Civil Defence Payment

When there's an emergency event (e.g. flooding or an earthquake), we may make Civil Defence payments available. If you've been affected and these payments are available, you may be able to get one.

Information

If you've been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle in Tairāwhiti and Hawke's Bay, you may be able to get a Civil Defence Payment.

Call us on 0800 400 100, we're open Monday to Friday from 8am-5pm, and on Saturday 8am-1pm. Or you can visit one of our service centres in the East Coast.

Find out more about how we can help with Cyclone Gabrielle

What the payments cover

Civil Defence Payments can help cover the costs of:

  • Food
  • Bedding
  • Clothing
  • Accommodation
  • Loss of income

Who can get it

You don't have to be on a benefit to qualify for a Civil Defence payment. You also don't have to be a New Zealand resident. In most cases, it doesn't matter what your income is or what assets you have.

You may be able to get a Civil Defence Payment if:

  • Civil Defence payments have been made available for an emergency event, and
  • you don't have insurance to cover your costs.

You must also be in one of these situations:

  • you had to leave your home (e.g. you've been evacuated or you're on stand-by) and can't return
  • you were away from your home at the time of the emergency and can't return
  • you must stay in your home, or
  • you can't work and you've lost income because either:
    • you can't get to work
    • your workplace is closed, or
    • you need to stay with your family or whānau, e.g. to care for a child because their school is closed.

We can't help with accommodation costs if you've been offered free accommodation but choose not to take it. You also can't get a Civil Defence payment to help pay for Temporary Accommodation Service.

Insurance

If you're not sure whether insurance will cover your costs, or your claim is delayed, you may still qualify for a Civil Defence Payment. However if you get a Civil Defence Payment and then your insurance pays for any costs covered by this, you'll need to pay us back.

How to apply

The fastest way to apply is to call us on 0800 400 100, we're open Monday to Friday from 8am-5pm, and on Saturday 8am-1pm. Or you can visit one of our service centres in the East Coast.

What you need to tell us

When you apply you'll need to tell us your:

  • full name
  • date of birth
  • phone number
  • client number (if you have one)
  • normal home address
  • current address (if you've had to evacuate your home).

If you're applying because you've lost income due to the emergency, you'll also need to tell us your:

  • IRD number
  • bank account number
  • details of any income you've lost so far
  • employer's:
    • name
    • address
    • contact person's name and address.

If we need any further information we'll contact you.

How much you can get

How much you can get depends on your circumstances. You can apply for help with more than one type of cost.

Staying in temporary accommodation

If you're staying in temporary accommodation, e.g. hotel or motel, we may be able to pay for your accommodation costs. We'll pay this to your accommodation supplier.

If you are:

Maximum weekly payment

Maximum daily payment

Single

$1,227

$175.29

A couple, without children

$1,294

$184.86

A couple, or sole parent, with children

$1,525

$217.86

Staying in hosted accommodation

If you're staying in hosted or billeted accommodation, for example with friends or family or in another private home, we may be able to pay for your accommodation costs.

If you are:

Maximum weekly payment

Maximum daily payment

Single

$224

$32

Sole parent

$224, plus $112 for each dependent child

$32, plus $16 for each dependent child

A couple, without children

$375

$53.57

A couple, with children

$375, plus $112 for each dependent child

$53.57, plus $16 for each dependent child

How much you get depends on your situation. We'll make this payment to you or the supplier, depending on your circumstances.

If you are:

Maximum amount available

Single

$400

A couple

$600

A couple or sole parent, with 1-2 children

$900

A couple or sole parent, with 3+ children

$1,110

How much you get depends on whether you're staying in hosted or billeted accommodation (e.g. with friends or family), or in a hotel or motel. We'll make this payment directly to you.

If you're staying in hosted accommodation

If you are:

Maximum weekly payment:
Single 18-24 $220.64
Single 25+ $253.31
A couple without children $431.03
A couple with children $455.15
Sole parent, 1+ children $354.59

If you're not staying in hosted accommodation

If you are:

Maximum weekly payment:
Single 18-24 $294.18
Single 25+ $337.74
A couple without children $574.70
A couple with children $606.86
Sole parent, 1+ children $472.79

After you've applied

We may be able to tell you the outcome of your application when we talk to you, it depends on what costs you're applying for. Otherwise we'll contact you within 2 working days to let you know the outcome, and how it will be paid if it's granted.

If you're applying because you've lost income we may also need to contact your employer about your application.

How it's paid

We'll pay the Civil Defence Payment either to you or to your supplier, depending on what you need help with.

If you're applying because you:

We'll pay the Civil Defence Payment to:

Need to replace food, bedding or clothing

Generally onto a Work and Income payment card (green card), so you can pay this to the supplier or shop. In some circumstances we can pay this direct to you.

Had to leave your home

Generally paid to your accommodation supplier or host. They'll need to be registered with us as a supplier to receive this. If they haven't already registered, they can do this here: Register as a Work and Income supplier

In some circumstances we can pay this directly to you, for example if your accommodation supplier is unable to register with us due to the emergency.

Lost income

Your bank account