The Accommodation Supplement in New Zealand: how much it pays and who is eligible
The Accommodation Supplement is a weekly, non-taxable payment that helps with rent, board or the cost of owning a home, paid at 70 cents for every dollar your accommodation costs sit above an entry threshold, up to a maximum that depends on your area and family situation, ranging from $70 to $305 a week (Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement, retrieved 9 September 2026). It applies to renters, boarders and homeowners with a mortgage alike.
How much it pays, by area
The maximum you can get depends on your household type and which of four cost areas you live in, with Area 1 covering the highest-cost parts of the country such as central Auckland and Area 4 the lowest-cost areas.
The table below sets out the maximum weekly Accommodation Supplement by household type and area.
| Your situation | Area 1 | Area 2 | Area 3 | Area 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, 16+ years | $165 | $105 | $80 | $70 |
| Partner, no children | $235 | $155 | $105 | $80 |
| Partner, 1+ children | $305 | $220 | $160 | $120 |
| Sole parent, 1 child | $235 | $155 | $105 | $80 |
| Sole parent, 2+ children | $305 | $220 | $160 | $120 |
Source: Work and Income, Benefit rates at 1 April 2026, Accommodation Supplement maximum rates, retrieved 9 September 2026.
How much is the Accommodation Supplement in NZ?
The maximum ranges from $70 a week for a single person in the lowest-cost area (Area 4) up to $305 a week for a couple with children or a sole parent with 2 or more children in the highest-cost area (Area 1), and the actual amount also depends on your accommodation costs, income and assets (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). Work and Income's own "Check what you might get" tool gives an indicative figure for your specific address and situation.
How is the Accommodation Supplement calculated?
The Accommodation Supplement is calculated as 70% of your weekly accommodation costs above your entry threshold, up to the maximum rate for your area and household type; for a boarder, only 62% of the total board payment is treated as an accommodation cost for this calculation, not the full board amount (Work and Income, Calculating the rate, retrieved 9 September 2026). If you are on a main benefit, the rate is not further reduced for income; if you are not on a main benefit, income above a separate threshold reduces the amount further.
The entry threshold
You have to be paying accommodation costs above a minimum "entry threshold" before any Accommodation Supplement applies at all, and the threshold depends on what other main benefit or pension you receive.
The table below sets out the current entry thresholds for the most common situations.
| Your situation | Rent or board entry threshold | Mortgage entry threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Single, no children, on Jobseeker Support or no benefit | $93 | $112 |
| Couple, no children | $158 | $190 |
| Sole parent | $168 | $202 |
| Couple with children | $205 | $247 |
| Single, no children, on Supported Living Payment | $106 | $127 |
Source: Work and Income, Benefit rates at 1 April 2026, Accommodation Supplement entry thresholds, retrieved 9 September 2026.
Does the Accommodation Supplement cover mortgage payments?
Yes. It covers rent, board, or the cost of owning a home, which includes mortgage principal and interest payments, insurance, and rates, provided your total qualifying accommodation costs exceed your entry threshold (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). Homeowners with a mortgage use the same rate table and formula as renters, just with a different, generally higher, entry threshold.
Can homeowners get the Accommodation Supplement?
Yes, homeowners paying a mortgage can qualify on the same basis as renters, provided their weekly mortgage-related costs are above their entry threshold and their income and assets are within the limits (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). You are not eligible while paying rent for a public (social) housing property provided by Kāinga Ora or an approved community housing provider.
Who qualifies
Who qualifies for the Accommodation Supplement?
You generally need to be 16 or older, a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay, be paying accommodation costs above your entry threshold, and not be renting a public housing property (Work and Income, Accommodation Supplement, retrieved 9 September 2026). Your eligibility and rate also depend on your income, your assets, your family circumstances and where you live; see Disability Allowance NZ if extra health-related accommodation costs, such as a modified rental, are your situation instead.
What are the asset limits for the Accommodation Supplement?
Your cash assets must be no more than $8,100 if you are single, or $16,200 if you are a couple, with or without children, or a sole parent, before you become ineligible (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). This limit can increase if you have received a lump sum payment under the Accident Compensation Act 2001 or an Independence Allowance under the Accident Insurance Act 1998.
What is a boarder for Accommodation Supplement purposes, and how are they treated differently?
A boarder is someone who pays for accommodation and food in another person's home where the food cost cannot easily be separated from the total payment; for a boarder, only 62% of their board payment is treated as an accommodation cost for the Accommodation Supplement calculation, since the rest is treated as covering food and other services (Work and Income, Calculating the rate, retrieved 9 September 2026). This matters because it changes the effective accommodation cost the 70% subsidy formula is applied to.
