Hannah FilmerJournalist·NZ Herald·8 Sep, 2026 08:59 PM2 mins to read‌Social Development Minister Louise Upston says the ministry has apologised, and says the grant denials were labelled wrong, but not incorrectly denied. Video / Ryan Bridge TODAYThe Minister for Social Development and Employment is refusing to apologise after thousands of applications for food grants were declined.

More than 8000 Special Needs Grant applications to help towards buying food have been declined by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) over the past six years on the basis