Payment rates and how we pay the COVID-19 Income Relief Payment

Find out how much you can get with the COVID-19 Income Relief Payment, and how this is paid to you.

Information

Applications for the Income Relief Payment closed on 14 November 2020.

If you need financial help, use our Check What You Might Get guide to see what payments you could qualify for.

Check What You Might Get

What you can get

The Income Relief Payment is paid for up to 12 weeks while you don't have a job.

Depending on how often you worked, you could get:

  • $490 per week if you were previously working 30 hours or more a week
  • $250 per week if you were previously working 15 hours to 29 hours a week.

You don't need to pay tax on this payment.

The Income Relief Payment will stop after you've had 12 weeks of payments, or if your situation changes and you no longer qualify.

Your responsibilities when you're getting the Income Relief Payment

While you’re getting the Income Relief Payment, you may also be able to get help with some of your living costs or urgent costs. It depends on your situation and income.

Help with living expenses

  • In a relationship

    If you have a partner:

    • both partners can apply and qualify for the Income Relief Payment
    • for most couples, payments will be split evenly between both partners.

    If you have a partner and you're getting NZ Super or Student Allowance, payments will go to the person who qualifies for the Income Relief Payment.

  • Students

    Student Loan

    You may get Student Loan for living costs as well as the full-time or part-time rate of Income Relief Payment, depending on the hours you worked.

    Student Allowance

    You may be able to get Student Allowance as well as the Income Relief Payment - but only at the part-time rate of $250 per week.

  • NZ Super and Veteran's Pension

    Single

    You can get the Income Relief Payment as well as your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension.

    In a relationship

    Before 9 November 2020, you could include your partner in your NZ Super or Veteran’s Pension payments.

    You could do this if you qualified for NZ Super or Veteran’s Pension but your partner didn’t (eg, they were under 65).

    Your partner was included in your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension

    If your partner was included in your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension payment and you excluded them to get the Income Relief Payment, you won't be able to include them again once your Income Relief Payment stops. This is because you can no longer choose to include your partner in your NZ Super or Veteran's Payment from 9 November.

    Your partner is not included in your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension

    You can get the Income Relief Payment as well as your NZ Super or Veteran's Pension.

linksRelated links

Who can get the Income Relief Payment
How to apply for the Income Relief Payment