-
Work homepage
-
Overview
We can help you get ready to apply and find the right job for you. We can even help you while you're working.
-
Get ready to work
You can get training, help with CVs and cover letters, and advice for job interviews.
-
Find jobs
Find out what jobs are available, which job is best for you and how you can plan your career.
-
Working
Whether you've just started a job or need some help at work, we've got your back.
-
Lost your job
We'll help you get ready to find a new job and support you while you're between jobs.
-
Start your own business
Get help to plan and set up a successful business or be a self-employed contractor.
-
-
Benefits and payments homepage
-
Overview
Take a look at the range of benefits and payments we have available.
-
Not working
Redundancy, health condition or disability or another reason you can’t work
-
Living expenses
Food, school costs, power, accommodation or other living expenses you need help with
-
Relationship changes
You’ve had a relationship break-up, family breakdown or violent relationship end
-
Health and Disability
Counselling, prescription and GP costs, medical alarms and other costs we can help with
-
Seniors
Travelling overseas, how to apply, payment rates and dates, overseas pensions, income and other info for Seniors
-
Caring
Caring for someone else’s child or someone with a health condition, injury or disability
-
Urgent or unexpected costs
Dental, glasses, car repairs, fridge, washing machine, funeral or other urgent costs you need help with
-
Children
Childcare, school uniforms, stationery, having a baby and other costs if you have children
-
Moving to New Zealand
Payments you can get from us, settling into NZ, overseas pensions and more.
-
Benefits and forms
A-Z list of benefits, forms, benefit rates
-
-
On a benefit homepage
-
Overview
Check out what you need to do when you're getting a benefit or other payment from us.
-
Something's changed
Address, contact details, overseas travel, childcare, relationship or anything else that’s changed.
-
Income
Declare income and income deduction tables
-
Childcare
Change in your childcare situation, continue childcare payments, cohort entry schools and other childcare information
-
Going overseas
Travelling or moving overseas may affect your payments.
-
Re-apply, review or renew
Re-apply for a payment, review circumstances, renew medical certificate and more
-
Payments
Check or stop your payments, payment cards and other information
-
Debt
Check your debt, repayments and other debt information
-
Rights and responsibilities
Our commitment to you, obligations, complaints, benefit fraud and more
-
-
Housing homepage
-
Overview
Find out how we can help you with housing.
-
Nowhere to stay
Get help if you have nowhere to stay right now.
-
Find a house
Find out where to look for private housing, or apply for public (social) housing.
-
Living in your home
Get help with accommodation costs, and advice on any housing issues and public housing tenancies.
-
Moving house
Find out how we can help if you’re moving house.
-
Other languages
Read some of our housing information in other languages.
-
loginChildcare
If you have children who need looking after, we may be able to help pay for childcare. We can pay for up to 50 hours a week depending on your circumstances.
We pay childcare for public holidays like Waitangi Day and anniversary days. However, most programmes close between Christmas and New Year, so payments won’t be made during this time.
Childcare before child starts school
Pre-school childcare
Childcare Subsidy is a payment that helps families with the cost of pre-school childcare.
Teen parent
You may be able to get the Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment (GCAP) to help with the cost of childcare if:
- you're under 20
- you're in full-time education, training or work-based learning, and
- your child is aged either:
- under 5, or
- over 5 if the school has advised they can't start until the beginning of the term straight after their fifth birthday.
There are also other criteria you need to meet.
Child is in a Family Start or Early Start Programme
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.
Childcare once child starts school
Before and after school care, and holiday programmes
Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) Subsidy is a payment 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.
Childcare outside of normal hours
We 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.
Find a childcare provider
To get Childcare Subsidy or OSCAR Subsidy, your child must be attending an approved early childhood or OSCAR programme.
Find pre-school childcare and accredited OSCAR providers in your region.
What you need to do when you get childcare payments
When you get childcare payments for your child, there are things you need to tell us so we can continue to pay your childcare and make sure we're paying the correct rate. This includes:
- telling us about any changes in your circumstances
- confirming your childcare regularly
- telling us what date your child starts school (if they're going to a cohort entry school).
Related