Dealing with Work and Income
One-off payments for immediate and essential needs
Temporary Additional Support: Extra ongoing help with hardship
Social Security Act 2018 ss 17, 95–98, Sched 4 Social Security Regulations 2018, regs 56–71
If you’re experiencing ongoing hardship, you might qualify for Temporary Additional Support. This is ongoing assistance that’s available if you don’t have enough money left after paying your costs to meet other regular expenses such as food and power.
Temporary Additional Support is available in addition to supplementary assistance such as the Accommodation Supplement, the Disability Allowance and the Childcare Subsidy. If you have high Disability Allowance-related costs, you may be able to get more than the standard maximum amount of Temporary Additional Support.
It is also available instead of other supplementary assistance, if you don’t qualify for other assistance due to the residency requirements. For example, if you have not lived in NZ continuously for two years since gaining residency you can get Temporary Additional Support. There are also residency requirements for Temporary Additional Support (see: “Do I have to be a New Zealand resident?”).
How long can I continue to get Temporary Additional Support?
Temporary Additional Support is granted for a maximum of 13 weeks. However, you can reapply and get another 13 weeks. You’ll need to declare that you are taking “reasonable steps” to reduce your costs and/or increase your income.
Am I eligible for Temporary Additional Support?
Social Security Regulations 2018, regs 56–71
Work and Income decides if you’re eligible for Temporary Additional Support using a specific formula. This formula is intended to calculate if you have extra disposable income.
First, Work and Income will calculate your income. This includes any wages, benefits, income support or supplementary assistance you get.
Next, Work and Income calculates your specific essential costs (“allowable costs”). These have to be ongoing and regular costs. Work and Income has a set of specific expenses they consider in their calculations. If your costs don’t fit into these categories, they won’t include them when figuring out your expenses. The complete list of “allowable costs” is grouped into the following categories:
- Essential household items
- Employment-related costs
- Accommodation costs
- Health and disability costs
- Formula-assessed Child Support costs.
For a full list of the allowable costs, go to www.workandincome.govt.nz.
If you have any income leftover after you’ve paid for all your allowable costs, this is called “disposable income”.
Work and Income will then calculate what other costs you might have (“standard costs”). This calculation varies depending on the size of your family.
If you have any income leftover once the allowable costs and standard costs have been paid (a “surplus”), you won’t be eligible for Temporary Additional Support.
If you don’t have any income left, or if you’re left with a negative amount (a “deficit”), you will be eligible for Temporary Additional Support.
