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Work homepage
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Overview
Find out what services we can offer to help you find work and when you start a new job.
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Looking for work
We have jobs available now in various industries and you can search on our job websites.
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Help with your job search
From advice on making a plan, to tips on where to look and following up leads.
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Training and experience
Our programmes can help you get ready for work with training and work experience.
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Job Connect on Facebook
Find out how we can help you get ready to work, find work, and support available while you're working.
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CVs and cover letters
We’ve got great templates and advice for writing your CV or cover letter, and filling out job applications.
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Help with work costs
Get help to pay for the things you need to start work
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Job support and advice
Get all the support and advice you need to stay in work.
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Health and disability
If you want to work, we can support you to find the right job for you.
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Start your own business
We can help you get your business up and running.
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Job interviews
Get advice about how to prepare for and deliver a great interview.
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Help for 16-19 year olds
We’ve got extra support for young people to get ready for work and find a job.
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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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16-19 year olds
Education, training, work and benefit help for 16-19 year olds
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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
Going on holiday or going to live overseas
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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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Move house
Find out how we can help if you’re moving house.
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Accommodation Supplement
Accommodation Supplement is a weekly payment which helps people with their rent, board or the cost of owning a home.
You may get an Accommodation Supplement if you:
- have accommodation costs
- are aged 16 years or more
- are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
- normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here
- are not paying rent for a social housing property. Social housing properties are provided by Kāinga Ora (used to be Housing New Zealand) and approved community housing providers.
It also depends on:
- how much you and your spouse or partner earn
- any money or assets you and your spouse or partner have.
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 will get on the Accommodation Supplement will depend on:
- your income
- your assets
- your accommodation costs
- your family circumstances
- where you live.
This payment is not taxed.
Use our 'Check what you might get' tool to work out how much Accommodation Supplement you might be able to get.
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.
If this is your first time applying for a benefit or ongoing payment, you need to bring your original government-issued ID into a service centre so we can check it. Checking ID in person helps us make sure we give support to the right person and protect your identity. Find out more here.
Apply online
- Apply online through MyMSD. We'll check if you can get any other payments at the same time.
- Provide proof of your costs. You can upload this to MyMSD as part of your online application.
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.
Fill out 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).
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.
Existing client
If you're already getting payments from us, eg, 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).
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
If you're already getting Accommodation Supplement and your accommodation costs change, you need to let us know.
If you're not sure what costs are included in your Accommodation Supplement, you can check in MyMSD.
Related
Contact
The information provided in this page is a guide only.
Contact us to talk about your individual circumstances.