The Disability Allowance in New Zealand: how much it pays and who qualifies
The Disability Allowance is a non-taxable weekly payment of up to $82.85 (at 1 April 2026) for people with regular, ongoing costs from a disability, injury or health condition expected to last at least 6 months, and you do not need to be on a benefit to qualify (Work and Income, Benefit rates at 1 April 2026, retrieved 9 September 2026). It is income tested against your and your partner's earnings, and a health practitioner must confirm the disability and the costs it creates.
How much you can get, and what it covers
The Disability Allowance pays out based on your actual extra costs, up to the weekly maximum, not a flat rate everyone receives regardless of their situation. Work and Income (retrieved 9 September 2026) sets out what qualifies.
| Detail | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Standard Disability Allowance, maximum weekly rate | $82.85, non-taxable |
| Minimum expected duration of the disability | At least 6 months |
| Review of your circumstances | At least once every 52 weeks |
| Taxable? | No |
| Repayable? | No |
(Work and Income, Benefit rates at 1 April 2026, retrieved 9 September 2026.)
How much is the Disability Allowance in NZ?
Up to $82.85 a week, non-taxable, as at 1 April 2026, though the actual amount you receive depends on your specific extra costs, up to that maximum, not an automatic flat payment (Work and Income, Benefit rates at 1 April 2026, retrieved 9 September 2026).
What costs does the Disability Allowance cover?
Regular, ongoing disability-related costs including doctor's, specialist's and hospital fees not otherwise subsidised, prescription fees, travel to appointments, counselling, medical alarms, power, gas and heating (where your condition increases these costs), special foods, gardening and lawns, and rental equipment, among others listed by Work and Income (Work and Income, Disability Allowance, retrieved 9 September 2026). Your health practitioner must confirm which of your specific costs are related to your disability, and you need proof of each cost claimed.
Do you need a medical certificate for the Disability Allowance?
Yes. Your health practitioner, typically your doctor, must complete a Disability Certificate confirming the disability is ongoing (expected to last at least 6 months) and verifying which extra costs it creates, before Work and Income will grant the allowance (Work and Income, Disability Allowance, retrieved 9 September 2026). Work and Income reviews your circumstances at least once every 52 weeks and may ask for the certificate to be renewed.
Can I get the Disability Allowance and Supported Living Payment together?
Yes. The Disability Allowance is a supplement, not a main benefit, so it can be paid alongside the Supported Living Payment, Jobseeker Support, or any other main benefit, or with no main benefit at all, provided you separately meet the Disability Allowance's own cost and income tests (Work and Income, Disability Allowance, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Is the Disability Allowance income-tested?
Yes. Your and your partner's combined income must be under set weekly limits before tax, which vary by household type. You cannot get the Disability Allowance if you are already receiving the Residential Care Subsidy (Work and Income, Disability Allowance, retrieved 9 September 2026).
How do I apply for the Disability Allowance?
Fill in the Disability Allowance application form if you already get payments from Work and Income, or apply online through MyMSD or with a paper Extra Help form if you don't; get your health practitioner to complete a Disability Certificate; then gather proof of your costs and submit everything to Work and Income (Work and Income, Disability Allowance, retrieved 9 September 2026). You can be granted assistance from the date you first contact Work and Income, provided you complete the application within 20 working days.
The 2026 income limits
The Disability Allowance's income test uses set weekly limits before tax, depending on your household type. These are the limits at 1 April 2026.
| Your situation | Weekly income limit, before tax |
|---|---|
| Single, 16 to 17 years | $696.60 |
| Single, 18+ years | $870.00 |
| Couple, with or without children | $1,295.11 |
| Sole parent, 1 child | $971.51 |
| Sole parent, 2+ children | $1,023.59 |
(Work and Income, Benefit rates at 1 April 2026, retrieved 9 September 2026.) Income above these thresholds generally disqualifies you from the Disability Allowance, regardless of the extra costs you're carrying.
Can I get the Disability Allowance for my child?
