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Advance Payment of Benefit
An Advance Payment of Benefit is a one-off payment to help you pay an essential or emergency cost if you can't pay it another way.
You'll have to pay the money back.
You may get an Advance Payment of Benefit if you:
- are getting a benefit (eg, Jobseeker Support Student Hardship or another benefit from Work and Income), and
- have an essential or emergency cost you can't pay for.
It also depends on:
- how much you and your partner earn
- any money or assets you and your partner have.
You can't get this payment if you're getting a Student Loan or Student Allowance.
Income limits
If you are: |
Weekly income before tax is less than: |
| Single and 16 to 17 years old | $825.30 |
| Single and 18 years old or over | $948.50 |
| Couple (with or without children) | $1,377.69 |
| Sole parent with 1 child | $1,150.97 |
| Sole parent with 2 or more children | $1,212.61 |
Asset limits
These don't include the things you need for day-to-day living, e.g. your home, car, and some payments after a severe weather event. They do include things like money in the bank, or a second property.
If you are: |
Your assets are worth less than: |
| Single | $1,338.90 |
| Couple (with or without children) or sole parent | $2,230.96 |
How much you get depends on your situation and what you need help with.
Examples of costs we can help with are:
- ambulance subscription fees
- appliances and furniture
- attendance at funerals and tangihanga
- bedding
- beds, chairs and tables
- car repairs
- child carseat
- clothing
- costs to end your tenancy early, or sublet or assign your tenancy
- dental treatment
- dentures and hearing aids
- electricity, gas and water
- essential home repairs
- fire loss or burglary
- fridges, freezers and washing machines
- glasses
- laser therapy to remove birthmarks
- safety footware
- school costs
- school stationery
- school uniforms
- tenancy tribunal fees
- travel if you're stranded.
We may be able to help with other costs, it depends on your situation. If you're not sure whether we can help, talk with us about your situation.
Call us on 0800 88 99 00 to talk about your circumstances.
We're open:
- Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, and
- Saturdays, 8am to 1pm.
We'll process the application over the phone and let you know if it's approved.
You may have to provide things like a quote for the cost, a bank statement or payslip. We'll let you know if you need to do this and the best way to get it to us.
If your application's approved, we'll load the money onto a payment card (much like an Eftpos card).
If you don't already have one, you'll need to visit a service centre to get it.
You have 21 days to spend the money before it expires.
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