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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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Concerns or complaints about emergency housing
What happens if you have concerns or want to make a complaint about your emergency housing supplier.
You have the same rights as any person under the law, like rights as a customer, and the right not to be discriminated against.
If you have issues or concerns when staying in emergency housing:
- Talk to your emergency housing supplier first.
- Talk to us if there's no resolution.
- Make a formal complaint if you feel like things haven't changed.
You can withdraw your complaint at any time.
Issues or concerns when in emergency housing
Talk to your emergency housing supplier if you:
- feel you're being treated unfairly, or
- have concerns about the accommodation or services.
You may be able to fix this together.
If you feel the issue hasn't been sorted out in a reasonable time, talk to your case manager or youth coach. We may be able to help you discuss your concerns with the supplier.
If nothing changes or the conditions become worse, you can make a formal complaint.
Making a formal complaint
If you choose to make a formal complaint about your emergency housing supplier, we’ll investigate this for you.
You can either:
- submit your complaint online
- call us on 0800 559 009 (you can book an appointment to come in and see us), or
- write to us at Ministry of Social Development, PO Box 1556, Wellington.
What happens next
We'll contact you to let you know we've received your complaint and what we'll do to resolve it. We'll also contact the emergency housing supplier to discuss the complaint with them.
If your complaint is unique and complex and we need to work with others to resolve it, it may take longer. We’ll keep in touch with you while we do this.
Once the complaint is resolved we'll send you and the supplier a letter about the outcome.
Withdrawing a complaint
You can withdraw your complaint at any time. You don’t have to wait until we’ve finished investigating your complaint.
If you reach an agreement with the emergency housing supplier, you can call us on 0800 559 009 to let us know.
We’ll send you and the supplier a letter confirming the complaint has been withdrawn.