Help during study breaks if you can't get work
The Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship is a weekly payment to help meet your living costs during your study breaks if you can’t find work.
General Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship
To get the Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship you'll need to be:
- 18 or over or
- 16-17 and living with a partner and children you support or
- 16-17 and approved for the Independent Circumstances Allowance.
You'll also need to be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident who normally lives here and:
- plan to study full-time after your break
- register with Student Job Search (or Work and Income if there's not a Student Job Search in your region)
- actively look for full-time work
- have assets under $4,300 if you're single, or $7,464 if you have a partner or child
- qualify for the Student Allowance (if you're in hardship you may still get it even if you don't qualify for the Student Allowance).
You'll need to meet the following work test obligations:
- be available for, and take reasonable steps to obtain suitable employment
- accept any offer of suitable employment
- attend and participate in an interview opportunity for any suitable employment to which you are referred.
Please note - if you are:
- 16-17 years old and getting a Student Allowance or
- have not previously been in full-time study,
your Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship application may be processed as an Unemployment Benefit or Emergency Benefit. If your application is processed under one of these other benefits the rate you will get will be the same as the rate you would have received under Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship.
How much you can get
The amount you get depends on your personal situation such as your age, living arrangements, income and assets.
The guide below shows the maximum amount you can get a week after tax at the 'M' rate. It doesn't include any Family Tax Credits or extra income support you may get.
| 16-17 (special circumstances only) | $153.46 |
| Single (18-19 living at home) | $122.77 |
| Single (18-19 living away from home) | $153.46 |
| Single (20-24 years) | $153.46 |
| Single (25 years or over) | $184.17 |
| Single with 1 or more children | $263.78 |
| Married or civil union couple | $153.46 each |
If you are earning
When you get the Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship you can earn up to $80 a week before tax before your benefit payments are affected. If you have a partner you can earn up to $80 a week before tax between you.
Your payments will drop by 70 cents for every dollar you earn over the $80 limit.
You need to let us know as soon as you find any kind of work including short-term or seasonal work. If you don't you could be overpaid - you'll have to pay this money back - and you could be prosecuted. Any extra help you get may also be affected by how much you earn.
If you have a partner
If your partner is included in your benefit they will also need to look for work and register with Student Job Search (if they're a student).
They won't need to do this if you have dependent children under 6. And they can apply for an exemption from having to look for work if they are pregnant, ill, caring for a special needs child, caring for someone who would otherwise be in hospital, or home-schooling a child.
Please ask us if you think your partner may be exempt.
How and when payments are made
Payments are made direct to your bank account every week (this can be a joint account). If you live with a partner they also get payments every week.
The earliest you can get your Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship is in the third week of your break. That's because you have a stand-down period (this is the same for all benefits), and you're paid in arrears.
How long your stand-down is depends on your average income in the last 26 or 52 weeks (whichever is lower).
How to apply
You need to complete an Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship application and bring it to us.
Our staff will be on campus to take your application, or you can take it to your nearest StudyLink outreach site. If you don't have one nearby, your local Work and Income service centre.
If you didn't receive a Student Allowance this year, you need to apply for your next year's Student Allowance and your Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship.
If you aren't eligible to receive a Student Allowance
You could be eligible to receive Additional Hardship if you aren't eligible to receive a Student Allowance. You will need to call 0800 88 99 00 or visit your nearest StudyLink Outreach site (or Work and Income service centre) to discuss your situtation.
You need to complete an Additional Hardship application and bring it to us.
Our staff will be on campus to take your application, or you can take it to your nearest StudyLink outreach site. If you don't have one nearby, your local Work and Income service centre.