Yes. You can apply on behalf of a child aged 18 or under who is financially dependent on you and has a qualifying disability, and you may be able to get both the Disability Allowance and the separate Child Disability Allowance ($62.43 a week at 1 April 2026) for the same child (Work and Income, Disability Allowance, retrieved 9 September 2026). You cannot get the Disability Allowance for a child you receive Oranga Tamariki board payments for.
What is the difference between the Disability Allowance and ACC?
They serve different purposes and are not mutually exclusive. ACC covers costs and lost earnings arising from an accident-related injury, under its own separate scheme, while the Disability Allowance covers ongoing costs from any disability, injury or health condition lasting 6 months or more, regardless of cause. Our ACC versus the sickness benefit guide covers how ACC and Work and Income payments interact where an injury is accident-related.
Does the Disability Allowance count as taxable income?
No. It is explicitly a non-taxable payment and does not need to be repaid, the same as Temporary Additional Support and most Work and Income hardship assistance (Work and Income, Disability Allowance, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Can the Disability Allowance and Temporary Additional Support be paid together?
Yes, and they often are, since they cover different things. The Disability Allowance is specifically for costs directly caused by a qualifying disability, confirmed by a health practitioner, while Temporary Additional Support is a broader, time-limited top-up for essential costs your total income can't stretch to, including costs unrelated to a disability. Receiving one can affect the other's calculation, since both are assessed against your overall income and costs, and a one-off hardship grant is a separate third option for a specific emergency cost neither payment is designed to cover.
What if my disability improves or my costs change?
You must tell Work and Income if your disability-related costs or circumstances change, including new, increased, stopped or decreased costs. For any new or increased costs you need a fresh medical certificate and proof of the cost; if your costs stop or your condition resolves, your allowance is reassessed and may reduce or end (Work and Income, Disability Allowance, retrieved 9 September 2026).
How is the Disability Allowance paid?
It is paid straight into your bank account on the same day as any other Work and Income payments you receive, and it is not paid as a lump sum (Work and Income, Disability Allowance, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Does the Disability Allowance replace lost income from not being able to work?
No. The Disability Allowance is specifically for extra ongoing costs caused by a disability, not for lost earnings or replacement income. If your disability or health condition also stops you from working, the Supported Living Payment or Jobseeker Support's health condition category are the main income-replacement benefits to check, and privately, income protection cover is designed for that purpose specifically.
Where the Disability Allowance fits
The Disability Allowance is one of several Work and Income supplements aimed at people carrying extra, health-related costs.
| Payment | What it's for | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| Disability Allowance | Weekly payment for ongoing costs from a 6-month-plus disability | This page |
| Temporary Additional Support | Broader, 13-week top-up for essential costs, any cause | Temporary Additional Support NZ |
| WINZ Hardship Grant | One-off payment for a specific emergency cost | Hardship grant NZ |
| Supported Living Payment | Main income benefit for a health condition or disability that permanently and severely restricts your ability to work | Supported Living Payment NZ |
(Work and Income; see each linked guide's own References section for full citations, retrieved 9 September 2026.) The Work and Income benefits hub indexes every payment in this cluster, WINZ benefit rates covers the current main benefit rates the Disability Allowance sits alongside, and applying for a benefit in NZ covers the general documents and process any Work and Income application needs.
If the underlying health condition is also keeping you off work, our off-work-sick cluster covers financial help when you're sick, how long you can be off work sick, sick leave entitlement in NZ and returning to work after illness. For longer-term protection against income loss from a disability or illness, comparing income protection, trauma cover and life insurance is worth doing alongside any Work and Income application.
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. Start a free comparison if you would like a licensed adviser to review your own cover.
Adviser's view
QuoteHub's read is that most people underclaim this payment because they assume it's only for a formally diagnosed disability. Work and Income's own test is broader: any ongoing health condition, injury or disability with regular costs lasting 6 months or more can qualify, provided a health practitioner confirms it, which covers far more situations than the name suggests.
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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Disability Allowance NZ 2026: Amount, Eligibility. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/benefits/disability-allowance-nz. Updated 2026-09-09.
References
- Work and Income: Disability Allowance
- Work and Income: Benefit rates at 1 April 2026
- Work and Income: Child Disability Allowance
Explore related pages: Life Insurance, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Trauma Insurance, Calculators.