Supported Living Payment
Supported Living Payment is a weekly payment to help you if you have, or are caring for someone with, a significant health condition, injury or disability.
Who can get it
To get Supported Living Payment you generally must:
- 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 New Zealand 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.
It may also depend on you and your partner's income.
There are also other criteria you need to meet. They depend on the reason you're applying, which could be because you either:
- have a health condition, injury, or disability, or
- are caring full-time for someone.
Have a health condition, injury or disability
If you're applying because you have a health condition, injury or disability, you must also be:
- 16 years or older, and
- either:
- permanently and severely restricted in your ability to work because of a health condition, injury or disability, or
- totally blind.
This means you have either a:
- condition affecting your capacity to work for more than 2 years, or
- life expectancy of less than 2 years.
It also means that you can't regularly work 15 hours or more a week in open employment.
Caring full-time for someone
If you're applying because you're caring full-time for someone, you must also be:
- giving full-time care at home to someone other than your partner, and
- aged either:
- 18 years or older and do not have a dependent child, or
- 20 years or older and have a dependent child.
The person you're caring for must otherwise need to receive hospital or residential-level care. Examples of this level of care are:
- rest home care
- residential disability care
- extended care services for severely disabled children and young people
- inpatient or residential hospital care.
Check if you can get Supported Living Payment
To find out if you could get Supported Living Payment and what else you might qualify for, use our 'Check what you might get' tool.
What you can get
Supported Living Payment is paid weekly. How much you get depends on the reason you're applying.
Have a health condition, injury or disability
If you're applying because you have a health condition, injury or disability, how much you get depends on:
- your situation, and
- how much you and your partner earn (in some cases we may not count all of your income).
We'll let you know when you apply if we won't count some of your income.
Caring full-time for someone
If you're applying because you're caring full-time for someone, how much you get depends on:
- your situation, and
- how much you and your partner (if you have one) earn.
Rates and income limits
Supported Living Payment cut-out points (Maps and Procedures)external
If you get the Supported Living Payment, you'll also automatically get a Winter Energy Payment. This is paid during the Winter months.
How to apply
How you apply depends on whether you're already getting a benefit or not.
As part of the application process we'll need to see proof of the reason you're applying. This includes either:
- information that confirms your condition and the impact it has on your ability to work, or
- medical information from the health practitioner of the person you're caring for.
We'll let you know what's needed and how to get this to us.
Not getting a benefit
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.
MyMSD will tell you what you’ll need to provide, including a medical certificate from your health practitioner.
If you want to get child support through Inland Revenue, you can apply through us when you complete your online application. Or you can apply through Inland Revenue. Any child support payments you get will be counted as income for your benefit.
Already getting a benefit
If you are getting another benefit (eg Jobseeker Support), call us on 0800 559 009. We'll let you know what you need to do.
What happens next
Once you've submitted your online form, we'll call if there's anything else you need to do.
If your application's approved
- We'll let you know when your payments will start.
- We'll send you a Community Services Card to help with the cost of healthcare and public transport.
- If you have dependent children under 18, you may get a family tax credit. This can be paid with your benefit or from Inland Revenue (it depends what option you chose when you applied for your benefit).
Family tax credit (Inland Revenue)external
The health and disability support system may also be able to help, eg, time off for caregivers or home support services. Visit the Ministry of Health website for more information.
While you're getting Supported Living Payment
Meet your obligations
There are things you need to do when you're getting a Supported Living Payment benefit. If you don't do them, your benefit could reduce or stop. This includes things like:
- telling us if something changes
- preparing for work
- taking part in work ability assessments.
If you have a partner, there are things they'll need to do as well.
Supported Living Payment obligations
Confirming your circumstances
We must review your circumstances at least once every 52 weeks (one year) to check you're getting the correct assistance and amount. If we need up-to-date information from you, we will send you a Confirming your Circumstances form.
It's important to fill it out and return it promptly – if you don't respond by the due date, Supported Living Payments will stop.
Review of income
We must review your annual income each year to check if anything has changed and you're getting the right amount. You may get a form to fill out for this review. It is separate from the Confirming your Circumstances review.
Update us with information about your health condition
Every 2 years we may ask you for updated medical information. This is to check how your health condition or disability currently impacts on your capacity to work.
Working while you're getting Supported Living Payment
You can still work while you’re getting a Supported Living Payment, even if it’s just a few hours a week. We can help you prepare for work, find a job or study.
Alternate formats
The information on this page is available in alternate formats.
Open transcript
This audio content covers the same details as the factsheets on Supported Living Payment.