The benefits

Explore the social security benefits we currently cover. More benefits will be added over time. 

  • Jobseeker Support

    A weekly payment to help with your living costs if you’re looking for full-time work or can’t work at the moment.

  • Sole Parent Support

    If you’re a single parent, Sole Parent Support gives you an income while you look for work or get ready for future work.

  • Disability Allowance

    A weekly payment if you need extra support to cover the regular, ongoing costs of living with a disability.

  • Child Disability Allowance

    A weekly payment for a child with serious disability and is being cared for in the home of the principal caregiver.

  • Accommodation Supplement

    A weekly payment to help you cover rent, board or home ownership costs.

  • Supported Living Payment

    A weekly payment to help you cover rent, board or home ownership costs.

  • Childcare Subsidy

    A payment that helps families with the cost of pre-school childcare.

Benefits to come

Social Security Act benefits still to add:

  • Orphans and Unsupported Child
  • Epidemic Payments
  • Funeral Grants
  • Winter Energy Payment
  • Temporary Additional Support
  • Youth Payment
  • Young Parent Payment

Other benefits not included yet

Some other benefits that aren't included yet are:

  • Superannuation
  • Veterans payments
  • Child Support Payments
  • Family Tax

As a last resort, you can try applying for one of the discretionary benefits below.

Emergency Benefit

Rate and eligibility are at the discretion of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD)

If a person doesn’t qualify for any other benefits and is experiencing hardship, MSD may use discretion to grant an Emergency Benefit, with the amount also at the discretion of MSD.

More about Emergency Benefit on MSD site(Opens in a new tab/window)

 

Special Needs Grant

 

Rate and eligibility are at the discretion of MSD

A one-off payment to help with an essential or emergency expense that you can’t pay any other way.

More about Special Needs Grant on MSD site(Opens in a new tab/window)

 

Temporary Additional Support

 

Rate and eligibility are at the discretion of MSD

A weekly payment for when you don’t have enough from other sources (e.g. from income or other benefits) to cover your essential living costs. You don’t have to be on a benefit to qualify for this payment. Temporary Additional Support can be paid for up to 13 weeks. If you still need it after 13 weeks, you can re-apply.

More about Temporary Additional Support on MSD site(Opens in a new tab/window)