Food grant: urgent help to buy food from Work and Income
If you have run out of money for food and have no other way to pay, Work and Income can give you a food grant. You do not need to be on a benefit, and you do not have to pay it back. The money goes onto a payment card that works like Eftpos at the supermarket, and you spend it within 7 days.
A food grant is a type of Special Needs Grant. It is meant for a real, immediate need, often after an essential bill such as rent, power or a car repair has left too little for groceries. People on a low wage can get one too, so it is worth asking even if you are working.
The basics
- Who can get it: You must be 16 or older, a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, and normally live here and plan to stay.
- You do not need to be on a benefit: People on a low income can qualify.
- You do not pay it back: A food grant is not a loan.
- It is for an urgent need: You must have no other way to pay, such as money in the bank or other cash you can use.
- Your partner counts: If you have a partner, their income and savings are looked at too.
- It comes on a payment card: The money expires 7 days after it is loaded.
How much you can get and the limits
The amount depends on your situation and what you need. Work and Income has a guide for the most it usually gives in food grants over any 26-week period.
| Household | Guide maximum over 26 weeks |
|---|---|
| Single, no children | $200 |
| Couple, no children | $300 |
| Couple or sole parent with 1 or 2 children | $450 |
| Couple or sole parent with 3 or more children | $550 |
More can be given in exceptional circumstances.
To qualify, your income must also be under a limit. From 1 April 2026 the weekly limits before tax are $1,010.41 for a single person aged 18 or over, $879.17 for a single person aged 16 or 17, $1,467.61 for a couple, $1,226.09 for a sole parent with 1 child and $1,291.75 for a sole parent with 2 or more children.
Your cash assets must be under $1,411.22 if you are single, or $2,351.46 for a couple or sole parent. Your home, car and everyday belongings do not count. Money in the bank does.
Worked example. Aroha is a sole parent with 2 children, working 25 hours a week and earning $700 before tax. Her car needed $400 of repairs to keep getting to work, and now she has $40 left for the week's food.
Her income: $700 is under the $1,291.75 limit for a sole parent with 2 children.
Her savings: $60 in the bank, well under $2,351.46.
Her food grant: she could get help up to the $450 guide for her household over 26 weeks, loaded onto a payment card for that week's groceries.
What you can and cannot buy
The card is for food and essential groceries, including things like toiletries. You cannot use it for alcohol, cigarettes, vaping products, lotto, gift cards, vouchers, appliances or electronics. It only works at supermarkets and stores that accept the card.
The catch
- The money expires after 7 days. Plan one shop and use it all within the week.
- Keep the card. If you get help again, Work and Income can load it onto the same card. You can check your balance and expiry date in MyMSD.
- Repeat grants come with conditions. If you get grants or advances on 3 or more occasions in 12 months, Work and Income may ask you to work with a budgeting service before more help is given.
- It is not ongoing help. If you are short every week, ask about Temporary Additional Support or the Accommodation Supplement, which help with regular costs.
Do this next
- If you already use MyMSD, apply for a food grant there.
- If you are new to Work and Income or cannot use MyMSD, phone 0800 559 009.
- Have your bank balance, your income, and what caused the shortfall ready to explain.
- Ask whether there is other help you qualify for, so you are not in the same spot next week.
- For free help with a budget, phone MoneyTalks on 0800 345 123. For food today, the Family Services Directory lists community food providers near you.
Getting ready for an appointment? Our free Interview Room tells you what to bring.
Common questions
Do I have to be on a benefit to get a food grant?
No. People in work on a low income can get one if their income and savings are under the limits.
Do I have to pay a food grant back?
No. It is not a loan. An Advance Payment of Benefit is different, and that one you do pay back.
How often can I get a food grant?
There is no fixed number, but there is a guide maximum for each household over 26 weeks, and repeat grants can come with a budgeting requirement.
Can I get cash instead of a card?
The grant is loaded onto a payment card, which you use like Eftpos in stores that accept it.
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Last reviewed 16 October 2026. Written by Streetwise from the official pages listed above. General information only, not legal or financial advice.