Repaying debt if you're not getting a benefit or pension

Below is a guide of how much you could repay. This is just a guide, it depends how much you can afford.

When deciding how much your repayments should be, you'll need to think of things like:

• your budget
• your upcoming expenses
• any other debts you may have
• how long you want to be repaying the money.

Talk to us about your repayment amount

You need to contact our Client Support Debt Management team about your repayment amount. They'll work with you on a repayment plan based on what you can afford.

When you call, they'll ask you:

• your contact details, e.g. address, phone and email
• about your income
• about your expenses
• if you have any dependent children.

You may be asked to provide proof.

We want to help you repay your debt in a way that best suits your situation.

We have a range of repayment options available, it depends if you're making payments from New Zealand or overseas.

If you have a change in circumstances while repaying your debt, you need to contact our Client Support Debt Management team

This could be changes for:

• your address
• your contact details
• if you go overseas.

If your debt repayments are being deducted from your wages

If you get a new job, let our Client Support Debt Management team know before you start.

Then they can arrange for repayments to be deducted from your wages with your new employer.

If you miss a repayment, we'll send you a reminder letter. We don't charge penalties or interest.

If you're having trouble repaying your debt, contact our Client Support Debt Management team. They can work with you on a repayment plan that suits you.

We understand that it can be hard to stretch your budget to include debt repayments.

If you're struggling to repay your debt, contact our Client Support Debt Management team. They can work with you on a repayment plan based on what you can afford.

We won't charge interest or impose penalties on your debt.

What happens if you don't repay your debt

We'll try to contact you several times about your debt. If you don't respond, we'll seek to get the money back in other ways.

To find out your current circumstances, we compare information with other government agencies, e.g. Inland Revenue.

There are legal steps we can take which allow us to recover your debt without your consent, such as:

• making deductions from your wages, or
• making deductions from your bank account.

If you don't pay back your debt, it could affect what financial help you can get from us in the future.