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Annual Report
Purpose: To enable the processing of general adjustments to benefit rates for individuals receiving pensions from both New Zealand and the Netherlands.
MSD disclosure to the Netherlands: For MSD clients in receipt of both New Zealand and Netherlands pensions, MSD provides the Netherlands Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB) with the changed superannuation payment information, the MSD client reference number and the Netherlands unique identifier.
Netherlands disclosure to MSD: SVB advises adjustments to payment rates and the 'holiday pay' bonus.
Compliance: Compliant.
Technical information
| Authorising provisions | Social security Act 2018, s.380 and Social Welfare (Reciprocity with the Netherlands) Order 2003[1] |
| Year authorised | 2003 |
| Year commenced | 2003 |
| Programme type | Updating data |
| Unique identifiers | Netherlands and NZ social welfare numbers |
System description
This programme permits information to be disclosed from New Zealand to the Netherlands and from the Netherlands to New Zealand to coincide with across-the-board changes in superannuation rates. Data is transferred online four times each year.
Each year in April, New Zealand sends client information to the Netherlands Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB). This information is used by SVB to update records on superannuants who receive benefits from both countries and adjust its payments to recipients of New Zealand Superannuation who are resident in the Netherlands.
Twice each year (in January and July), MSD sends SVB a file containing only the New Zealand and Netherlands unique identifiers for all persons known to be receiving pensions from the Netherlands while resident in New Zealand. SVB then creates a new file updating the information with data about Netherlands' rate adjustments. The file is sent back to New Zealand, where MSD updates its records about those individuals' Netherlands pension rates, and adjusts Superannuation payments accordingly.
In May each year, MSD sends SVD another similar file. SVB creates a new file containing information on the 'Holiday Pay' bonus payable to Netherlands pensioners living in New Zealand. The file is run through the SWIFTT system as a disbursement list for those clients who receive their Netherlands and New Zealand entitlement through the Special Banking Option operated by the MSD.
Recent activity
| 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | |
| MSD clients affected by pension deductions | 4,667 | 4,824 | 4,713 | 4,697 |
| MSD clients in Netherlands | 1,413 | 1,292 | 1,324 | 1,287 |
The utility of this provision was assessed in the report Australia and the Netherlands Matches (July 2013) and again in Ministry of Social Development international social welfare reciprocity agreements (July 2019).
