-
Work homepage
-
Overview
We can help you get ready to apply and find the right job for you. We can even help you while you're working.
-
Get ready to work
You can get training, help with CVs and cover letters, and advice for job interviews.
-
Find jobs
Find out what jobs are available, which job is best for you and how you can plan your career.
-
Working
Whether you've just started a job or need some help at work, we've got your back.
-
Lost your job
We'll help you get ready to find a new job and support you while you're between jobs.
-
Start your own business
Get help to plan and set up a successful business or be a self-employed contractor.
-
-
Benefits and payments homepage
-
Overview
Take a look at the range of benefits and payments we have available.
-
Not working
Redundancy, health condition or disability or another reason you can’t work
-
Living expenses
Food, school costs, power, accommodation or other living expenses you need help with
-
Relationship changes
You’ve had a relationship break-up, family breakdown or violent relationship end
-
Health and Disability
Counselling, prescription and GP costs, medical alarms and other costs we can help with
-
Seniors
Travelling overseas, how to apply, payment rates and dates, overseas pensions, income and other info for Seniors
-
Caring
Caring for someone else’s child or someone with a health condition, injury or disability
-
Urgent or unexpected costs
Dental, glasses, car repairs, fridge, washing machine, funeral or other urgent costs you need help with
-
Children
Childcare, school uniforms, stationery, having a baby and other costs if you have children
-
Moving to New Zealand
Payments you can get from us, settling into NZ, overseas pensions and more.
-
Benefits and forms
A-Z list of benefits, forms, benefit rates
-
-
On a benefit homepage
-
Overview
Check out what you need to do when you're getting a benefit or other payment from us.
-
Something's changed
Address, contact details, overseas travel, childcare, relationship or anything else that’s changed.
-
Income
Declare income and income deduction tables
-
Childcare
Change in your childcare situation, continue childcare payments, cohort entry schools and other childcare information
-
Going overseas
Going on holiday or going to live overseas
-
Re-apply
Re-apply for Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support, Temporary Additional Support and more
-
Payments
Check or stop your payments, payment cards and other information
-
Debt
Check your debt, repayments and other debt information
-
Rights and responsibilities
Our commitment to you, obligations, complaints, benefit fraud and more
-
-
Housing homepage
-
Overview
Find out how we can help you with housing.
-
Nowhere to stay
Get help if you have nowhere to stay right now.
-
Find a house
Find out where to look for private housing, or apply for public (social) housing.
-
Living in your home
Get help with accommodation costs, and advice on any housing issues and public housing tenancies.
-
Move house
Find out how we can help if you’re moving house.
-
Other languages
Read some of our housing information in other languages.
-
What to provide when you apply for a benefit
When you apply for a benefit or other help from us, you need to prove who you are and that what you've told us is true.
You must provide original government-issued identity documents. We cannot accept copies, including certified copies.
When you apply, you'll need to provide the documents detailed below. If you are unable to provide these documents online, you can bring them into a service centre. We'll make a copy and add it to your file or application.
Any delay in providing these documents could result in a delay in paying you, or your application being cancelled.
What you need to provide:
When you submit your application form online we issue you an application number. Make a note of this.
We need your identity documents if we haven’t seen them before or we haven’t got a copy of these on your file.
You can do this by either:
- online using Identity Check, or
- bringing your ID into a service centre.
If you can’t provide identity documents, talk to us about ways we can help.
Your partner needs to provide their identity documents as well. They can only do this by bringing their ID into a service centre. They can’t use the online Identity Check through DIA.
1) Using Identity Check when you apply online
During your application in MyMSD, you'll be asked to 'verify your identity'. You'll need a:
- current NZ driver licence, (you cannot use an expired one) or
- NZ passport, not more than 2 years past its expiry date.
Find out more about Identity Check
2) Bring your ID into a service centre
You need to bring your original government-issued identity document (ID) into a service centre if:
- this is your first time applying, and
- you haven't verified your identity online.
If you have an appointment with us, we can check your ID then. Otherwise, you can bring it in without an appointment.
If you have an agent acting on your behalf, they need to bring their own government-issued ID as well as yours.
Identity documents you need
You need to provide 2 of the following documents that show your full legal name and date of birth.
You must provide original government-issued identity documents. We cannot accept copies, including certified copies.
Documents must be current, or up to 2 years expired.
Born in New Zealand | Born overseas |
---|---|
|
|
If you can't provide 2 types of government-issued ID, you'll need to provide 1 government-issued ID and 1 other document that proves your identity.
Other documents that prove your identity
Examples:
- education organisation documents
- letter from Inland Revenue
- marriage certificate
- Kiwi Access card (18+).
Other documents that prove your identity, but should be less than 6 months old:
- bank document
- document from a health practitioner
- employment letter or payslip
- power account document
- rates notice
- telecommunications account
- tenancy agreement
- insurance document
- letter from a prominent community member.
This table tells you what you'll need to provide to support your application
Confirm your: | Provide: |
---|---|
Bank account |
|
Income and assets |
Evidence of any before-tax income for the last 52 weeks from:
|
Dependent children |
|
Outgoings (including housing costs) |
Details of:
|
If you've just left school you'll also need to bring your school leaving certificate.
There is additional information you need to provide, depending on what you may be eligible for.
Benefit | You'll need |
---|---|
Jobseeker Support |
|
Supported Living Payment |
|
Disability Allowance |
|
Childcare assistance |
|
Contact
Contact us if you don't have any of the documents, have given them to us recently or if there might be a delay in getting them.