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Work homepage
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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.
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Get ready to work
You can get training, help with CVs and cover letters, and advice for job interviews.
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Find jobs
Find out what jobs are available, which job is best for you and how you can plan your career.
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Working
Whether you've just started a job or need some help at work, we've got your back.
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Lost your job
We'll help you get ready to find a new job and support you while you're between jobs.
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Start your own business
Get help to plan and set up a successful business or be a self-employed contractor.
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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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Moving to New Zealand
Payments you can get from us, settling into NZ, overseas pensions and more.
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Benefits and forms
A-Z list of benefits, forms, benefit rates
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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 and income deduction 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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Going overseas
Travelling or moving overseas may affect your payments.
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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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Moving house
Find out how we can help if you’re moving house.
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Other languages
Read some of our housing information in other languages.
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Counselling
If you need help with counselling fees or transport to counselling, we may be able to pay this as part of a Disability Allowance.
- You can get a Disability Allowance for a number of different things, including counselling. The maximum you can get for a Disability Allowance is $78.60 a week.
- You don't have to be on a benefit to qualify for a Disability Allowance.
You can apply for a Disability Allowance for you, your partner or a child.
The person who needs counselling must:
- have a health condition or disability that's likely to last at least 6 months from when they were diagnosed
- need counselling because of the health condition or disability
- have regular, ongoing counselling costs that are not fully covered by another agency (e.g. Oranga Tamariki, ACC).
They also need to be seeing either:
- a counsellor who is a member of:
- Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand
- NZ Association of Counsellors (NZAC)
- NZ Christian Counsellors Association
- The Social Workers Registration Board (SWRB)
- Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapy Association (ANZACATA) - previously known as the Australian and New Zealand Arts Therapy Association (ANZATA)
- Drug and Alcohol Practitioners Association of Aotearoa New Zealand (DAPAANZ). This only includes Registered Competent Practitioners and Associate Practitioners. It does not include a support worker
- a psychologist who:
- holds a current practising certificate
- is registered with the Psychologists Board.
To apply, you need to be:
- 16 and older
- a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.
It also depends on how much you and your partner earn.
The income limits for Disability Allowance are:
Your situation | Weekly income limits before tax |
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Single 16-17 years | $660.90 |
Single 18+ years | $823.31 |
Couple (with or without children) | $1,225.95 |
Sole parent 1 child | $921.73 |
Sole parent 2+ children | $971.14 |
We pay up to a maximum of $78.60 a week for Disability Allowance. How much you get for counselling depends on your situation.
If this is the first time you're applying for counselling, you can get up to 10 sessions. You can apply for more if a health practitioner, for example your doctor, recommends them.
We don't pay for:
- counselling not directly related to your disability or health condition, eg relationship counselling
- counselling provided through hospitals (for example drug and alcohol), where no charge is made for these services (although we can pay for transport to these sessions)
- the costs of childcare while you go to counselling.
Already getting payments from us (eg, a benefit or Accommodation Supplement) but not Disability Allowance
- Complete a Disability Application for existing clients form. Your health practitioner (e.g. your doctor) will need to complete the Disability Certificate inside this form.
- You need to complete a Disability Certificate - Counselling form. This needs to be completed by you, your health practitioner and your counsellor.
Drop these documents off at one of our service centres, or post them to us:
Already getting Disability Allowance
You need to complete a Disability Certificate - Counselling form. This needs to be completed by you, your health practitioner and your counsellor.
Drop these documents off at one of our service centres, or post them to us:
We'll include the cost of counselling in your Disability Allowance from the date the cost started.
Not getting any payments from us
You can apply online:
You'll also need to:
- complete a Disability Certificate - Counselling form. This needs to be completed by you, your health practitioner and your counsellor.
- drop these documents off at one of our service centres, or post them to us:
More than 10 sessions
We'll send you a letter when your 10 sessions are finished. If your health practitioner recommends you need more sessions:
- You need to complete another Disability Certificate - Counselling form. This needs to be completed by you, your health practitioner and your counsellor.
- you'll need to get your record of attendance (a form that your counsellor will get you to sign).
Drop these documents off at one of our service centres, or post them to us:
Applying on behalf of someone else
You can apply for Disability Allowance on someone else's behalf, but only if they've filled out a form to appoint you as their agent.
It's your responsibility to agree with your counsellor on:
- what you hope to get from the counselling
- how many counselling sessions you'll need
- how much you'll pay and how you'll pay for them.
You'll have to pay for your counselling sessions directly to your counsellor or the organisation you're getting counselling through.
To show us you've been going to the sessions, we may ask you for receipts and your record of attendance (your counsellor will complete that for you).
Your counsellor will also get you to sign a form that lets them tell Work and Income about your attendance, and if you don't turn up for appointments or your counselling has ended.