Childcare Subsidy, OSCAR and school costs when you're out of work

Childcare Subsidy and OSCAR

• Childcare Subsidy: for pre-school children at an approved early childhood programme, up to 50 hours a week depending on your circumstances.
• OSCAR Subsidy: for before and after school care (up to 20 hours a week) and school holiday programmes (up to 50 hours a week) at approved programmes.
• Public holidays such as Waitangi Day are paid, but most programmes close between Christmas and New Year, so no payments are made then.
• Flexible Childcare Assistance may help with informal care, such as a babysitter, if formal programmes aren't accessible while you work or study.

Rates from 1 April 2026, per hour for one child, depend on your weekly gross income: $6.72 below $1,131; $5.36 from $1,131 to $2,059.99; $3.75 from $2,060 to $2,231.99; $2.09 from $2,232 to $2,403.99; nothing above that. Income cut-offs depend on the number of children (about $2,404 for one child, $2,748 for two, $3,091 for three or more). Check the Work and Income table for your exact band.

Subsidies have eligibility conditions about what the caregiver is doing (working, studying, job-hunting and so on). Check with Work and Income that your situation qualifies. Report changes, confirm childcare regularly, and tell them when your child starts school (cohort entry).

If you work part-time on Jobseeker or Sole Parent Support

• Childcare you pay for while working can raise your free-earnings threshold from $160 to up to $180 a week for sole parents.
• Childcare costs can count towards Temporary Additional Support if the caregiver works.
• Child support you receive can count as income for Childcare Subsidy and OSCAR in some cases (e.g. Unsupported Child's Benefit excess).

Free school lunches (Ka Ora, Ka Ako)

• The programme targets schools and kura in most need, using the Equity Index (about the top 25% of students). Ask your school or check the Ministry of Education list. Schools already receiving lunches stay in even if they fall below the threshold.
• The Ministry of Education says the programme is funded until the end of 2027 at the moment. It doesn't say what happens after that; check education.govt.nz.
• It isn't means-tested per family: all students at an eligible school are offered lunch.
• If your school isn't covered, ask about school-run food support, breakfast clubs and KidsCan (check with the school).

Uniforms, stationery and donations

• Ask Work and Income about a Special Needs Grant or a recoverable payment for school costs such as uniforms (school uniforms were an example of repayable assistance).
• State schools can't charge for teaching, but can request voluntary donations and charge for optional extras. You're entitled to say what you can afford and ask about instalments or a waiver.
• Healthcare: ask your practice what it charges for children, and whether a Community Services Card lowers it.