Funding and grants

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Accommodation Costs Arrears Grant

If you’re worried you’ll lose your housing because you owe accommodation costs, you may be able to get an Accommodation Costs Arrears Grant from work and Income.

This type of payment can also be called Rent Arrears Grant. It will be called this if you’re in a tenancy that the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) applies to, i.e. you have a tenancy agreement.

  • You don’t have to be on a benefit to get this payment.
  • You’ll need to pay the money back. Work and Income will put a repayment plan in place to suit your financial circumstances.

Accommodation Supplement

Accommodation Supplement is a weekly payment which helps people with their rent, board or the cost of owning a home. This is provided by the Ministry of Social development.

Away from Home Allowance

Away from Home Allowance is a weekly payment which helps carers with the living costs for 16 or 17 year olds who are living away from home while on a tertiary or training course. Work and Income can pay the allowance to the carer of the young person.

You may get an Away from Home Allowance if:

  • you are the main carer of a 16 or 17 year-old young person
  • you are eligible for a family tax credit for the young person
  • the young person is dependent on you
  • the young person is living away from home while on a tertiary course or approved employment related training.

Bond Grant

If you don’t have enough money to pay bond to your landlord, you may be able to get a Bond Grant from Work and Income

  • You don’t need to be on a benefit to qualify for this help.
  • You’ll need to pay the money back. We’ll put a repayment plan in place to suit your financial circumstances.

Clothing Allowance for Orphan’s Benefit and Unsupported Child’s Benefit

A Clothing Allowance is a weekly payment we give you if you get Orphan’s Benefit or Unsupported Child’s Benefit for children in your care, to help you pay for their clothing.

Community Services Card

The Community Services Card can help you and your family with the costs of health care, emergency dental treatment, eye glasses, hearing aids and public transport.

If you’re eligible to apply for a Community Services Card, the cost to visit your doctor and prescription fees can be reduced.

Dental care

If you’re on a low income or benefit, immediate and essential dental treatment may be available to you.

Immediate and essential dental treatment includes treatment such as fillings and extractions, but not periodic cleaning or check-ups. See more examples in the ‘What you can get’ section on the link below.

You can apply for up to $1,000 a year (any 52-week period), to help with immediate and essential dental treatment. You don’t have to pay this back.

Early Learning Payment

The Early Learning Payment helps pay the costs of Early Childhood Education for children aged 18 months to 3 years. These children need to be from families enrolled in selected Family Start or Early Start Programmes.

Extraordinary Care Fund

You can apply if a child you care for shows promise in a skill or talent, or because they are experiencing difficulties and need extra support. To qualify you need to get the Orphan’s Benefit or Unsupported Child’s Benefit.

Flexible Childcare Assistance

Work and Income may be able to help with the costs of informal childcare e.g. a babysitter, if you can’t access formal childcare programmes while you’re at work or in employment-related study or training.

Free or low cost counselling

The Auckland Therapy Counselling and Psychotherapy website has information on where you can get funding to pay for some counselling sessions.

Funeral Grant

A Funeral Grant can help with some of the funeral costs of someone who has died.

A Funeral Grant can only be used towards essential funeral expenses, which are:

  • professional services for preparing the body for cremation or burial (for example, embalming)
  • the cost of a casket
  • newspaper notice costs
  • hearse fees
  • compulsory fees for buying a burial plot
  • cremation fees.

 

Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment

If you’re under 20 and in full-time education, training or work-based learning, you may be able to get the Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment (GCAP) to assist with the cost of childcare.

Halberg Foundation

The Halberg Foundation provides grants to help disabled young people participate in sports and recreation by reducing financial barriers.

Help to get a driver licence

Work and Income can connect you with providers who can help you get your driver licence.

They can help you with things like:

  • studying for the learner licence test
  • professional driving lessons for the restricted or full licence test
  • paying the test fees
  • a vehicle to take the test in.

Hydrotherapy grant

The Wilson Home Trust hydrotherapy grant provides financial assistance for a child or young person who has a physical disability and would like to access hydrotherapy/water confidence services.

Internet and phone costs

Work and Income can help you with ongoing phone costs that are directly related to your disability or health condition.

 

Orphan’s Benefit

Orphan’s Benefit is a weekly payment which helps carers supporting a child or young person whose parents have died or can’t be found, or can’t look after them because they have a serious long-term health condition or incapacity.

OSCAR subsidy

Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) is a WINZ subsidy which helps families with the costs of before and after school care for up to 20 hours a week, and school holiday programmes for up to 50 hours a week.

School fees, uniform and stationery

If you’re caring for someone else’s child and need help with pre-school or school-related costs at the beginning of the year, you may be able to get the School and Year Start-up Payment from Work and Income.

  • This is a once-a-year payment.
  • You need to apply every year between mid-January and the end of February.

Special Disability Allowance

Special Disability Allowance is a weekly payment for people who have a spouse or partner who is in residential care, or has been in a public hospital for over 13 weeks. It’s paid to the spouse or partner who is not in care to help with the extra costs of having their spouse or partner in care.

Sport NZ

Sport NZ is the government agency in charge of play, active recreation and sport systems in New Zealand. They also have a disability plan that guides them on how to partner, fund, and support disabled people in sports.

Transition to Work Grant

WINZ can pay for things you need to find or start a job, such as clothes, travel, living expenses until your first pay.

Unsupported Child’s Benefit

Unsupported Child’s Benefit is a weekly payment which helps carers supporting a child or young person whose parents can’t care for them because of a family breakdown.

Variety

Variety is Children’s Charity that provides funding to support children and young people facing various challenges, including financial hardship, health issues, and disabilities. Their funding helps cover costs for essentials like clothing, beds, school supplies, medical equipment, and access to extracurricular activities, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to thrive.

Wilson Home Trust

The Wilson Home Trust offers a variety of grants dedicated to supporting and enhancing the lives of children and young adults with physical disabilities, as well as their family.

Youth Payment

Youth Payment helps young people aged 16 or 17 who can’t live with their parents or guardian and aren’t supported by them or anyone else.