Disability Allowance

You may be able to get a Disability Allowance if you:

• have a disability that is likely to last at least 6 months
• have regular, ongoing costs because of your disability that are not fully covered by another agency
• are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
• normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here.

It also depends on how much you and your partner earn.

The income limits for Disability Allowance are:

Your situation	Weekly income limits before tax
Single 16-17 years	$675.60
Single 18+ years	$843.78
Married, civil union or de facto couple (with or without children)	$1,256.07
Sole parent 1 child	$942.23
Sole parent 2+ children	$992.74

Your child has a disability

You can apply on behalf of a child if they're 18 or under and financially dependent on you.

If you're applying on behalf of a child:

• your child needs to meet the above criteria (under 'Who can get it'), except the income limits, and
• your income needs to be under the income limits.

You may be able to get both the Disability Allowance and the Child Disability Allowance for the same child.

You can't get a Disability Allowance if you get board payments from Oranga Tamariki for the child.

There are certain types of costs that can be included for Disability Allowance. They must be additional and ongoing costs that you have because of your disability. Each of these costs also has certain criteria it needs to meet to be included. 

Your health practitioner (for example your doctor) will also need to confirm you need them because of your disability. You'll need to provide proof of your costs so keep all your receipts.

Costs that can be included are:

• Alternative treatment
• Ambulance fees and subscriptions
• Authorised consumables (e.g. hearing aid batteries, vet’s fees for a guide dog, etc)
• Clothing
• Counselling
• Gardening, lawns and outside window cleaning
• Gym and swimming pool fees
• Medical alarms
• MedicAlert costs
• Medical fees
• Nicotine replacement products
• Prescription fees
• Power, gas and heating
• Rental equipment
• Residential care services
• Special foods
• Telephone
• Travel to counselling
• Travel because of your disability
• Vitamins, supplements, herbal remedies and minerals.

Talk to us if you're not sure whether a cost can be included in the Disability Allowance.

Examples of proof you'll need to provide

Cost	Proof you'll need to provide
Doctor's, specialist's and hospital fees that aren't already subsidised	Receipts or invoices showing the date, cost and reason for your visit.
Prescription fees	Receipts or print-outs from your chemist/pharmacy showing the date, cost, and the items you received.
Travel costs	Tickets or receipts showing the date, cost and how you travelled (if you travelled in your own car, we need to know the cc rating of your car and how far you travelled).
Power, gas and heating	Your summer and winter electricity bills.
Medical alarms	Your doctor needs to complete the 'Disability Allowance Medical Assessment for Medical Alarm' form. You'll also need to provide the contract or receipt for the installation/rental of the medical alarm.
Special foods	Receipts for your special foods.

You can get up to $80.35 a week for Disability Allowance.

How much you get depends on the costs you have because of your disability.

This payment is not taxed and you don’t have to pay it back.

How it's paid

The Disability Allowance is paid straight into your bank account with any other payments you get from us. 

You can apply for Disability Allowance either:

• online, or
• using a paper form.

Apply online

1. Apply online through MyStudyLink. Select ‘apply for financial assistance’. We'll check if you can get any other payments at the same time.
2. Complete the Disability Allowance application form at the end of the online application. You'll need to print it and get a health practitioner to complete part of the form.
3. Gather proof of your costs.
4. Log in to Connect and upload your Disability Allowance application form and supporting documents.

Applying for special food costs

If you’re applying for special food costs, you can use the Disability Allowance – special foods information form to help you work out your extra costs.

The form is available to help you identify categories and tell us what your extra costs are. You’ll still need to provide proof for the costs.

Can't apply online

If you can't apply online, you can complete the 'Disability Allowance application form'.

You need to get a health practitioner to complete part of the form.

Log in to Connect and upload your form and proof of costs.

If you’re already getting Disability Allowance and your costs change, you need to let us know so we can pay you the right amount. If you don't let us know, you may get a debt.

Costs go down

You need to tell us which costs have changed and the new amount.

You can do this by:

• using our online form, or
• calling us on 0800 88 99 00.

Costs go up

You need to:

1. fill out a Change of circumstances form:

2. Get evidence of the new costs, for example receipts or quotes

3. Send your completed form and evidence to us using Connect.

Need to add a new cost

To add a new cost to your Disability Allowance, you need to:

1. Ask your health practitioner to complete a ‘Disability Allowance Medical Certificate’ – you can find this in the ‘Disability Allowance Application’ form.

2. Get evidence of the new costs, for example receipts or quotes

3. Send your completed ‘Disability Allowance Medical Certificate’ and evidence to us using Connect.