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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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Payment issues
Fixing issues with Accommodation Supplement, Special Benefit and other payments we’ve made
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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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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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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, wages deduction calculator and 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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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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Jobseeker Support
Jobseeker Support is a weekly payment that helps people while they are looking for work or can't work right now.
Who can get it
To get Jobseeker Support, you generally need to be in one of the following situations:
- not be in employment and are looking for a job
- be in part-time employment and looking for more work, or
- have a health condition or disability which affects your ability to work. This means you have to reduce your hours or stop work for a while. We may still be able to help if you have a job to go back to.
You also need to:
- be aged 18 or older, or 20 and older if you have dependent children
- either:
- be a New Zealand citizen
- be a permanent resident, or
- have a residence class visa under the Immigration Act 2009
- have lived continuously in NZ for at least 2 years since either:
- becoming a NZ citizen
- becoming a permanent resident, or
- getting a residence class visa
- be ordinarily resident in NZ, and
- be ordinarily resident in New Zealand when you apply.
If this isn't you, find out how we can help. Talk to us.
You also need to agree to some obligations such as:
- be willing to accept suitable employment
- be taking reasonable steps to find work.
This is a guide only. For more detail about who can get it read:
Check if you can get Jobseeker Support
To find out if you could get Jobseeker Support and what else you might qualify for, use our 'Check what you might get' tool.
How much you can get
Jobseeker Support is paid weekly. How much you get depends on your situation and how much you and your partner (if you have one) earn.
If you get Jobseeker Support, you'll also automatically get a Winter Energy Payment. This is paid during the Winter months.
How to apply
You can apply online through MyMSD. We'll also check to see if you can get any other help from us based on the answers you give in your application.
What happens next
Once you've submitted your online form, we’ll call you if there's anything else you need to do.
Apply for child support if you're a sole parent
If you get Jobseeker Support, you need to fill in a Child Support application form.
This helps Inland Revenue collect child support payments from the other parent of your child.
There are some situations when you don't need to apply. Everyone's situation is different.
We'll contact you when we process your application and let you know what you need to do.
While you're getting Jobseeker Support
Meet your obligations
There are things you need to do when you're getting a Jobseeker Support benefit. If you don't do them, your benefit could reduce or stop. This includes things like:
- telling us if something changes
- finding or preparing for work
- taking part in work ability assessments.
If you have a partner, there are things they'll need to do as well.
Medical certificates
If you have a health condition, injury or disability that impacts your ability to work, you must provide a medical certificate. To get a medical certificate, book an appointment with your health practitioner.
Getting Jobseeker Support for more than 12 months
If you're getting Jobseeker Support and you still need it after a year, you have to reapply.
Contact
For more information contact us