Weekly rates from 1 April 2026
Jobseeker Support is a weekly payment, paid a week in arrears. Net rates assume the "M" tax code:
| Situation | Net weekly | Before tax | Annual equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single 18–19 at home | $276.46 | $309.65 | $14,376 |
| Single 18–19 away from home | $324.50 | $367.88 | $16,874 |
| Single 20–24 | $324.50 | $367.88 | $16,874 |
| Single 25+ | $372.55 | $426.12 | $19,373 |
| Couple, no children (each) | $316.97 | $358.75 | $16,482 |
| Couple, no children (total) | $633.94 | $717.50 | $32,965 |
| Couple with children (each) | $334.70 | $380.24 | $17,404 |
| Couple with children (total) | $669.40 | $760.48 | $34,809 |
| Sole parent | $521.52 | $606.69 | $27,119 |
The jump from the 20–24 rate to the 25+ rate is $48.05 a week. If you turn 25 during a benefit period, tell Work and Income — the rate change is applied from your birthday, not automatically at the next review.
Abatement: what you can earn
| Household | Threshold | Abatement rate |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $160 a week before tax | 70 cents per $1 above it |
| Couple (combined income) | $160 a week before tax | 35 cents each per $1 above it |
| Sole parent | $160 a week before tax | Two-tier rate: lower at first, then higher |
Worked example — a single person on $372.55 taking a job paying $300 a week gross:
- Income over the threshold: $300 − $160 = $140.
- Abatement: $140 × 70% = $98.00.
- Benefit remaining: $372.55 − $98.00 = $274.55.
- Total weekly income: $574.55 — $202 more than the benefit alone.
Because abatement is 70 cents in the dollar rather than dollar-for-dollar, taking extra hours almost always increases total income. Only one situation reverses that: hours that push you over a threshold for another payment, such as the Accommodation Supplement income test.
Stand-down and when the first payment arrives
- Income-based stand-down of up to 2 weeks based on earnings in the 26 weeks before you applied.
- No stand-down if you were on a low income — for example, a student or someone caring for children at home.
- Paid in arrears, so the first payment arrives about a week after the grant is approved.
- Advance Payment of Benefit is available to cover the gap, repaid from future payments.
Extra payments that stack on top
- Accommodation Supplement — from $70 to $305 a week depending on area and household.
- Winter Energy Payment — $20.46 single, $31.82 couple or with children, 1 May to 1 October.
- Working for Families — family tax credit for dependent children, paid by IRD.
- Childcare Subsidy — up to $6.72 an hour if you are working or training.
- Disability Allowance — up to $82.85 a week for medical costs.
- Temporary Additional Support — 70% of any remaining shortfall between essential costs and income.
Work obligations and the age bands that set them
- Work obligations — job search and interviews required: generally if you have a partner who works, or you are 18–19.
- Work preparation — if you have a child under 3, or you are 20–24 without work obligations.
- Part-time work expectations — 20 hours a week once your youngest child is 3, rising to 30 hours a week at 14.
- No obligations — if you have a health condition or disability affecting your capacity for work, or meet the child-under-3 exemption.
Sanctions escalate: a first failure suspends the payment, a second within 12 months brings a 50% sanction, and a third a full suspension. Tell your case manager about any change in circumstances before an appointment is missed.
Deep dive — 2026 update
Three part-time scenarios, worked
Abatement is 70 cents in the dollar for a single person, so taking on hours almost always increases total income. The three scenarios below all use the single 25+ rate of $372.55 and the $160 threshold:
| Weekly earnings | Abatement | Benefit left | Total weekly income |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200 | $28.00 | $344.55 | $544.55 |
| $500 | $238.00 | $134.55 | $634.55 |
For a couple, the abatement is 35 cents each on combined income above $160. A couple without children earning $400 a week between them:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Combined earnings | $400.00 |
| Abatement per person ($400 − $160) × 35% | $84.00 |
| Benefit per person | $232.97 |
| Total benefit | $465.94 |
| Total household income | $865.94 |
The benefit tapers to nil at roughly $692.21 a week of earnings for a single person on the 25+ rate. Above that you are better off fully off the benefit — and eligible for the in-work tax credit once any dependent children are involved.
How the payment reaches you
- Weekly or fortnightly — you choose when you apply, and you can change it later.
- Paid into your bank account, in your own name. Payments cannot be made into someone else's account.
- In arrears — each payment covers the period just finished, not the one coming.
- Deductions can be applied for debt recovery, court orders, or an Advance Payment of Benefit you have taken out.
- Payment cards are used in some circumstances instead of cash payments — for example for emergency assistance.
Check your payslip equivalent (the payment advice in MyMSD) each period. The three most common surprises are a debt deduction that was not explained, income declared a period late, and a rate change that has not been applied yet.
Trigger dates that change your rate
- Your 25th birthday — moves a single person from the 20–24 rate ($324.50) to the 25+ rate ($372.55), an extra $48.05 a week. Tell Work and Income; it is not always automatic.
- A partner moving in or out — changes you between single and couple rates, and both partners' incomes are then tested together.
- Your youngest child turning 3 — hours expectations rise to 20 a week.
- Your youngest child turning 14 — Sole Parent Support ends and the household may move to Jobseeker Support.
- Starting or stopping work — declare it in the same week, not at the next review.