By situation
| Your situation | Worth checking | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Single, no income | Jobseeker Support ($372.55 a week if 25+), Accommodation Supplement, Winter Energy, Community Services Card | apply-for-jobseeker-support |
| Single, part-time work | Jobseeker Support abated at 70c per $ above $160, Accommodation Supplement, Temporary Additional Support | working-part-time-on-jobseeker-support |
| Couple, partner still working | Combined-income test; Accommodation Supplement, Working for Families, TAS, childcare help | partner-income-and-jobseeker-support |
| Sole parent | $521.52 a week, Family Tax Credit, Childcare Subsidy, OSCAR, Accommodation Supplement | sole-parent-support-and-child-support |
| Family, one working | Working for Families (Family Tax Credit, In-Work Tax Credit, Best Start), childcare subsidy, Community Services Card | working-for-families-when-unemployed |
| Renting | Accommodation Supplement (70% above entry threshold, up to area cap), Bond Grant, TAS | accommodation-supplement-explained |
| Social housing tenant | Income-related rent (about 25% of net income); not Accommodation Supplement | social-housing-income-related-rent-and-emergency-housing |
| Health condition or disability | Jobseeker Support with medical certificate, Supported Living Payment, Disability Allowance up to $82.85, Child Disability Allowance $62.43 | jobseeker-health-condition-supported-living-and-disability-allowance |
| Injured (accident) | ACC weekly compensation (80% of earnings), interaction with benefits | acc-weekly-compensation-vs-jobseeker-support |
| Studying | Student Allowance, Jobseeker Support Student Hardship, loan | study-while-on-jobseeker-and-student-allowance |
| Aged 60+ | Jobseeker before 65, NZ Super at 65, Community Services Card, SuperGold | nz-super-and-kiwisaver-for-over-60s |
| Urgent cost this week | Special Needs Grant, food help, advance, recoverable assistance | temporary-additional-support-and-urgent-grants |
| Caring for someone full-time | Supported Living Payment (carer route) if they'd otherwise need hospital or residential care | jobseeker-health-condition-supported-living-and-disability-allowance |
| Raising someone else's child | Unsupported Child's Benefit or Orphan's Benefit ($301.53 to $350.58 a week by age) | working-for-families-when-unemployed |
Key limits at a glance
| Test | Limit |
|---|---|
| Jobseeker Support weekly income cut-out | Single 25+ $693; sole parent $957; couple $1,066 (no kids) / $1,117 (kids) |
| Accommodation Supplement cash assets | $8,100 single; $16,200 couple or sole parent |
| Special Needs Grant weekly income | $1,010.41 single 18+; $1,467.61 couple |
| Community Services Card yearly income | $34,974 single sharing; $37,116 single alone; $55,501 couple |
| Family Tax Credit abatement | 27.5% of family income above $44,900 |
Rates and limits are those published from 1 April 2026. Check workandincome.govt.nz as some change on 1 April 2027 (Accommodation Supplement maximums rise; Temporary Additional Support maximums fall).
How to make sure nothing is missed
- Use the Work and Income 'Check what you might get' tool.
- Phone 0800 559 009 and ask to be checked for all assistance, including those you didn't list.
- Apply for everything on the same day so one 'first contact date' covers your backdating.
- Also tell Inland Revenue about income changes for Working for Families, and your health practitioner about Disability Allowance.
- Keep a list of what you applied for and when.
Sources
- Benefit rates from 1 April 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Jobseeker Support (opens in a new tab)
- Accommodation Supplement (opens in a new tab)
- Community Services Card (opens in a new tab)
- IRD: Family tax credit (opens in a new tab)
General information only. Confirm with the agency for your situation. Spotted something out of date? Email help@unemployed.nz.