A functional cash system must be maintained as a safety net to stop absolute exclusion from full social participation but there should also be work to realise a right to essential services and lower chances that whānau are vulnerable to having no choice but using...
Financial mentors have seen their caseloads grow and become more complex since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey completed by FinCap found that financial mentors are facing increased pressure due to COVID-19, housing issues and mental health. FinCap is calling for ongoing,...
Clear rights to responsible conduct from lenders are important as lending can cause significant and disproportionate harm to whānau. Buy-Now Pay-Later (BNPL) services are loans that can trigger or compound substantial hardship. Aotearoa is fortunate in that Section 137A of the Credit Contract and Consumer...
Water services are essential services that whānau need for health, wellbeing and social participation. No one should face losing access to essential water services because of an inability to pay or because of barriers around engaging with organisations providing water. We support robust consumer protections and...
Energy hardship can see whānau stuck going without what they need for health, wellbeing and social participation. Recognising and addressing the harm caused to communities due to avoidable hardship should be a top priority for decision makers. The ways of measuring the impacts of initiatives...
In Aotearoa the use of money is essential for the health, wellbeing and social participation of whānau. Effective oversight and action to ensure all can use money confidently is a cornerstone of building financial capability and overcoming hardship in our communities. FinCap welcomes the opportunity...
Too often FinCap hears from financial mentors who are concerned that some in Aotearoa are denied access to bank accounts or other essential services. At times when we follow up with the institutions who are denying access, we are told that AML (Anti Money Laundering...
Where the appliances at a residential property already utilise gas then gas is an essential service that is necessary for the health, wellbeing and social participation of the whānau in that property. It is extremely important that appropriate protections to access gas fairly are in...
Effective enforcement from regulators is a critical cornerstone for achieving a well-functioning consumer protection framework in Aotearoa. As the Electricity Industry Amendment Bill is currently progressing through parliament, we encourage the Electricity Authority ready the Draft Strategy for a clear consumer protection function. We are also...
Energy is an essential service, whānau need it for their health wellbeing and social participation. Clear protections to ensure all whānau can readily access the energy they need under fair arrangements are critical to wellbeing in our communities as our energy system transitions. We strongly support...