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Government Benefits New Zealand: Everything you need to know

If you’re stressing about getting through this festive season and the new year, maybe we can help! We know how hard it can sometimes be to work out a stable budget and if you’re a low-income earner, it can be even more difficult. We have put together some information on the government benefits New Zealand has to offer you! So, hold on for deer life as we show you how to not let money troubles sleigh you this Christmas!

What are Government Benefits New Zealand?

A well-known characteristic of New Zealand is that it’s residents genuinely care for other people and have always had a strong commitment to social welfare. New Zealand was the first country in the world to introduce NZ pensions for the elderly in 1898 and since then, they offer a wide range of support when it comes to your financial woes. Today the Government Benefits New Zealand offers is called Work and Income NZ and the support it offers includes:

  • Assistance if you lose your job or can’t work because of illness or injury
  • Help with saving for retirement (superannuation)
  • Support for elderly people including New Zealand superannuation and other financial and practical assistance
  • Support for families including maternity leave when you have a baby, and the Working for Families package of benefits
  • Assistance if you need help with accommodation

Keep in mind, if you have recently moved to New Zealand, you would not be eligible for government benefits until you have been a resident for at least 2 years. Once you are a full resident, you and your family will be able to enjoy all the reassurance that government benefits New Zealand can offer you.

What are the NZ govt benefits and payments that I can apply for?

Government Benefits New Zealand offers a wide range of payments schemes that are designed to fit a number of different circumstances. The benefits that you apply for will depend solely on your own individual situation. Here is a list of the options available to New Zealand residents:

Carers

If you’re caring for someone else in order to benefit their well-being, you would be eligible for carers benefits. To qualify for these, you would need to be caring for:

  • Someone with a health condition, injury or disability
  • A child with a disability
  • Someone else’s child

If you this is you, then these are the payment schemes that you could apply for:

Supported Living Payment

This is on offer for those who are caring for a person at home who would otherwise need hospital-level care. You can apply for it yourself if you are caring for your own child, but if you are caring for your husband, wife or partner, they will need to apply for it themselves and in both cases, a medical certificate would need to be provided.

Special Disability Allowance

This may be available to you if your partner is in residential care, or has been in a public hospital for more than 13 weeks.

Funded Family Care

You are eligible for family funded care as long as you are at least 18 years old, caring for a family member with a disability, and that family member is living you. This benefit is through the Ministry of Health and not Work and Income NZ.

Child Disability Allowance

If your dependent child needs continuous care and attention, over and above what any other child of the same age would need, due to a disability or serious health condition, you may be eligible for this allowance.

Childcare

If you are on the Child Disability Allowance, you may also be eligible to apply for some extra Childcare assistance.

A Community Services Card

This card can help cover the costs of healthcare. It would mean that you would pay less for certain health services simply by showing your card. Most people who are on a Work and Income NZ benefit, as well as low income earners, would automatically get one of these cards.

Disability Allowance

The Disability Allowance is available to you if you need help covering costs of your child’s disability.

Caring for someone else’s child

There are a few options available to you if you are caring for a child that is not your own. These include Sole Parent Support, Unsupported Child’s NZ Govt Benefits and Orphan’s Benefits.

Children

We all know that there are seemingly endless costs when it comes to raising children. Therefore, government benefits New Zealand has a plan to help parents in certain situations. These benefits include:

  • Childcare
  • School costs
  • School uniforms and stationary
  • Caring for someone else’s child
  • Child hardship packages
  • Having a baby
  • Overseas custody dispute

Emergencies

You may be eligible for government benefits New Zealand if you are affected by a civil defence emergency, or you’re a farmer who’s been affected by an adverse event. Some example of qualifying emergencies includes the lower South Island floods 2017, Rural Assistance Payments for earthquakes, and farmers affected by medium or large-scale events such as flooding or drought.

Health and Disability

If you have a personal health problem or disability, you may qualify for certain government benefits. Some health and disability NZ govt benefits may cover:

  • If you’re had to stop working due to illness or disability
  • Caring for someone
  • Residential care
  • Maternity leave
  • Travel and accommodation
  • Loss of limb
  • Dental treatment
  • Optical treatment
  • Counselling
  • Prescriptions and doctor’s fees
  • Birth control (including vasectomies)
  • Medical alarms and alert bracelets
  • Extra power, gas, heating or phone bills caused by your disability
  • House, vehicle and workplace modifications due to your disability

For more information on Health and Disability Benefits New Zealand, take a look at the NZ Work and Income website.

Living expenses

If you are struggling with your general living expenses, such as rent, or other associated bills, or you have an unexpected bill come up, there are some government benefits New Zealand that may be able to help you get out of your jam. These benefits could cover your accommodation expenses, power, gas, water, heating, or internet bills, food costs, school costs, or they could provide you with a guide on how to better manage your money.

For  more information on living expenses and managing your money, visit the Work and Income website.

