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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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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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Other languages
Read some of our housing information in other languages.
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Reviews of Residential Care Subsidy assessments
Anyone who had a financial means assessment for a Residential Care Subsidy before 3 December 2019 can ask for their assessment to be reviewed, based on a Court of Appeal decision in May 2019.
Chance to ask for a review
Anyone applying for a Residential Care Subsidy has to have a financial means assessment. We’ve realised the way we’ve been doing these assessments for some people is wrong. We’re offering people who may be affected by this the opportunity to ask for a review.
Since December 2019 we have adjusted our assessments based on the Court of Appeal decision for new and existing clients to make sure they are paying the right amount going forward. We’re now at the stage of looking back at Residential Care Subsidy financial means assessments in the past.
Why we're offering reviews
On 31 May 2019, the Court of Appeal issued a decision clarifying how the Ministry of Social Development can exercise discretion for people applying for a Residential Care Subsidy who may have deprived themselves of assets and/or income (called ‘deprivation’ – see separate section below).
The Court of Appeal found that our interpretation of the relevant law was wrong. This specifically included when and how we identified and included deprivation in your assessment.
Who can ask for a review
We’re writing to clients who we think have been impacted by the Court of Appeal’s decision.
If your financial means assessment didn’t include deprived assets or deprived income, a review may not change your situation. You can refer to your past financial means assessment to check if this applies to you.
Anyone who applied for a Residential Care Subsidy can ask for a review. You can also apply for a review on behalf of someone who has died if you are the executors or administrators of their estate.
Having someone help you with your review
If you decide to request a review, you can have someone help you fill in the form. If someone else is requesting the review on your behalf, they’ll need to have authority such as an MSD agent, Enduring Power of Attorney for Property or a property manager.
Having someone act on your behalf
What is deprivation
Deprivation takes many forms, but the most common examples are when you or your partner:
- have given away more than the allowable amounts, more than five years before your financial means assessment
- have sold an asset for less than its value
- haven’t charged interest on past or current debts owed to you
- do not generate reasonable income from your current assets.
The Ministry of Social Development has the discretion to include any deprived assets or income in your financial means assessment for Residential Care Subsidy.
If you’re the beneficiary of an estate or trust, MSD will generally assume those resources are available to help pay for your care. If you don’t think this is right, you’ll need to share information about the trust or estate to show that they are not.
How to request a review
You need to complete one of the forms below to request a review. You can fill in this form online or a paper form.
To fill in the form online use the button below:
Request a review
To fill in our paper form select the link below to download and print the form. If you don’t have a printer call us on 0800 752 101 and we’ll post a form to you.
After you have requested a review
In some circumstances we’ll need to ask you for more information. We’ll be in touch if we have any questions, and you can phone us for an update.
We’ll only ask you for more information if it’s essential.
We’ll write to you with the outcome of your review.