New Zealand Accommodation Supplement: limits and areas

Accommodation Supplement helps with qualifying rent, board or home ownership costs, with income, asset and area limits affecting entitlement.

Single cash asset limit

$8,100Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement

Couple or sole-parent cash asset limit

$16,200Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement

Single weekly maxima, Areas 1–4

$165 / $105 / $80 / $70Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement

Partner, no children; or sole parent, one child

$235 / $155 / $105 / $80 in Areas 1–4Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement

Partner with children; or sole parent, two or more

$305 / $220 / $160 / $120 in Areas 1–4Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement

What the payment covers

Accommodation Supplement is a weekly, non-taxable payment helping with rent, board or home ownership costs. Eligibility normally requires age 16 or older, New Zealand citizenship or permanent residence, and normally living in New Zealand with the intention of staying. A minimum accommodation-cost threshold applies. People paying rent for public housing provided by Kāinga Ora or an approved community housing provider cannot receive this supplement for that public housing. Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement (opens in a new tab).

Assets, income and the area ceiling

The cash asset limits are $8,100 for a single person and $16,200 for a couple or sole parent. Specified accident compensation lump sums can increase the applicable limit. Payment depends on income, assets, accommodation costs, family circumstances and location. For a single person aged 16 or older, the weekly maxima across Areas 1 to 4 are $165, $105, $80 and $70. These are ceilings, rather than guaranteed payments. Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement (opens in a new tab).

Family categories have different maxima

For a partnered person without children or a sole parent with one child, Areas 1 to 4 have weekly maxima of $235, $155, $105 and $80. A partnered person with children or a sole parent with two or more children has maxima of $305, $220, $160 and $120. The applicable area and family category matter together. Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement (opens in a new tab).

The costs assessed may differ from the whole bill

From 2 March 2026, assessment uses weekly qualifying accommodation costs. The Ministry of Social Development considers accommodation costs, the part of the property occupied by the recipient and accommodation income. Costs relating to a part not lived in are deducted before accommodation income. This includes a part primarily used for business or a self-contained part rented to someone else. Accommodation income is then deducted, with specific rules for board payments. Ministry of Social Development, qualifying accommodation costs (opens in a new tab).

Scope of this explanation

This is general information about the published payment. It does not identify a property's area, classify a cash asset, determine an entry threshold or calculate an individual award. It does not decide how shared housing, business use or boarder arrangements affect a particular application. No Accommodation Supplement calculator or worked household example is provided here.

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