Phones
If you need help with ongoing phone costs that are directly related to your disability or health condition, we may be able to help you pay this as part of a Disability Allowance.
- You can get a Disability Allowance for a number of different things, including phone costs. The maximum you can get for a Disability Allowance is $82.85 a week.
- You don't have to be on a benefit to qualify for a Disability Allowance.
Who can get it
You can apply for a Disability Allowance for you, your partner or a child.
The person who needs help with phone costs must have:
- a health condition or disability that's likely to last at least 6 months from when they were diagnosed
- regular, ongoing costs because of the health condition or disability that are not fully covered by another agency
- had a phone connected, or need to get a phone connected, because of a disability or health condition.
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.
Disability Allowance income limits
| Your situation | Weekly income limits before tax |
|---|---|
| Single 16-17 years | $696.60 |
| Single 18+ years | $870 |
| Couple (with or without children) | $1,295.11 |
| Sole parent 1 child | $971.51 |
| Sole parent 2+ children | $1,023.59 |
What you can get
We pay up to a maximum of $82.85 a week for Disability Allowance. How much you get for phone costs depends on your situation.
We may be able to pay for:
- the regular and ongoing costs of renting a basic phone
- phone line rental
- wiring maintenance charges
- the ongoing cost of a cell phone depending on your situation (for example you don't have a landline or there are no phone lines available).
We don't pay for:
- the cost of buying a phone
- phone installation
- extra costs, for example toll calls, call minder or call waiting (unless it's necessary and directly related to your disability).
How to apply
Already getting payments from us (e.g. a benefit or Accommodation Supplement) but not Disability Allowance
- You need to complete the Disability Allowance application form and a health practitioner (e.g. your doctor) needs to complete the Disability Certificate inside.
- Your health practitioner also needs to complete a Disability Certificate form.
- You need to get a copy of your phone account or a quote from the phone company showing the line rental costs.
- Call us on 0800 559 009 to talk to us about how to get these documents to us.
Disability Allowance application form (PDF 915 KB)
Disability Certificate form (PDF 197 KB)
Already getting Disability Allowance
- A health practitioner (e.g. your doctor) needs to complete a Disability Certificate form.
- You need to get a copy of your phone account or a quote from the phone company showing the line rental costs.
- Call us on 0800 559 009 to talk to us about how to get these documents to us.
Disability Certificate form (PDF 197 KB)
Not getting any payments from us
- A health practitioner (e.g. your doctor) needs to complete a Disability Certificate form.
- You need to get a copy of your phone account or a quote from the phone company showing the line rental costs.
- Call us on 0800 559 009 to talk about your situation. We'll let you know if we need any other information and how to get this to us.
Disability Certificate form (PDF 197 KB)
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.