Temporary Additional Support

Temporary Additional Support is a weekly payment that's not taxed that helps you when you don't have enough money to cover your essential living costs.

Important information

You don't need to be on a benefit to get this payment.

You don't have to pay it back.

You may be able to get Temporary Additional Support when you're a student if you:

  • are over 16
  • are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
  • normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here
  • have essential living costs that you have no other way to pay for.

Temporary Additional Support may also depend on:

  • how much you and your partner earn
  • any money or assets you and your partner have
  • whether we can help you in other ways
  • the types of costs you're paying for
  • what you're doing to reduce your costs or increase your income.

Studying full-time

If you're studying full-time (or your partner is studying full-time) you'll only be able to get Temporary Additional Support if either:

  • you or your partner has a dependent child or
  • you, your partner or your child is getting the maximum amount of Disability Allowance and has extra disability costs, or
  • you're getting a benefit from Work and Income

If you’re on a study break of more than 3 weeks (unless this study break is due to COVID-19), you’re not considered a full-time student.

How much you get depends on your situation and it can be paid for up to 13 weeks.

  1. Complete the Temporary Additional Support application form.
  2. Get evidence of your situation (the application form will tell you what to provide).
  3. Log in to Connect and upload your form and evidence.

If you're eligible, we can grant you the Temporary Additional Support from the date you first contact us to ask for help, as long as you complete your application within 20 working days of that date.

linksTemporary Additional Support application form (PDF 170.59KB)

Getting a benefit from Work and Income

If you're getting a benefit from Work and Income, you need to contact Work and Income

If you’re already getting Temporary Additional Support and your costs change, you need to let us know. If you don't let us know, you may get a debt.

Costs go down

Email us with 'Temporary Additional Support' as your topic, or call us

Costs go up

You need to fill out a Change of circumstances form and provide evidence of your new costs.

linksChange of circumstances form (PDF 724.39KB)

linksRelated

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