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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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Job Connect on Facebook
Find out how we can help you get ready to work, find work, and support available while you're working.
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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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Changes announced in Budget 2022
19 May 2022.
The Government has announced a number of changes as part of the 2022 Budget.
The things that will be changing include:
- the way Child Support is paid to sole parent clients
- increased income limits for hardship payments
- more money for immediate and essential dental treatment
- a new 'Cost of Living' payment from Inland Revenue
- discounted public transport for Community Services Card holders
- implementing the Better Later Life strategy for seniors
- continuing to fund Building Financial Capability agencies.
Child Support Pass On
From 1 July 2023, there are changes to Child Support for sole parent Work and Income clients, giving them more money to raise their children.
The Government will directly pass on Child Support payments to people receiving a sole parent rate of benefit. This means they are treated the same as most other clients with tamariki.
The changes take effect on 1 July 2023, and will also allow sole parents greater flexibility in their Child Support arrangements.
Increased income limits for hardship payments
The Government is permanently increasing the income limits for some hardship assistance from 1 July 2022. These limits were temporarily increased from 1 November 2021 as a response to the effects of COVID-19.
The increases mean more people, including those working on a low income, will be eligible for one-off immediate and/or essential needs through:
Immediate and essential dental treatment
From 1 December 2022, Work and Income clients and people on low incomes will be able to get Special Needs Grants for immediate and essential dental treatment – up to a maximum of $1,000 in a 52-week period. They will be able to get treatment more than once during a 52-week period.
Right now, people can apply for one grant of up to $300 for emergency dental treatment in a 52-week period, and only if this need has arisen from an emergency situation.
These changes mean people can get the dental treatment they need without going into debt, and before their dental health deteriorates too much.
Cost of Living payment
Starting in August 2022, a Cost of Living Payment is being introduced to help people on a low to middle income who earned up to $70,000 between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022.
This temporary payment from Inland Revenue is for people who are not eligible for the Winter Energy Payment.
The payment will total $350, paid in three monthly payments in August, September and October 2022.
The Cost of Living payment won't affect any assistance people get from Work and Income.
If you're eligible, you won't need to apply for this payment. Inland Revenue will assess your eligibility and in most cases will pay the money directly into your New Zealand bank account. It'll be around the start of each month.
Find out more about the Cost of Living payment on Inland Revenue's website.
Discounted public transport fares for Community Services Card holders
From 1 September 2022, Community Services Card (CSC) holders across New Zealand may be able to apply for half-price public transport.
This is a target date for regional councils to work towards.
Get more information from the Ministry of Transport and Waka Kotahi.
Better Later Life strategy for seniors
Budget 2022 continues to implement the Better Later Life – He Oranga Kaumātua strategy and its action plan He Mahere Hohenga. This supports senior New Zealanders through 3 priority actions:
- supporting digital inclusion
- senior entrepreneurship
- shared housing.
Find out more about Better Later Life on Te Tari Kaumātua, Office for Seniors website.
Continuing to fund Building Financial Capability
The Government will continue to support Building Financial Capability providers, who are working with individuals and whānau to improve their financial capability and reduce their risk of financial hardship.
Building Financial Capability is a range of services and products that help people, families and whānau to build their financial wellbeing.
In earlier Budget 2022 announcements
The Government has already announced support for employers with apprentices and help for people to get a driver licence.
There's more detail about these on the Beehive website.