Budgeting service providers say Work and Income is dumping its work on them.
The Mangere Budgeting Services Trust says it is getting up to 90 new referrals a week, compared with 25 a week at the same time last year.
It says most of the new clients are coming from Work and Income, which is referring beneficiaries who are repeatedly applying for one-off hardship grants.
The trust says if WINZ is going to send over its clients it needs to send some additional funding as well.
The Federation of Family Budgeting Services says centres around the country have similar complaints.
The Ministry of Social Development says spending on budgeting services has doubled to $9 million since 2008.
It says it is working with struggling budgeting services to help them cope with the influx of Work and Income clients.
