Accommodation Supplement
Accommodation Supplement is a weekly payment which helps people with their rent, board or the cost of owning a home.
Who can get it
You may get an Accommodation Supplement if you:
- have accommodation costs (you must be paying a minimum amount)
- are 16 or older
- are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
- normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here
- are not paying rent for a public (social) housing property. Public housing properties are provided by:
- Kāinga Ora (used to be Housing New Zealand), and
- approved community housing providers.
It also depends on:
- how much income you and your partner get
- any money or assets you and your partner have
- any payments you get from boarders or renters.
Minimum accommodation costs
You need to be paying a minimum amount of accommodation costs each week. This is called an Accommodation Supplement entry threshold.
Accommodation Supplement entry thresholds
Asset limits
| If you are: | Your assets are no more than: |
|---|---|
| Single | $8,100 |
| Couple (with or without children) or sole parent | $16,200 |
This cash asset limit may increase if:
- you get paid a lump sum under the Accident Compensation Act 2001, or
- you get a lump sum payment of an Independence Allowance under the Accident Insurance Act 1998.
Check if you can get Accommodation Supplement
To find out if you could get Accommodation Supplement and what else you might qualify for, use our 'Check what you might get' tool.
How much you can get
How much you get depends on:
- your income
- your assets
- your accommodation costs
- your family circumstances
- where you live.
Depending on your situation and where you live, the most you can get is:
| Your situation | Live in Area 1 | Live in Area 2 | Live in Area 3 | Live in Area 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, 16+ years | $165 | $105 | $80 | $70 |
| Partner, no children | $235 | $155 | $105 | $80 |
| Partner, 1+ children | $305 | $220 | $160 | $120 |
| Sole parent, 1 child | $235 | $155 | $105 | $80 |
| Sole parent, 2+ children | $305 | $220 | $160 | $120 |
Accommodation Supplement is not taxed.
Use our 'Check what you might get' tool to work out how much Accommodation Supplement you might be able to get.
How to apply
What application form you fill out depends on what payments you're getting from us.
We can grant you the financial assistance you're entitled to from the date you first contact us if you complete your application within 20 working days of that date.
New client or only getting childcare payments
If you're not getting any payments from us, or only getting childcare payments, you can either:
- apply online through MyMSD, or
- fill out an Extra Help application form.
If you can't apply online or fill out the form, call us.
Apply online
Apply online through MyMSD. We'll check if you can get any other payments at the same time and tell you what else you need to do.
Fill out paper application form
You can fill out the Extra Help application form. You'll also need to provide proof of your costs.
You can get your application form and proof of costs to us by either:
- dropping them in to your nearest service centre
- posting them to your nearest service centre, or
- uploading them to MyMSD (you'll need to call us first).
Upload your documents to MyMSD
After you've applied you may need to call us to book an appointment. This could be a phone appointment or a face-to-face appointment.
If this is your first time applying for a benefit or ongoing payment, you need to bring your ID into a service centre so we can verify it.
Verify your identity at a service centre
Existing client
If you're already getting payments from us, e.g. a benefit or Disability Allowance, you can complete an Accommodation Supplement application form. You'll also need to provide proof of your costs.
You can get your application form and proof of costs to us by either:
- dropping them in to your nearest service centre
- posting them to your nearest service centre, or
- uploading them to MyMSD (you'll need to call us first).
Upload your documents to MyMSD
After you've applied we may book an appointment with you if we need more information. This could be a phone appointment or a face-to-face appointment.
If you can't fill out the form, call us on 0800 559 009.
If you're a student, you can apply through the StudyLink website:
Already getting Accommodation Supplement and costs change
If you're already getting Accommodation Supplement and your accommodation costs or circumstances change, you need to let us know.
Tell us about your change of accommodation costs
If you're not sure what costs are included in your Accommodation Supplement, you can check in MyMSD.
Confirming your circumstances
If you get an Accommodation Supplement, we must review your circumstances at least once every 52 weeks (one year). This is to make sure you are getting the correct assistance and amount.
As part of this, we might ask you to fill out a Confirming your Circumstances form. It's important to fill out the form and return it promptly.
If you don't respond to the form before the due date, Accommodation Supplement payments will stop.
Alternate formats
Open transcript
This video content cover the same details as the factsheets on Accommodation Supplement.
Open transcript
This audio content covers the same details as the factsheets on Accommodation Supplement.