David Parker: Acting Finance Minister says a small percentage of expats will have got the cost of living payment - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Defence for the cost of living payment after some overseas residents and former migrants receive the first deposit.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says some living overseas will get the boost, but it's not worth trying to recover the payment.

People can opt out, and Inland Revenue confirms nearly 1000 have so far.

Acting Finance Minister David Parker told Heather du Plessis-Allan says there's no exact figure on how many people overseas will receive the payment, but it's a small percentage.

“And we’ve known that from the start - our only alternative being an application-based process that would have required 2.1 million people to apply, which would’ve cost more than saved until they had the payment.”

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