Jobseeker Support: who gets it, what it pays and how to apply

Jobseeker Support is the main weekly benefit for people who are out of work, looking for more work, or can't work for now because of a health condition, injury or disability. You must be 18 or older (20 or older if you have dependent children), meet the residency rules, and have income under a set limit. The most a single person aged 25 or over can get is $372.55 a week after tax, from 1 April 2026.

Those are maximums. Most people wait a week or two before the first payment, and any income you or your partner have will reduce what you get. This guide covers who qualifies, the rates, stand-downs, your obligations, how earnings are counted and what to do on the day.

The basics

• Age: You must be 18 or older, or 20 or older if you have dependent children. If you are 18 or 19, your parents' income or a Parental Assistance Test may come into it.
• Work situation: You are unemployed and looking for full-time work, in part-time work and looking for more, or you need to cut your hours or stop work for a while because of a health condition, injury or disability.
• Study: Full-time students can't get Jobseeker Support. StudyLink may be able to help instead.
• Residency: You must be a New Zealand citizen or hold a residence class visa. You must have lived continuously in New Zealand for at least 2 years since becoming a citizen or getting the visa, and be ordinarily resident here.
• Income: Your income, and your partner's if you have one, must be below the limit for your situation.
• Renewal: You must reapply every 26 weeks if you still need it.
• Extras: Once approved you get a Community Services Card. You may also get the Winter Energy Payment, and a family tax credit if you have children under 18.

Weekly rates from 1 April 2026

Rates for people with children don't change with age. The "after tax" figure is Work and Income's M tax code rate. Check the current figures at the Work and Income benefit rates page, as they are reviewed each year.

How it is worked out

For a single person with no children, the first $160 a week of income before tax is ignored. After that, your payment drops by 70 cents for every extra $1. For couples, the $160 applies to your joint income and each partner's payment drops by 35 cents per dollar over it. Sole parents lose 30 cents per dollar between $160 and $250, then 70 cents per dollar above $250.

• Maximum rate: $426.12 a week before tax.
• Her earnings: $260 a week before tax.
• Over the $160 limit: $260 minus $160 is $100.
• Reduction: $100 times 70 cents is $70.
• Payment, roughly: $426.12 minus $70 is about $356.12 before tax.

Mere is still better off working, because she keeps the benefit and the wages. Treat this as an estimate. Work and Income publish deduction tables with exact figures for singles, couples and sole parents. If your income gets high enough, the payment drops to $0, and it ends after 6 weeks at $0. Child support you receive also counts as income.

The catch

• Stand-down. Most weekly benefits have a stand-down, usually 1 or 2 weeks from when your application is approved. Payments start after it ends. The length depends on your average weekly income before tax over the past 26 or 52 weeks and your number of children. For a single person with no children, 1 week applies up to $1,620.67 a week, and 2 weeks above that. Benefits are paid in arrears, so you won't see money for the first week after payments start.
• No stand-down if you move from one benefit to another, your benefit was suspended and resumed, or you return to a benefit within 26 weeks of leaving it for work.
• A longer wait. If you quit a job voluntarily or were fired for misconduct, you may wait up to 13 weeks. Work and Income calls this a non-entitlement period.
• Obligations are real. If you can work full-time you must look for at least 30 hours a week, accept suitable offers, attend interviews and may be drug tested. If a health condition limits you to part-time, it is at least 15 hours a week. You must report changes straight away, such as work, study, overseas travel, boarders or a new address. With dependent children you must enrol them with a health provider and in school or early childhood education.
• Traffic lights. Miss an obligation without a good reason and you go to orange. Contact Work and Income immediately. If you are not back on track within 5 working days you go to red, and your benefit is reduced or stopped.
• Medical certificates expire. Renew yours before it runs out or payments may stop.

Applying and what to bring

1. Apply online through MyMSD. If you can't, call 0800 559 009 or visit a service centre.
2. Complete the "Next steps" in MyMSD, including a Jobseeker profile.
3. If a health condition affects your work, ask your doctor for a Work Capacity Medical Certificate. They fill it out online and it goes straight to Work and Income.
4. Attend your appointment.

Work and Income says to have:

• Two identity documents, at least one government-issued. They must be originals, not copies.
• A bank statement or online banking screenshot showing your name, account number and the bank logo.
• Proof of your before-tax income for the last 52 weeks, plus details of other income and assets.
• Details of your rent, mortgage, hire purchase and other regular outgoings.
• Birth certificates and childcare costs if you have children.
• A current CV or details of your qualifications.

You can upload documents in MyMSD. Your case manager may ask for more, so check your account before the day. To practise the conversation, try our Interview Room.

Do this next

1. Use the Work and Income "Check what you might get" tool to see if you are likely to qualify.
2. Gather your identity documents, bank details and income proof before you apply.
3. Apply in MyMSD the day you lose work or your hours drop. Stand-downs run from approval.
4. Book a doctor's visit early if health is involved.
5. Tell Work and Income about any new income straight away. Late reporting can mean a debt.
6. Diarise your 26-week reapplication date.
7. If a decision looks wrong, such as the stand-down length, ask Work and Income to review it.

Common questions

Can I get Jobseeker Support if my partner works?

Possibly. Your partner's income counts, and the limits are higher for couples. Check the deduction tables for your situation.

Do I get help during the stand-down?

Possibly. Work and Income says urgent or unexpected costs may be covered in some cases. Ask when you apply.

Is it taxed?

Yes. The "after tax" rates above are what you receive at the M tax code.

What if I'm 18 or 19?

Rates are lower, and your parents' income or a Parental Assistance Test may affect eligibility. See the Work and Income page for 18 and 19-year-olds.

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Last reviewed 5 November 2026. Written by Streetwise from the official pages listed above. General information only, not legal or financial advice.