Accommodation Supplement Rates NZ: Max Payment by Area

The table answers “what is the most?” It does not answer “what will I get?” Work and Income first calculates the qualifying weekly accommodation cost, subtracts the entry threshold and takes 70% of the remainder. Only then is the area maximum applied.

A household with costs only slightly above its threshold may receive much less than the cap. Another household with high costs can reach the cap, but income or cash assets can still reduce or remove entitlement.

Work and Income divides New Zealand addresses into Areas 1, 2, 3 and 4. Area 1 has the highest maximums, but it is not simply “all large cities”. The official list uses Statistical Area Unit 2017 names, which can differ from the suburb, town or postal name you use day to day.

Start with the official area definitions and ask Work and Income to confirm the exact address when unsure. Choosing Area 1 because a nearby place appears in the list can overstate the estimate by more than $100 a week for some families.

A single non-beneficiary in Area 2 pays $300.00 rent and earns $750.00 before tax each week. After the $93 entry threshold, 70% of the remaining cost is $144.90. The Area 2 maximum lowers that to $105.00.

Income is $57 above the $693 weekly threshold, creating a $14.25 reduction. The final rounded estimate is $91 a week.

A couple with dependent children and a sole parent with two or more children share the highest regional maximums. A couple without children and a sole parent with one child share the next set. A single person without dependent children uses the lowest set.

The household also affects the entry threshold, income threshold and cash-asset category. Do not copy only the area cap from the table and apply it to a different family situation; use one consistent household category throughout the calculation.

Only 62% of board counts as accommodation cost. Rent, board or contributions received from another occupant can be deducted from the costs used in the formula. Both adjustments happen before the area cap is checked, so they can keep a payment below the published maximum.

Homeowners use a different entry threshold from renters and boarders. The current settings on this page apply through 31/03/2027. Work and Income has published a change for some homeowner entry thresholds from 1 April 2027, so rerun the calculation for costs after that date.