Hi,
I'm on the dpb at the moment, and my son is now one. it has been very stressful this past year with all the earthquakes etc going on and now me and baby's father have decided to get back together. We have been talking about it for awile but not acted on it. He has a great job now and has been and wants to be there more for his son. Has anyone experienced this or something similar? And how do I cancel my benefit? Sometimes winz are so stupid and mean lol I hate going in there! Can I do it o er the phone?

You will probably have to fill out 10 forms, they seem to love their forms at WINZ.

Ring the 0800 number and ask, they should be able to stop it over the phone, they always tell you to ring if there's any changes.

I agree, ring the 0800 number.
Once you are living together that is.

I hope it works out for you, don't take any shit from your ex, give him high standards he must keep to right from the word go, or he will slip into whatever old habits he had.

Also, only get back together if you are really quite sure about it, as it is a huge change. and if you do move back together, make sure you have an exit strategy / back up plan, so you don't feel forever stuck with him, if things don't work out.

just my opinion.....

just ring up and say you'd like your benefit to be cancelled from X date (once you move in together). they will want to know why and you can tell them that your circumstances have changed - maybe that you have moved into a new relationship. you don't have to have an appointment with them and you shouldn't have to fill out any forms if you go IN though, they will probably make you do both those things (needlessly... good ol winz ).

i wouldn't tell them WHO you are in a relationship with, that is none of their biz and i would hate to think that, you know, if it doesn't work out again, that you would go back and they would penalise you and think you were cheating them IYKWIM?? not that you are, but they tend to jump to conclusions a bit

lol man id make him work 4 it...tell him you'll think about dating him first (rather than give up your independance again str8 away).
I wouldnt ring winz until the day you are living together again. i imagine like any govt department it takes aaaages to actually get it and get paperwork sorted but to stop getting money would be *instant*

Personally i'd ring and SUSPEND your benefit from day x. That means if it fails you can call back up and have slightly less rigmarole to get it started again.

PS: make sure you are absolutely certain you want to get back together and be fully dependant on him first!

you definatly don't have to fill out forms. I was on the dPB FOR ABOUT 4 months before I managed to sort out child care and my work and I rang up to say that I would be starting work in three weeks and needed to have an appointment to fill out child care subsidy forms and I got a letter 2 days later saying that my benifit had been stopped as I had employment! Lol they don't have any problem with stopping a benifit!