The Disability Allowance is set up as a reimbursement system, meaning it pays you back for the costs that come up as a direct result of your (or your child’s) disability. The Disability Allowance depends on how much you earn (“income-tested”), with the income threshold varying depending on the size of your household. If your income is more than the relevant threshold, you will not receive any Disability Allowance.

Disability Allowance is not asset-tested, meaning you won’t be refused a Disability Allowance because of how much savings or other property you have.

Social Security Act 2018, ss 17, 84–89, 368–371, 425, Sched 4

To qualify, you must be under the income threshold, and you (or your child) must have a disability that:

• is likely to continue for at least six months, and
• have ongoing, additional costs arising directly from that disability.

The disability does not have to restrict your ability to work.

If it’s not possible to know whether your disability is likely to continue for at least six months, Work and Income can still grant you the allowance if it’s reasonably possible that the disability will last for six months, provided you would otherwise qualify. The allowance can also be granted if your life expectancy is less than six months.

You will need a health practitioner to certify on your application form that you meet the above qualifications, and that any costs you claim are necessary and of therapeutic value to your disability.

As well as meeting the other criteria for applying for a benefit with Work and Income, you will need to provide:

• a Disability Certificate that has been completed by your doctor, and
• proof of your health-related costs, for example, receipts and quotes.

It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about what you need before you apply for the Disability Allowance. Work and Income can only help with the costs your doctor includes on your Disability Certificate. They should have this form at their office. If they don’t, you can either:

• pick one up from your nearest Work and Income service centre
• go to www.workandincome.govt.nz and search: “Disability Allowance Application”
• call Work and Income at 0800 559 009 and request they send one to you.

Tip: Keep copies of all your receipts, invoices and quotes. The Disability Allowance works by paying you back for what you’ve spent (a “reimbursement” system). You need to be able to prove your costs.

You can claim any regular and ongoing costs that come up due to your or your child’s disability (for example, the costs that someone without your disability wouldn’t have). Your doctor will also need to confirm you or your child need them because the disability. These usually include costs such as doctor visits, counselling, prescriptions, alternative treatments (for example, physiotherapy and acupuncture) and special foods. You could also claim for things like gardening, transport for appointments, and power costs if these are more than what is normal for a similar-sized household.

There is no set out or “exhaustive” list of costs that you can claim for, so if you are not sure, you can ask your doctor.

You can’t claim for one-off costs or costs that are already covered by a different agency (for example, ACC). However, if the other agency only pays part of the costs, you can claim the part that’s not covered.

Tip: You’re allowed to claim the costs for your child’s medical expenses. Even if you receive the Child Disability Allowance for your child, you can also apply to have those costs covered by the Disability Allowance.

The allowance is paid as a weekly amount up to a maximum. If your actual costs are more than the maximum, the difference can be covered by Temporary Additional Support (see: “Temporary Additional Support: Extra ongoing help with hardship”).

The amount paid is based on the actual costs you have due to your disability, and the frequency of those costs. For example, if you pay for $60 for medication every 12 weeks, you will get $5 per week in your Disability Allowance to cover this cost.