-
Work homepage
-
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.
-
Get ready to work
You can get training, help with CVs and cover letters, and advice for job interviews.
-
Find jobs
Find out what jobs are available, which job is best for you and how you can plan your career.
-
Working
Whether you've just started a job or need some help at work, we've got your back.
-
Lost your job
We'll help you get ready to find a new job and support you while you're between jobs.
-
Start your own business
Get help to plan and set up a successful business or be a self-employed contractor.
-
-
Benefits and payments homepage
-
Overview
Take a look at the range of benefits and payments we have available.
-
Not working
Redundancy, health condition or disability or another reason you can’t work
-
Living expenses
Food, school costs, power, accommodation or other living expenses you need help with
-
Relationship changes
You’ve had a relationship break-up, family breakdown or violent relationship end
-
Health and Disability
Counselling, prescription and GP costs, medical alarms and other costs we can help with
-
Seniors
Travelling overseas, how to apply, payment rates and dates, overseas pensions, income and other info for Seniors
-
Caring
Caring for someone else’s child or someone with a health condition, injury or disability
-
Urgent or unexpected costs
Dental, glasses, car repairs, fridge, washing machine, funeral or other urgent costs you need help with
-
Children
Childcare, school uniforms, stationery, having a baby and other costs if you have children
-
Moving to New Zealand
Payments you can get from us, settling into NZ, overseas pensions and more.
-
Benefits and forms
A-Z list of benefits, forms, benefit rates
-
-
On a benefit homepage
-
Overview
Check out what you need to do when you're getting a benefit or other payment from us.
-
Something's changed
Address, contact details, overseas travel, childcare, relationship or anything else that’s changed.
-
Income
Declare income and income deduction tables
-
Childcare
Change in your childcare situation, continue childcare payments, cohort entry schools and other childcare information
-
Going overseas
Travelling or moving overseas may affect your payments.
-
Re-apply, review or renew
Re-apply for a payment, review circumstances, renew medical certificate and more
-
Payments
Check or stop your payments, payment cards and other information
-
Debt
Check your debt, repayments and other debt information
-
Rights and responsibilities
Our commitment to you, obligations, complaints, benefit fraud and more
-
-
Housing homepage
-
Overview
Find out how we can help you with housing.
-
Nowhere to stay
Get help if you have nowhere to stay right now.
-
Find a house
Find out where to look for private housing, or apply for public (social) housing.
-
Living in your home
Get help with accommodation costs, and advice on any housing issues and public housing tenancies.
-
Moving house
Find out how we can help if you’re moving house.
-
Other languages
Read some of our housing information in other languages.
-
loginWaiting for public housing.
Once you apply for public housing, you'll need to wait until a suitable property becomes available. You'll also need to tell us if your situation changes while you're waiting.
How long you have to wait
The length of time you have to wait depends on:
- how urgently you need a property
- how quickly a suitable property becomes available
- what your needs are
- the number of other people waiting with urgent needs.
People with the greatest needs are placed first, when suitable properties become available. A suitable property is one that meets your housing needs as agreed during your interview.
While waiting for a property, it’s important to keep looking for other options, like rental properties in the private market.
Tell us if something changes
While you're waiting to get into a public house, you must let us know straight away about any changes in your and your partner’s (if you have one) circumstances.
This could be changes to your:
- address and phone number
- income or financial circumstances
- family or household arrangements.
If you don’t let us know, you might not be able to get a property that best meets your needs, or you may no longer qualify for public housing.
How to tell us
Call us on 0800 673 468
Confirm your circumstances
We may contact you and ask you to confirm your circumstances. This is so we can make sure your situation hasn't changed.
We will either:
- call you and ask you to confirm over the phone, or
- text you and ask you to confirm in MyMSD.
MyMSD is our online service where you can apply and manage your information online.
If we contact you, it's important you confirm your circumstances. Otherwise we may think you no longer need public housing and cancel your application.
Related