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Stand-down periods

Information about stand-down periods and how long they are.

No stand-downs 23 March to 23 November 2020

Usually, you would have a stand-down of 1 or 2 weeks after your application is approved. This is a period of time where you can't get any money from us.

The Government has decided to remove stand-downs as part of its response to COVID-19.

If you’re eligible for a benefit between 23 March 2020 and 23 November 2020, you won’t have a stand-down.

Left your job voluntarily or fired for misconduct

If you've left your job without a good reason or have been fired for misconduct, you may still need to wait up to 13 weeks before your payments start.

This 13 week period is a non-entitlement period, not a stand-down.

When your payments start

In most cases your payments will start from the date your application is approved. If you’ve left your job without a good reason or have been fired for misconduct, you may need to wait up to 13 weeks before your payments start.

Once your payments start, you won't get any money in the first week. This is because we pay you for the week that's just been. This means you're on a benefit for one week and get paid for that benefit in the next week. This is also called arrears.

More information about how payments work
More information about being fired for misconduct or leaving voluntarily

Need help before first payment

If you need help before you get your first payment, talk to us about how we can help.

Contact us

Stand-downs before 23 March 2020

  • What a stand-down is

    Most weekly benefits have a stand-down.

    This is a period of time where you can't get any money from us. It's usually 1 or 2 weeks after your application is approved.

    Example

    • Your application is approved from Monday 6 August 2018
    • You have a 2 week stand-down period
    • Your payments start from Monday 20 August 2018.

    When your payments start

    Your payments will start from the date after your stand-down finishes. If you've been working recently, your payments may take longer to start, it depends on your situation.

    Once your payments start, you won't get any money in the first week. This is because we pay you for the week that's just been. This is called arrears.

    How payments work and when you get your first payment

  • When you don't have a stand-down

    You won't have a stand-down if:

    • you transfer from one benefit to another
    • your benefit is suspended and then resumed again
    • your benefit is cancelled because you find a job and then you go back on a benefit within 26 weeks.

    You also won't have a stand-down if you get New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran's Pension.

    Important information

    If you need money during your stand-down period to pay for urgent or unexpected costs, we might be able to help.

    Urgent or unexpected costs

  • Work out how long your stand-down is

    How long your stand-down is depends on:

    • your average weekly income (before tax) in the last 26 or 52 weeks, and
    • the number of children you have.

    If you have a partner, we'll base the stand-down on whoever has the highest income over the last 26 or 52 weeks. We'll only use one income to work out the stand-down period.

  • You're single

    Number of children

    Average weekly income

    Initial stand-down

    None

    		 $0 - $1,164.20 1 week
    $1,164.21 and over 2 weeks

    One

    		 $0-$1,244.20 1 week
    $1,244.21 and over 2 weeks

    Two

    		 $0 - $1,324.20 1 week
    $1,324.21 and over 2 weeks

    Three

    		 $0-$1,404.20 1 week
    $1,404.21 and over 2 weeks

    Four

    		 $0-$1,484.20 1 week
    $1,484.21and over 2 weeks

    Five

    		 $0-$1,564.20 1 weeks
    $1,564.21 and over 2 weeks

  • You have a partner

    Number of children

    Average weekly income

    Initial stand-down

    None

    		 $0 - $1,244.20 1 week
    $1,244.21 and over 2 weeks

    One

    		 $0-$1,324.20 1 week
    $1,324.21 and over 2 weeks

    Two

    		 $0 - $1,404.20 1 week
    $1,404.21 and over 2 weeks

    Three

    		 $0-$1,484.20 1 week
    $1,484.21 and over 2 weeks

    Four

    		 $0-$1,564.20 1 week
    $1,564.21and over 2 weeks

    Five

    		 $0-$1,644.20 1 weeks
    $1,644.21 and over 2 weeks

  • You have more than 5 children

    If you have more than 5 children, you need to:

    • go to the tables under the 'You're single' or 'You have a partner' headings above
    • add $80 for each extra child to the average weekly income amount for the 5th child.

    For example

    • You have a partner and 7 children.
    • You need to add $160 to the average weekly income amount for the 5th child in the table under the 'You have a partner' heading.
    • So this is $1,644.20 + $160, which totals $1,804.20.

    This means that if your average weekly income is:

    • $0-$1,804.20 you will have a 1 week stand-down
    • $1,804.21 and over, you will have a 2 week stand-down.