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Benefits and payments homepage
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Overview
Take a look at the range of benefits and payments we have available.
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Not working
Redundancy, health condition or disability or another reason you can’t work
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Living expenses
Food, school costs, power, accommodation or other living expenses you need help with
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Relationship changes
You’ve had a relationship break-up, family breakdown or violent relationship end
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Health and Disability
Counselling, prescription and GP costs, medical alarms and other costs we can help with
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Seniors
Travelling overseas, how to apply, payment rates and dates, overseas pensions, income and other info for Seniors
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Caring
Caring for someone else’s child or someone with a health condition, injury or disability
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Urgent or unexpected costs
Dental, glasses, car repairs, fridge, washing machine, funeral or other urgent costs you need help with
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Children
Childcare, school uniforms, stationery, having a baby and other costs if you have children
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Payment issues
Fixing issues with Accommodation Supplement, Special Benefit and other payments we’ve made
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16-19 year olds
Education, training, work and benefit help for 16-19 year olds
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Benefits and forms
A-Z list of benefits, forms, benefit rates
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Work homepage
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Overview
Find out what services we can offer to help you find work and when you start a new job.
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Looking for work
We have jobs available now in various industries and you can search on our job websites.
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Help with your job search
From advice on making a plan, to tips on where to look and following up leads.
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Training and experience
Our programmes can help you get ready for work with training and work experience.
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Apprenticeship Support Programme
Get help to retain and bring on new apprentices.
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CVs and cover letters
We’ve got great templates and advice for writing your CV or cover letter, and filling out job applications.
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Help with work costs
Get help to pay for the things you need to start work
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Job support and advice
Get all the support and advice you need to stay in work.
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Health and disability
If you want to work, we can support you to find the right job for you.
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Start your own business
We can help you get your business up and running.
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Job interviews
Get advice about how to prepare for and deliver a great interview.
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Help for 16-19 year olds
We’ve got extra support for young people to get ready for work and find a job.
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On a benefit homepage
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Overview
Check out what you need to do when you're getting a benefit or other payment from us.
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Something's changed
Address, contact details, overseas travel, childcare, relationship or anything else that’s changed.
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Income
Declare income, wages deduction calculator and tables
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Childcare
Change in your childcare situation, continue childcare payments, cohort entry schools and other childcare information
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Re-apply
Re-apply for Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support, Temporary Additional Support and more
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Payments
Check or stop your payments, payment cards and other information
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Debt
Check your debt, repayments and other debt information
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Rights and responsibilities
Our commitment to you, obligations, complaints, benefit fraud and more
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Housing homepage
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Overview
Find out how we can help you with housing.
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Nowhere to stay
Get help if you have nowhere to stay right now.
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Find a house
Find out where to look for private housing, or apply for public (social) housing.
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Living in your home
Get help with accommodation costs, and advice on any housing issues and public housing tenancies.
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Move house
Find out how we can help if you’re moving house.
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Canterbury floods
08 June 2021.
Support and assistance is available if you've been affected by the Canterbury floods (May/June 2021).
Information
The Canterbury flood civil defence payments are no longer available.
The Government has made $500,000 available today through Enhanced Task Force Green to help with the Canterbury floods clean-up. Read more here.
Job seekers interested in helping the Canterbury flood recovery can register their interest by calling 0800 559 009.
Farmers and growers can self-register for clean-up help through https://arcg.is/0Sbj5W0
Other people needing help on their properties will be able to apply through Civil Defence and can find their local contact here.
Other supports
There are lots of ways we can help, and we can point you in the right direction based on your situation. You don't have to be on a benefit.
We may be able to give you and your family assistance if you've been directly affected by flooding in:
- Kaikōura District
- Hurunui District
- Waimakariri District
- Christchurch City
- Selwyn District
- Ashburton District
- Timaru District
- Mackenzie District
- Waimate District.
If you or your family need financial help, call us for an appointment.
How we can help
If you have been affected by an emergency, Work and Income can help with a Civil Defence Payment for some costs. You don't need to be on a benefit to get this.
A Civil Defence Payment can help with:
- accommodation costs if you're evacuated and are staying in accommodation such as motels, hotels or temporary rental accommodation
- loss of income because you can't work due to the flooding
- emergency food, clothing and bedding if yours has been damaged or destroyed by the flooding
- payment if you have evacuees staying with you in places such as a private home, marae or community centres.
Emergency Management
For information on what to do after a flood, including safety and cleaning up, go to the Get Ready website.
For information about roading, water and wastewater, Civil Defence Centres or Recovery Assistance Centres, contact the civil defence team at your local council.
Damage to your home or property
Insurance and EQC claims
If your home, car or contents have been damaged by the floods, report it to your insurance company as soon as possible. They will let you know what you need to do next, how to make a claim, and how EQC works.
If you need to make your home safe, sanitary, secure and weather tight, please record any work done, take before and after photos, and keep copies of any bills you paid.
You can make an EQC claim online or by calling 0800 326 243.
Damage to rental properties
If you are the tenant or landlord of a rental property, you can find information on your rights and obligations on the Tenancy Services website or by phoning 0800 TENANCY (0800 836 262).
Stress counselling and support
Emergencies caused by floods are usually unexpected, sudden and can be overwhelming. It's natural to feel emotionally and physically drained.
You’re not alone in this and you don’t need to cope on your own. Friends and family members not affected by the event can help you cope.
You can get more help and information from:
- your GP or local community health centre
- Youthline 0800 376 633 www.youthline.co.nz or text 234
- Rural Support Trust 0800 787 254 www.rural-support.org.nz
- Need To Talk by calling or texting 1737
- in an emergency always call 111.
If you work, your employer may be part of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and will be able to provide you with those details.
Support for rural communities
The Rural Support Trust has local, rural people who know from experience that severe weather, finances, relationships, and work pressures can mount up. Your local Rural Support Trust can help during or after an emergency.
You can get in touch with your local Rural Support Trust by calling 0800 RURAL HELP (0800 787 254) or visit their website.
Animal welfare
There's help available if you have animals to care for.
The Ministry of Primary Industries has information and checklists to help you protect your animals in emergencies.