Does getting income from a boarder or flatmate affect my own Accommodation Supplement?
It can. Money you receive from a boarder or from renting out part of your own home is generally treated as accommodation income, which is deducted from your own accommodation costs before your Accommodation Supplement is calculated, and can also count as income in some circumstances (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). Notify Work and Income of any income from boarders or flatmates so your payment is calculated correctly.
Tax and interaction with other payments
Does the Accommodation Supplement count as income for tax purposes?
No, the Accommodation Supplement is not taxed, unlike main benefits such as Jobseeker Support or the Supported Living Payment, which are taxable and paid net of tax (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). It is paid on top of whatever main benefit, if any, you already receive.
Can I get the Accommodation Supplement without being on another benefit?
Yes. The Accommodation Supplement is a supplement, not a main benefit, and you can receive it even if you are working and not on any main benefit at all, provided your income, assets and accommodation costs otherwise meet the criteria (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). Non-beneficiaries do have their payment reduced by income above a further threshold, unlike people already on a main benefit.
Do you need to reapply for the Accommodation Supplement if your rent changes?
You need to tell Work and Income about any change in your accommodation costs, since your rate is calculated directly from those costs, and a rent increase can raise your entitlement up to the maximum for your area, while a decrease can lower it (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). You do not usually need to submit an entirely new application, just notify the change and provide proof of the new cost.
How do I know which cost area I live in?
Work and Income defines four cost areas covering the whole country, based broadly on regional housing costs, and your address determines which area applies to your maximum rate; Work and Income's own "Check what you might get" tool applies the correct area automatically once you enter your address (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). Moving between areas, even within the same city in some cases, can change your maximum entitlement.
How do I apply for the Accommodation Supplement?
You apply online through MyMSD, or by completing an Extra Help application form if you are a new client or only getting childcare payments, and you provide proof of your accommodation costs, such as a tenancy agreement or mortgage statement, alongside the application (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). If you are already getting another payment such as the Disability Allowance, a separate Accommodation Supplement application form applies instead. See applying for a benefit in NZ for the documents most applications share, and, if a public holiday affects when a decision or first payment lands, public holidays and your benefit in NZ.
Can students get the Accommodation Supplement?
Students generally apply for the equivalent support, Accommodation Benefit, through StudyLink rather than the Accommodation Supplement through Work and Income, since the two systems run on separate but related rules (StudyLink; Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). If you are receiving the Student Allowance, check with StudyLink directly about Accommodation Benefit rather than applying to Work and Income for this payment.
Where the Accommodation Supplement fits your wider plan
The Accommodation Supplement is one of several tools for managing housing costs when income drops, and it sits alongside options such as a bank's mortgage holiday if you have lost income temporarily; see mortgage holidays in NZ for how that works with your lender directly, separate from Work and Income. If a health condition, job loss or reduced hours is the reason your income has dropped, Jobseeker Support, the Supported Living Payment, or, for an urgent gap, a hardship grant may be the support that opens the door to this supplement in the first place; see our WINZ benefits NZ hub and benefit rates in NZ for the full picture of what else might apply, and WINZ payment dates and back pay in NZ for how quickly a new supplement is paid once approved.
Mortgage protection or income protection insurance, arranged in advance, is a different kind of safety net again, replacing a share of your actual income or covering specific mortgage repayments directly rather than a flat, means-tested top-up; see income protection, trauma cover, and the mortgage protection calculator for how that compares. A licensed financial adviser, or your nearest insurance adviser, including in Auckland and Hamilton, can help you weigh whether either is worth arranging for your situation, and if you are working towards buying a home, our house deposit NZ and registered valuation NZ guides cover the next steps. Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.
Adviser's view
QuoteHub's read is that most people either assume the Accommodation Supplement is only for renters, or give up after checking once and finding they don't qualify at their old address. It applies to mortgage holders too, and the maximum you can get changes by area classification, not just by income, so moving house or a rent increase can change your entitlement even if nothing else about your situation has.
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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Accommodation Supplement NZ 2026: Amount, Rules. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/benefits/accommodation-supplement-nz. Updated 2026-09-09.
References
- Work and Income: Accommodation Supplement
- Work and Income: Benefit rates at 1 April 2026
- Work and Income: Calculating rate, general formula
Explore related pages: Life Insurance, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Trauma Insurance, Claims Support.