Financial Assistance for Live Organ Donors
If you’re donating a kidney or liver tissue for transplant within New Zealand, you may be able to get help with any loss of income or extra childcare costs you have because of your operation.
Payments can be made for up to 12 weeks during and after your operation (as certified by a District Health Board medical practitioner or your doctor).
Overseas donors may be able to apply for financial support if their surgery is carried out in New Zealand.
Financial support for donors is intended to reduce financial barriers to donation, rather than to provide full compensation for loss of income or act as an incentive.
Loss of income
If you have a loss of income because of the operation you can get financial support up to the maximum amounts shown below.
| If you are... | Maximum weekly payment |
|---|---|
| Single 18-19 years at home | $134.26 |
| Single 18-19 years away from home | $167.83 |
| Single 20-24 years | $167.83 |
| Single 25 years or over | $201.40 |
| Married, civil union or de facto couple with or without children (total) | $335.66 |
| Sole parent | $288.47 |
| Rates as at 1 April 2011 | |
If you are an employee...
The amount you get will be the lower of the maximum weekly payment or your pre-operation net income from employment.
You don’t need to have used your employer paid sick leave or annual leave to apply. If you do choose to take leave and if your leave payment is lower than your normal pay (less tax and ACC Levies only), you can apply to receive the lesser of:
- your normal pay, less your reduced pay, or
- the maximum shown for your family circumstances.
If you work for yourself...
The amount you get will be the lower of the maximum weekly payment or:
- the wage you pay someone to continue your business or
- the difference in your income compared to the same period in previous years or
- the difference in your income for this financial year up to 31 March compared to previous years.
Childcare costs
You may be able to get help with childcare costs if you have children under 14 and need extra childcare because of your operation.
If you already get the Childcare or OSCAR Subsidy you may be able to get an increase in your payments.
How to apply
- contact us
- visit your local Work and Income service centre
- contact a District Health Board transplant co-ordinator or social worker.
We can grant you financial assistance from the date you first contact us, if you complete your application within 20 working days of that date.
Other things you need to know
Payments are not income or asset tested. They are also not taxed, and won’t be treated as income for child support, the Student Loan and Working for Families Tax Credits purposes. If you’re getting family tax credit, please call Inland Revenue on 0800 227 773 to check if you can still get it.
Do you get a benefit?
Generally, if you get a main benefit you can’t get this assistance as well.
You may need to transfer to the Emergency Benefit for a short while after your operation, so that you don’t have your usual benefit obligations during that time.
If you are the partner of someone on a benefit, you can ask to be excused from any work test obligations for up to 12 weeks after the operation.
You may also be able to get help with childcare costs. Please talk with your case manager or call us on 0800 559 009 to find out more.
Extra help
You may be able to get help with transport and accommodation costs. To find out more contact your District Health Board or call the Ministry of Health on 0800 281 222.
You may also qualify for the Accommodation Supplement, Disability Allowance and other income support. For a guide to our allowances and extra payments read our brochures Need extra help with costs? or How can we help you?
You may qualify for the Community Services Card. This can help reduce the costs of going to the doctor and getting prescriptions. To apply, call our Community Services Card Centre free on 0800 999 999.
Contact us
If you have any questions, contact us.
If you're deaf, hearing-impaired or find it hard to communicate by phone you can use our Deaf Link contacts.
