Proposed eligibility changes to Jobseeker Support

Young people will be able to get Jobseeker Support or the equivalent Emergency Benefit if, along with the usual criteria, they can meet the criteria of a Parental Assistance Test. For this they would need to prove:

• they cannot reasonably be expected to rely on their parents for support – this could be for a reason such as a parent being in long-term hospital care, in prison or a family breakdown, and/or
• their parents combined total income (before tax) is at or below the $67,225 income limit.

These proposed changes generally mean if young people are not learning or earning, their parents are expected to support them.

Who would need to do the test

From 2 November 2026, young people aged 18 or 19 and a small number of 16- and 17-year-olds will need to do the Parental Assistance Test to be eligible for Jobseeker Support or the equivalent Emergency Benefit. Partners aged under 20 will also need to prove they meet the test criteria.

If young people have dependent children or are getting Foster Care Allowance for a child in their care, they won't have to do a Parental Assistance Test.

Current 18- and 19-year-olds already getting payments from us

Our clients already getting Jobseeker Support will continue getting their payments.

From 2 November 2026, young people will need to complete the Parental Assistance Test if they re-apply for Jobseeker Support at the time of their 26-week reapplication.

If they do not meet the proposed criteria, they will not be eligible, and their Jobseeker Support will stop. If they cannot get a benefit, we may still be able to help them in other ways. They can still apply for supplementary and hardship assistance payments. We may also be able to help them into training, education or work.

Find out more about these proposed changes:

Targeting financial assistance to those most in need (Beehive.govt.nz)external