Social Security Agreement with Jersey - living in New Zealand

Who can get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension

You may be able to get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension while you're living in NZ if:

• you've lived in Jersey, and
• you meet the criteria for NZ Super or Veteran's Pension.

You need to have lived in New Zealand for a certain amount of time to get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension. If you haven't, you may be able to use your or your partner's time you've spent contributing to the Jersey insurance scheme to meet this criteria. To use this time, you must have contributed to the Jersey insurance scheme for at least 12 months.

Who can get Supported Living Payment

You may be able to get the Supported Living Payment for a health condition, injury or disability while you're living in NZ if:

• you've lived in Jersey, and
• you meet the criteria for Supported Living Payment.

You need to have lived in New Zealand for a certain amount of time to get Supported Living Payment. If you haven't, you may be able to use your or your partner's time you've spent contributing to the Jersey insurance scheme to meet this criteria. To use this time, you must have contributed to the Jersey insurance scheme for at least 12 months.

Who can get Sole Parent Support for widows or widowers

You may be able to get Sole Parent Support as a widow or widower while you're living in NZ if:

• you've lived in Jersey, and
• you meet the criteria for Sole Parent Support

You need to have lived in New Zealand for a certain amount of time to get Sole Parent Support. If you haven't, you may be able to use your or your partner's time you've spent contributing to the Jersey insurance scheme to meet this criteria. To use this time, you must have contributed to the Jersey insurance scheme for at least 12 months.

Who can get Jobseeker Support

You may be able to get Jobseeker Support for a health condition, injury or disability while you're living in New Zealand if:

• you've lived in Jersey, and
• you meet the criteria for Jobseeker Support.

You need to have lived in New Zealand for a certain amount of time to get Jobseeker Support. If you haven't, you may be able to use your or your partner's time you've spent contributing to the Jersey insurance scheme to meet this criteria.

To use this time, you must have:

• contributed to the Jersey insurance scheme for at least 12 months, and
• had paid employment in New Zealand for at least 30 hours a week for at least 8 weeks from your most recent arrival in NZ.

Who can get Jersey payments

You may be able to get Jersey payments while you're living in NZ. These are the:

• Old Age Pension
• Sickness Benefit
• Survivors Pension (formerly Widows Benefit)
• Income Support Disablement
• Incapacity Pension.

You may need to have lived in Jersey for a certain amount of time to get a Jersey payment. If so, you may be able to use periods of residence in New Zealand to meet this criteria.

The Jersey Social Security Department decides who can get these Jersey payments.

How to apply for NZ payments

Use our Check What You Might Get tool to find out what NZ payments you can get and how to apply.

You also need to apply for:

• any Jersey payment that you may qualify for and
• any other overseas payments that you may be able to get.

How to apply for Jersey payments

You should apply through the Jersey Social Security Department before you leave Jersey.

If you already live in New Zealand, contact our International Services team. They'll send you an application form to complete and you'll need to send it back to them. Then they'll forward that to the Jersey Social Security Department.

The Jersey Social Security Department will decide whether you can get a Jersey payment and let you know. This may take a few months.

New Zealand payments

We'll decide how much you will be paid based on certain criteria. If you get an overseas pension, it's usually deducted from your New Zealand payment.

Generally, the amount you're paid is about equal to what you would be paid if you had lived all your life in New Zealand.

Jersey payments

The Jersey Social Security Department decides how much you will be paid.

NZ payments

NZ payments are paid into your nominated NZ bank account.

NZ Super and Veteran's Pension are paid fortnightly. All other NZ payments are paid weekly.

Jersey payments

Contact the Jersey Social Security Department to find out how Jersey payments are paid.

Taxes

You may have to pay tax on your Jersey payment. It depends what NZ payment you get.

We recommend you discuss your tax liabilities with Inland Revenue (New Zealand).

If you get NZ Super or Veteran's Pension

If you get a Jersey payment and it's paid by:

• Direct Payment Method, you may have to pay tax on your Jersey payment.
• Special Banking Option (SBO), you will not have to pay tax on your Jersey payment.

If any of your Jersey payment is paid out of the SBO account to you, then you may have to pay tax on it. This will only happen in specific circumstances.

If you get a main benefit

If you get a main benefit and a Jersey payment, you will not have to pay tax on your Jersey payment.

If your Jersey payment is more than your main benefit, and:

• you're paid by Direct Payment Method, you will only get the Jersey payment and you may have to pay tax on it.
• it's paid to a Special Banking Option (SBO) account, you will only get your main benefit. You will not have to pay tax on your Jersey payment.

If any of your Jersey payment is paid out of the SBO account to you, then you may have to pay tax on it. This will only happen in specific circumstances.

Keep copies of your banking records

Make sure you keep copies of all your banking records. These will show your gross Jersey payments required for tax purposes.

NZ payments will start from the date of your application or the entitlement date - whichever is later. We'll let you know what date your payment will start in the letter we send you, once your application's approved.

The Jersey Social Security Department decides when you get paid any Jersey payments.

Before you leave New Zealand you need to contact:

• our International Services team
• Jersey Social Security Department, if you get a Jersey payment.

You may keep getting your NZ payment but it depends on:

• where you're going
• how long you're going for, and
• what type of payment you're getting.

Our International Services team will talk you through this when you call.

Talk to the Jersey Social Security Department for information about what will happen to your Jersey payment.