised, their financial obligations do not pause. Mortgages, rent, insurance premiums, subscription fees, and other living expenses continue to accumulate. For those in shared accommodations, contributions toward utility bills must still be made—unlike individuals living alone, who might have the option to disconnect services temporarily.
Additionally, many patients as severely unwell as Rhiannon are unable to consume hospital-provided meals. Instead, they rely on liquid nutrition and essential supplements, leading to ongoing expenses even while confined to the hospital.
Patients like Rhiannon often face the additional burden of purchasing essential medications privately because the hospital system fails to provide the necessary prescriptions. This issue arises when hospital doctors either misattribute complex medical conditions to psychological causes or fail to fully understand associated conditions, leading to the omission of crucial treatments. In many cases, these medications are consistently prescribed by GPs who recognise and address their patients’ needs. However, the lack of alignment within the healthcare system forces patients to bear unnecessary financial and health burdens for treatments that should be accessible through public healthcare. Cutting benefits under such circumstances only exacerbates an already untenable situation, as $56.58 per week is grossly inadequate to cover even the most basic living and medical expenses.
The petition is open for signatures at Fairness for the Hospitalised: Stop Benefit Cuts After 13 Weeks Advocates are calling on the public, community organizations, and policymakers to join the movement for fairness and compassion.
