Supported Living Payment NZ: Who Qualifies, How Much You Get and How to Apply

You generally need to be 16 or older and either totally blind or permanently and severely restricted in your ability to work by a health condition, injury or disability. Work and Income describes “permanent” as affecting work capacity for more than two years, or a life expectancy under two years, and “severe” as being unable to regularly work 15 hours or more a week in open employment.

A diagnosis by itself does not settle eligibility. The assessment looks at how the condition affects your capacity to work, supported by current medical information and the other eligibility rules.

A carer must provide full-time care at home to someone other than their partner. Without that care, the person would need hospital, rest-home, residential disability or a similar level of care. The medical certificate is about the person receiving care and must explain the care they need.

A carer without dependent children generally needs to be at least 18; a carer with a dependent child generally needs to be at least 20. Ordinary family help is not enough on its own—the required care level is high and must be medically supported.

For a standard single payment, chargeable income from $160 to $250 reduces the benefit by 30 cents per dollar. Income above $250 reduces it by 70 cents per dollar. Work and Income uses both partners’ income for a couple and publishes separate cut-out points for each household category.

Here is a concrete example. A single adult with $300.00 of their own weekly earnings may receive the standard $20.00 personal-earnings exemption. The calculator then uses $280.00 as chargeable income, deducts $48.00 and estimates $376.60 a week. Work and Income must confirm that the exemption applies.

Start with identity, bank-account, IRD, income and relationship information if Work and Income does not already hold it. For a disability-based claim, ask your health practitioner to send the required medical certificate and complete the self-assessment. Existing specialist reports or a Needs Assessment and Service Coordination report can help explain the practical impact.

For a carer claim, the usual medical or nurse practitioner of the person being cared for should generally complete the carer certificate after seeing that person recently. Do not wait for every report before first contacting Work and Income if you need help now; ask what is essential for your claim and what can follow.

If you are not getting a benefit, apply through MyMSD. If you already receive another benefit, such as Jobseeker Support, Work and Income asks you to call so it can explain the change process and evidence needed. Keep your online application number and a copy of every document supplied.

Work and Income may contact you for missing information or arrange an appointment. If approved, it will tell you the start date and rate. The calculator is useful for checking the rate maths, but the decision letter is the record of what you are actually entitled to receive.

Use the Supported Living Payment calculator with your household category and gross weekly income, then compare its assumptions with the income and tax code shown in your decision.