The sickness benefit in New Zealand: now paid as Jobseeker Support for a health condition or disability
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.
New Zealand no longer has a separate "sickness benefit". It was renamed and merged into Jobseeker Support from 15 July 2013, and someone unable to work due to a health condition, injury or disability now applies for Jobseeker Support with a medical certificate, using the same rates as any other claim (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). It pays up to $426.12 a week before tax for a single person 25 or over.
What is the difference between Jobseeker Support and the old Sickness Benefit?
There is no functional difference in rate or core structure; the Sickness Benefit was one of several benefits consolidated into Jobseeker Support by the Social Security Act 2018 and its 2013 predecessor reforms, alongside the Domestic Purposes Benefit and Widow's Benefit categories (New Zealand Legislation; Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). What changed was administrative: a single benefit, Jobseeker Support, now covers both "looking for work" and "unable to work for a while due to health" as two different qualifying reasons within the same payment.
The table below sets out how the naming maps across, since "sickness benefit" is still widely searched even though it no longer exists as a distinct payment.
| Old name (pre-2013) | Current equivalent |
|---|---|
| Sickness Benefit | Jobseeker Support, health condition, injury or disability category |
| Invalid's Benefit | Supported Living Payment |
| Domestic Purposes Benefit (Care of Sick or Infirm) | Supported Living Payment, carer category |
| Unemployment Benefit | Jobseeker Support, standard category |
(Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026.)
How much it pays
Because the health-condition category is simply a qualifying reason within Jobseeker Support, it uses the exact same rate table as every other Jobseeker Support claim.
| Your situation | After tax ("M" rate), per week | Before tax, per week |
|---|---|---|
| Single, 18 to 19, living with parents/caregivers | $276.46 | $309.65 |
| Single, 18 to 19, not living with parents/caregivers | $324.50 | $367.88 |
| Single, 20 to 24 | $324.50 | $367.88 |
| Single, 25 or over | $372.55 | $426.12 |
| Couple, total | $633.94 | $717.50 |
| Sole parent | $521.52 | $606.69 |
Source: Work and Income, Jobseeker Support, rates at 1 April 2026, retrieved 9 September 2026.
How much is Jobseeker Support in NZ?
The maximum is $426.12 a week before tax ($372.55 after tax at the standard "M" tax code) for a single person 25 or over with no children, scaling down for younger claimants and up for couples and sole parents, and this applies whether you qualify because you are looking for work or because of a health condition, injury or disability (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). Your actual payment can be lower once your own or your partner's income is counted.
Applying on health grounds
Do I need a medical certificate for Jobseeker Support (Health Condition or Disability)?
Yes. You need a Work Capacity Medical Certificate from your health practitioner, or another medical certificate containing equivalent information, confirming your diagnosis, how it affects your capacity to work, including whether you can work part-time for at least 15 hours a week, and how long the condition is likely to last (Work and Income, Medical certificates, retrieved 9 September 2026). Work and Income can contact your health practitioner directly to clarify unclear or incomplete information, generally with your consent first.
Can I work part-time on Jobseeker Support if I have a health condition?
Yes, Jobseeker Support explicitly allows for people who need to reduce their hours or stop work for a while because of a health condition, injury or disability, not only those who cannot work at all, and your medical certificate specifically records whether you can manage part-time work of at least 15 hours a week (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). Working part-time within what your medical certificate supports does not automatically end your entitlement, though your income is still counted against the income limits.
How long can I stay on Jobseeker Support for a health condition?
There is no fixed maximum length, but you need to reapply every 26 weeks (6 months) if you still require it, and if your health practitioner has previously provided a medical certificate, Work and Income will contact you before it expires so a new one can be provided in time (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). If your condition turns out to be longer-term, permanently and severely restricting your ability to work for more than 2 years, the Supported Living Payment is the benefit designed for that situation instead.
Compared with the Supported Living Payment
What's the difference between Jobseeker Support and the Supported Living Payment?
Jobseeker Support's health-condition category is for a condition expected to improve or last a defined period, generally under 2 years, while the Supported Living Payment is specifically for a condition permanently and severely restricting your ability to work for more than 2 years, or a life expectancy of less than 2 years (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). The Supported Living Payment also pays a higher rate, $424.60 a week net for a single adult versus $372.55 for Jobseeker Support, reflecting the more limited work capacity it is designed for.
