Supported Living Payment obligations

You must tell us immediately if you:

• have a change in your work situation, e.g. starting part-time, casual or full-time work (paid or unpaid)
• become self-employed or start a business
• have changes to your income or financial circumstances
• have a boarder or renter that moves in or out, or the payments you get from them change
• plan to travel overseas
• start or finish study - part-time or full-time
• have changes to your personal details, e.g:
  • name
  • address
  • contact details
  • bank account number
• have changes to your living situation, e.g:
  • marriage or separation
  • starting or ending a civil union
  • starting or ending a de facto relationship
  • change in the number of children you support
• have a change in accommodation costs
• are imprisoned or held in custody on remand
• are admitted to or discharged from hospital
• are granted an overseas pension
• have any other change that may affect your benefit entitlement or rate.

You're expected to take reasonable steps to meet social obligations as a parent or a caregiver. These obligations are to help ensure children get a good start.

You must ensure your dependent child(ren) (including any child you get Orphan's or Unsupported Child's Benefit for) are:

• enrolled with a health practitioner or a medical practice that's part of a Primary Health Organisation (PHO)
• enrolled in and attending one of the following from the age of 3 until they start school:
  • an approved early childhood education programme, eg,
    • Kohanga Reo, Punanga Reo, Aoga and other programmes with a language and culture focus
    • parenting and early childhood home education programmes
    • kindergartens
    • preschools
    • childcare centres
    • playcentres
    • home-based care services, or
  • Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu - The Correspondence School, or
  • another approved parenting and early childhood home education programme
• up to date with core Well Child/Tamariki Ora checks if aged under 5, at a Well Child/Tamariki Ora provider, eg:
  
  • Plunket
  • Māori health provider
  • Pacific health provider
• enrolled in and attending school from the age of 5 or 6 (depending on when they start school).

We understand there could be some situations outside of your control that mean you may not be able to meet an obligation right now. For example:

• your child is on a waiting list for a GP, or
• there aren't any available places in your nearby childcare centre.

You may be required to meet with us to discuss how you're meeting your obligations as a parent or a caregiver.

All reasonable steps to meet social obligations (Manuals and Procedures)external

You have an obligation, when asked, to attend and participate in interviews to determine if you have the capacity to have work preparation obligations.

If you’re assessed as having the capacity, you have the following work preparation obligations to attend and take part in:

• work preparation interviews, if we ask you to
• work related activities or programmes such as a work assessment, a programme or seminar to increase particular skills or enhance motivation, if we ask you to
• any other activity that we require you to (including rehabilitation but not medical treatment, voluntary work or activity in the community).

When it has been agreed, you have an obligation to attend and participate in a Work Ability Assessment.

When it has been agreed that you will work with a Contracted Service Provider, you have an obligation to co-operate with them and to:

• attend and participate in any interview with them
• report to them on how you’re meeting your obligations
• complete assessments with them.

If there's any reason why you can't meet your obligations, talk to us straight away. If you don't meet your obligations without good and sufficient reason, your benefit could be reduced or stopped.

Contact us

To find out what happens if you don't meet your obligation for telling us if something changes, go to the 'When you don't meet your obligations' page. 

When you don't meet your obligations

We have a traffic light colour system to help you stay on track with your work-related and social obligations (if you have these). It lets you know where you're at and what you need to do.

Go to the 'Traffic light system' page to find out what happens if you don't meet the following obligations:

Traffic light system

• prepare for work
• take part in Work Ability Assessments
• take part in activities with our service providers
• social obligations (when taking care of dependent children).