You’re not working

If you are unable to work for any particular reason, you may be able to seek out further financial help until your circumstances change. Not working? If you’re not working due to being made redundant, you have a health condition or disability, you were fired or you left voluntarily, you’re on strike and need help with living expenses, or you’re a seasonal worker, you may qualify for Work and Income Benefits New Zealand. Some other eligible situations include being deported to New Zealand, and being released from Prison.

Jobseeker Support

This is a benefit offered to those who are not currently working, however seeking to change their situation. It is available if you were self-employed and no longer able to work for yourself, if you’ve just finished studying and looking for work, or if you’ve just returned from overseas.

Relationship changes

There are some financial support options available for you if:

  • Your relationship has just ended – You’re eligible for this if you and your partner have just separated, your partner has gone to prison, you’ve had to leave the family home due to violence, or your partner is no longer supporting you.
  • You have a family breakdown – This means you are under the age of 19 and can’t live at home due to lack of support from parents or guardians due to a number of reasons. For more details on family breakdowns, visit the Work and Income website.
  • You’re involved in a violent relationship – This mean your relationship has ended because of domestic violence. If this is the case for you, please visit the Work and Income website to find out what steps you should take in ensuring your financial and personal safety.

Seniors

Due to the length of time New Zealand has had a senior’s NZ pension program in place, there are several options available to elderly New Zealand residents.

  • New Zealand Superannuation – Available if you are a New Zealand resident and 65 years of age or older
  • SuperGold Card – This comes automatically after being approved for New Zealand Superannuation and offers seniors discounts and concessions prices.

Government Benefits New Zealand also offers a Veteran’s NZ Pension and other allowances and grants for those involved war.

Urgent or unexpected costs

If you have some unexpected costs pop up and find that you’re struggling to get on top of things then there are options available to you. Most unexpected cost benefits will cover:

  • Food
  • Accommodation
  • Home repairs and maintenance
  • Power, gas, water, or heating bills
  • Dental and optical treatment
  • Appliances (fridge, freezer, washing machine)
  • Car repairs
  • Bereavement
  • Fire damage
  • Theft

Studylink

This offers students financial support while they complete their studies in New Zealand or internationally. Studylink can help with compulsory course fees, course related costs (e.g. textbooks, laptop), day-to-day living costs, and other costs including childcare and disability.

What you get may depend on your age and your parents’ income. If you are under the age of 24 and you don’t have children then you are considered as a dependant and your parents income will be considered when assessing your eligibility.

Special circumstances

Special circumstances are considered for students under the age of 24 if they don’t have a relationship with their parents, can’t live at home and be supported by their parents, if they’re an orphan and don’t live with someone acting as a parent, or if one of their parents is in prison or a psychiatric care facility and the other parent can’t support them.

If your parents don’t give you any financial support but you still have a relationship with them, your Student Allowance will still depend on their income.

Once you turn 24, your eligibility will then depend on how much you earn or how much your partner earns if you are both over 24 or supporting a child. A student allowance benefit may also be paired with an accommodation allowance benefit if you are over 24 and living out of home.

For more information on Studylink New Zealand, please look over here.

Am I eligible for Government Benefits New Zealand?

To be eligible for Work and Income benefits you need to be between the ages of 18 and 64. From there, it depends on your individual situation and what type of benefit you are applying for out of the options listed above. Once you reach 65, you are automatically eligible for a Senior’s Pension and will receive access to your superannuation.

Find out if you’re eligible

To be eligible for Studylink New Zealand you need to be:

  • A New Zealand citizen or resident (meaning you have been living in New Zealand for at least 3 years while holding a resident class visa, you are a refugee or protected person, or you are sponsored by a family member to live in New Zealand.
  • Between the ages of 18 and 65
  • Studying full time
  • At an approved education provider in New Zealand and doing an approved course (either an undergraduate course, or a Bachelor degree with honours)
  • Studying overseas through an approved education provider in New Zealand
  • At a secondary school

It will be unlikely that you’ll qualify for Studylink New Zealand if you are:

  • On a study break for me than 3 weeks
  • On a benefit that you can stay on while you’re studying
  • In prison
  • Over 65 years of age

How to apply for Government Benefits New Zealand

Applying for Work and Income NZ, Senior’s NZ Pension and Superannuation, and Studylink can be done completely online. You just need to set up an account, complete an application form, and send through any documents that are required in order to process your approval. Some required documents may include your passport, driver’s licence, birth certificate, employment details, lease agreement, medical certificates and other documents that provide proof of your current situation.

To apply for Work and Income benefits or Senior’s NZ Pension and Superannuation New Zealand, visit their website.

To apply for Studylink New Zealand, visit their website.

That’s all from us on Government benefits New Zealand!

We hope that this information comes in handy while you’re trying to establish whether you’re eligible for Government Benefits New Zealand and what benefits are suited to your situation. If you do find yourself receiving Government Benefits New Zealand and you’re also in need of a loan, Loans NZ’s short-term personal loans are still available to those receiving government payments. Get in touch today if you’re interested in finding out more!