The table below lines the two up directly.
| Jobseeker Support, health condition | Supported Living Payment | |
|---|---|---|
| Expected duration of condition | Shorter-term, generally under 2 years | Permanent, over 2 years, or terminal |
| Net weekly rate, single 18+/25+ | $372.55 (25+) | $424.60 (18+) |
| Reapplication cycle | Every 26 weeks | Reviewed every 52 weeks |
(Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026.)
What is the sickness benefit called now?
It is called Jobseeker Support, specifically the health condition, injury or disability category, and Work and Income no longer uses the term "sickness benefit" in any current published material, even though the phrase remains in common use (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). If you see the term "sickness benefit" on an older document or a third-party source, it is generally referring to this same Jobseeker Support category.
Can I get Jobseeker Support for a mental health condition?
Yes, Jobseeker Support's health-condition category applies to any health condition, injury or disability that affects your capacity to work, including mental health conditions, and is assessed the same way through a medical certificate from your health practitioner (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). See stress leave and mental health in NZ for how this interacts with workplace leave entitlements specifically.
Does income from a partner affect a health-condition Jobseeker Support claim?
Yes, in the same way it affects any Jobseeker Support claim: your combined weekly income with a partner is tested against the relevant limit for your situation, for example $1,066 before tax for a couple with no dependent children, and the payment reduces on a sliding scale above that (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). The health reason for your claim does not change how partner income is assessed.
Can I get Jobseeker Support for a health condition and the Disability Allowance at the same time?
Yes. The Disability Allowance is a separate, non-taxable supplement of up to $82.85 a week for ongoing extra costs from a health condition, injury or disability, and it can be claimed alongside Jobseeker Support provided you separately meet its own criteria (Work and Income, Benefit rates at 1 April 2026, retrieved 9 September 2026). See Disability Allowance NZ for what costs qualify and how to apply.
What if my health condition improves and I can return to work?
You need to tell Work and Income as your circumstances change, since Jobseeker Support is reassessed regularly and your obligations, including looking for work, generally resume once you are certified fit for some or all types of work again (Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). See returning to work after illness in NZ for what your employer can and cannot require during that transition.
Where this fits alongside ACC and other support
Is a health condition from an accident covered the same way?
No. If your inability to work is caused by an accident rather than an illness, ACC's weekly compensation, generally 80% of your pre-injury earnings, applies instead of Jobseeker Support, and the two systems run on different tests and different payment structures entirely (ACC; Work and Income, retrieved 9 September 2026). Our guide to ACC vs sickness benefit in NZ and ACC vs income protection insurance in NZ both set out how to tell which applies and what happens if the cause is unclear.
What if I have sick leave left through my employer?
Statutory sick leave from your employer and Jobseeker Support are separate systems, and you would generally use paid sick leave first, since Jobseeker Support is an income floor for when you have no other income coming in, not a top-up alongside a wage (Work and Income; Employment New Zealand, retrieved 9 September 2026). Our off work sick cluster and financial help when sick in NZ guide cover the full order most people move through: sick leave, then ACC or Jobseeker Support, then further support if needed, and how long can you be off work sick in NZ covers what changes at each stage.
Where the sickness benefit's modern equivalent fits your wider plan
Jobseeker Support's health-condition category is a flat, means-tested rate designed as a floor, not a replacement for lost income, and it is generally far below what most people earned while working. Income protection insurance, arranged in advance, pays an agreed share of your actual income instead, without needing to wait for a Work and Income decision. A licensed financial adviser, or your nearest insurance adviser, including in Auckland and Christchurch, can help you weigh whether income protection is worth arranging alongside this safety net, and the income protection calculator is a useful starting point. 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.
For the full order of what to check while off work sick, see our off work sick cluster, and for every other Work and Income payment worth checking alongside this one, including the Accommodation Supplement, the Disability Allowance, and, for an urgent gap while an application is processed, a hardship grant, see our WINZ benefits NZ hub and benefit rates in NZ for the full published rate table.
Adviser's view
QuoteHub still gets this question by its old name constantly, and the honest answer is there is no separate application to make. The health-condition route into Jobseeker Support runs on exactly the same rate table as ordinary Jobseeker Support, with the medical certificate changing your obligations, not your payment, which surprises people who expect a dedicated sickness payment to exist.
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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Sickness Benefit NZ: Now Jobseeker Support (Health). www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/benefits/sickness-benefit-nz. Updated 2026-09-09.
References
- Work and Income: Jobseeker Support
- Work and Income: Stopping work because of health condition or disability
- Work and Income: Medical certificates
- Work and Income: Benefit rates at 1 April 2026
- Social Security Act 2018
Explore related pages: Life Insurance, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Trauma Insurance, Ongoing Protection.