How much is Sole Parent Support in 2026?

$521.52 a week net ($606.69 before tax) from 1 April 2026. It is available while your youngest child is under 14, and the rate is the same as the Jobseeker Support sole parent rate.

What else can a sole parent claim?

Accommodation Supplement (up to $305 a week in Area 1 for two or more children), Winter Energy Payment ($31.82 a week from 1 May to 1 October), Working for Families family tax credit, Best Start at $77 a week for children under 3, Childcare Subsidy up to $6.72 an hour, and Child Disability Allowance at $62.43 a week where applicable.

Can I work while on Sole Parent Support?

Yes. You can earn up to $160 a week before tax before your benefit is affected, then it abates in two tiers. Part-time work almost always leaves you better off - and once you leave the benefit the in-work tax credit becomes available at $147 a week for one to three children.

What happens when my youngest child turns 14?

You move from Sole Parent Support to Jobseeker Support if you are not working the required hours. Hours requirements increase to 20 hours a week when your youngest turns 3 and 30 hours a week at 14. Ask your case manager to run the in-work numbers before the change takes effect.

Sole Parent Support — NZ Benefits Guide

Sole Parent Support

Updated 2026 MSD rates. Sole Parent Support is a weekly payment from Work and Income for sole parents who are the main caregiver of one or more dependent children. It helps you meet living costs while you care for your children.

Who Can Get It

To qualify for Sole Parent Support, you must:

Be the sole principal caregiver of at least one dependent child aged under 14.
Be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident (usually lived in NZ for at least 2 years).
Not be living with a partner (or if separated, living apart).
Meet the income and cash asset thresholds.
Be aged 18 years or over (16–17 may get Young Parent Payment instead).

Weekly Rates (April 2026)

Situation	Net Weekly Rate (NZ$)
Sole parent, with 1 or more children	$521.52
Plus Accommodation Supplement (max)	Up to $305 depending on area

Note: You may also qualify for the Accommodation Supplement and Temporary Additional Support on top of Sole Parent Support.

Part-time Work Obligations

Most Sole Parent Support recipients have part-time work obligations once their youngest child turns 3:

Youngest child aged 3–5: Required to be available for part-time work (at least 20 hours per week).
Youngest child aged 6–13: Required to be available for part-time work (at least 20 hours per week, may increase).
Youngest child under 3: No work obligations (but you can volunteer to do part-time work if you wish).

Work and Income can help with childcare costs through the Childcare Subsidy.

How to Apply

Log in or create a MyMSD account.
Complete the Sole Parent Support application online.
Provide proof of your child's details (birth certificate, IRD number).
You will be contacted for an interview (usually over the phone).
A case manager will discuss your obligations and any extra help you may qualify for.

Abatement

You can earn up to $160 per week (before tax) before your benefit is affected. After that, your benefit reduces by 30 cents for every $1 earned (after tax) — a much gentler abatement rate than Jobseeker Support.

Duration

Sole Parent Support is available until your youngest child turns 14. After that, you may move to Jobseeker Support or another benefit if you meet the criteria.

How Sole Parent Support Works in 2026

Sole Parent Support (SPS) is designed so that caring for children and working part-time can coexist. From 1 April 2026 the full rate is $521.52 per week after tax (up from $505.80). The abatement structure is deliberately gentler than Jobseeker Support: you can earn up to $160 per week before tax with no reduction, then your benefit reduces by 30 cents per dollar earned between $160 and $250, and 70 cents per dollar above $250. In practice, a sole parent earning $300 per week keeps substantially more of their benefit than a Jobseeker Support recipient earning the same amount.

SPS also sits on top of other assistance: the Accommodation Supplement (up to $305/week for a sole parent with 2+ children in Area 1), the Winter Energy Payment ($31.82/week with children), Childcare Assistance for approved providers, and Working for Families tax credits from IRD. The combined package is usually much larger than the headline rate suggests.

Obligations and Support While on SPS

Work obligations start when your youngest child turns 3. From age 3–5 you must be available for part-time work (at least 20 hours/week); from age 6–13 the expectation continues. Under 3, there are no work obligations.
Childcare help is available. Work and Income's Childcare Subsidy can cover a significant share of approved childcare costs, which makes the part-time work requirement practical.
Your case manager can fund training. Some SPS recipients are supported through study or training courses that lead to sustainable employment — ask what is available in your region.
Transition planning matters. SPS ends when your youngest child turns 14; planning your return to work (or transfer to another benefit) in the year beforehand avoids a gap in income.

Applying Successfully

Apply online via MyMSD and have your child's birth certificate and IRD number ready.
Declare any child support you receive — it counts as income, and Work and Income can help you apply for it through IRD.
Mention your rent or board costs so the Accommodation Supplement is assessed at the same time.
Attend your phone interview — this is where obligations and extra entitlements (Childcare Subsidy, TAS) are agreed.

Deep dive — 2026 update

What Sole Parent Support is worth with everything stacked

Sole Parent Support is $521.52 a week net from 1 April 2026, but a sole parent household in Auckland renting at market rates typically receives several payments at once:

Payment	Weekly (typical)
Sole Parent Support	$521.52
Accommodation Supplement (Area 1, 2+ children, rent $650)	up to $305.00
Winter Energy Payment (May–Oct)	$31.82
Working for Families family tax credit (2 children, income-tested)	up to $276.45 before abatement
Best Start (child under 3)	$77.00
Childcare Subsidy (if using childcare)	up to $6.72 an hour

Each has its own eligibility test, and a decline on one says nothing about the others. Apply for all of them at the same time through MyMSD, and get the Accommodation Supplement application in first — it is the largest single top-up.

Child support changes your SPS in two directions

Child support received is treated as income and abates SPS, usually at 30 cents for the first band and a higher rate above it.
Child support paid to another carer can reduce the amount you are expected to contribute, and IRD administers the formula.
If the other parent does not pay, you can apply for a child support formula assessment — and MSD can accept a lower amount of child support than you are entitled to without that reducing your SPS.
Working for Families and Best Start continue alongside SPS; the in-work tax credit does not while you are on a main benefit.

Duration and the transition to work

Sole Parent Support is available while your youngest child is under 14. At that point you move to Jobseeker Support if you are not working enough hours — usually 20 hours a week once your youngest turns 3, rising to 30 hours at 14.

Three things soften that transition and are routinely overlooked:

The in-work tax credit becomes available as soon as you leave the benefit, worth $147 a week for 1–3 children (temporarily higher until 31 March 2027).
The childcare subsidy increases with more hours of care, and the 20 hours free ECE for 3–5 year olds stacks with it.
Abatement applies from your first dollar over $160 a week, so part-time work almost always leaves you better off — work the numbers with your case manager before deciding.