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Work homepage
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Overview
We can help you get ready to apply and find the right job for you. We can even help you while you're working.
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Get ready to work
You can get training, help with CVs and cover letters, and advice for job interviews.
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Find jobs
Find out what jobs are available, which job is best for you and how you can plan your career.
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Working
Whether you've just started a job or need some help at work, we've got your back.
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Lost your job
We'll help you get ready to find a new job and support you while you're between jobs.
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Start your own business
Get help to plan and set up a successful business or be a self-employed contractor.
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Benefits and payments homepage
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Overview
Take a look at the range of benefits and payments we have available.
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Not working
Redundancy, health condition or disability or another reason you can’t work
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Living expenses
Food, school costs, power, accommodation or other living expenses you need help with
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Relationship changes
You’ve had a relationship break-up, family breakdown or violent relationship end
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Health and Disability
Counselling, prescription and GP costs, medical alarms and other costs we can help with
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Seniors
Travelling overseas, how to apply, payment rates and dates, overseas pensions, income and other info for Seniors
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Caring
Caring for someone else’s child or someone with a health condition, injury or disability
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Urgent or unexpected costs
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Children
Childcare, school uniforms, stationery, having a baby and other costs if you have children
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Moving to New Zealand
Payments you can get from us, settling into NZ, overseas pensions and more.
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Benefits and forms
A-Z list of benefits, forms, benefit rates
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On a benefit homepage
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Overview
Check out what you need to do when you're getting a benefit or other payment from us.
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Something's changed
Address, contact details, overseas travel, childcare, relationship or anything else that’s changed.
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Income
Declare income and income deduction tables
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Childcare
Change in your childcare situation, continue childcare payments, cohort entry schools and other childcare information
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Going overseas
Travelling or moving overseas may affect your payments.
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Re-apply
Re-apply for Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support, Temporary Additional Support and more
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Payments
Check or stop your payments, payment cards and other information
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Debt
Check your debt, repayments and other debt information
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Rights and responsibilities
Our commitment to you, obligations, complaints, benefit fraud and more
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Housing homepage
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Overview
Find out how we can help you with housing.
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Nowhere to stay
Get help if you have nowhere to stay right now.
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Find a house
Find out where to look for private housing, or apply for public (social) housing.
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Living in your home
Get help with accommodation costs, and advice on any housing issues and public housing tenancies.
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Moving house
Find out how we can help if you’re moving house.
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Other languages
Read some of our housing information in other languages.
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Special Banking Option
If you get an overseas pension and a payment from us, they can be paid together using the Special Banking Option.
Why use the Special Banking Option
Usually when you get an overseas pension, the overseas agency pays this directly into your bank account. This is called the 'Direct Payment Option' and it means:
- you'll get 2 separate payments:
- your overseas pension from the overseas agency and
- your NZ payment from us
- your overseas pension payments will vary as the exchange rates go up and down
- you're responsible for paying New Zealand tax on your overseas pension.
The Special Banking Option is when the overseas agency pays your overseas pension into a Work and Income bank account. Then Work and Income pay this to you, along with your NZ payment.
Using the Special Banking Option means:
- you receive 1 payment from Work and Income that is the total amount you’re entitled to
- changes in the exchange rate will not affect your overseas pension payments
- New Zealand tax on your overseas pension is already deducted.
When you can use it
You can choose to use the Special Banking Option if:
- you get an overseas pension from either:
- Australia
- Guernsey
- Ireland
- Jersey
- the Netherlands, or
- United Kingdom, and
- you don't have a non-deductible component in your pension (e.g. voluntary contributions), except if it's a Netherlands pension.
If you have a partner who also gets an overseas pension from one of these countries, they must choose the Special Banking Option as well.
Once you've chosen the Special Banking Option, you can switch to the Direct Payment Option. But you can't switch back to the Special Banking Option again.
When you can't use it
You can't use the Special Banking Option when:
- you're going overseas for more than 26 weeks
- you're un-discharged bankrupt
- you have an overseas pension debt with the overseas agency
- you have more than one overseas pension and you can't get a NZ payment because one of your pensions is too much
- you have a voluntary or non-deductible component to your overseas pension (except if it's a Netherlands pension).
How it works
The overseas agency pays your overseas pension into a special Westpac bank account in New Zealand. This bank account is in your name but can only be accessed by Work and Income. The account doesn't incur bank fees and it doesn't earn any interest.
- Once your overseas pension is paid into the special bank account, you don't need to pay tax on it.
- Changes to the exchange rate won't affect your overseas pension payments. This is because you're not receiving the overseas pension directly from the overseas agency.
Work and Income then pay your overseas pension and your NZ payment together into your own bank account. This payment is made to you weekly or fortnightly, depending on the pay cycle for the NZ payment you receive.
If you get a Netherlands pension
If you pay voluntary contributions or holiday pay into a Netherlands pension, we will pay these to you separately.
This means you'll get an extra:
- monthly payment from us with your voluntary contribution
- yearly payment (in June) from us with your holiday pay portion.
Apply for Special Banking Option
To apply for the Special Banking Option, you need to complete 3 forms:
- Information release form
- Bank account application form, and
- Special Banking Option Offer form.
To find the forms you need, select the country you get your overseas pensions from below.
If you can't print the forms out, you can call International Services on 0800 777 227 to get an application form sent to you.
Once you've filled the forms out, you can either:
- scan and email them to us at international_services@msd.govt.nz
- drop them off to one of our service centres or
- post them to our International Services team.
Contact
Senior Services International help you get paid the right amount of New Zealand Benefit or pension whether you live in New Zealand or overseas
Contact Senior Services International