Sole Parent Support, Jobseeker as a solo parent, and how child support interacts

Who qualifies

• Aged 20 or over (19 or under: Young Parent Payment may apply instead).
• A single parent or caregiver with at least one dependent child under 14, not in a relationship, and without adequate financial support.
• NZ citizen, permanent resident or residence-class visa holder, with at least 2 years' continuous residence since gaining that status.
• Only one parent or caregiver can receive it. Shared care can affect payments.

After redundancy, a sole parent with no work obligations because of the child's age may be on Sole Parent Support; a sole parent with work obligations may be on Jobseeker Support (Sole Parent rate). The money is the same. The difference is obligations and how the system treats you.

Work obligations by youngest child's age

You'll re-apply if you still need Sole Parent Support after 12 months. You're also covered by social obligations when caring for children, such as enrolling children in school and keeping them up to date with health checks. Budget 2026 includes $93 million over two years from July 2026 for more case management, higher Flexi-Wage funding and placements to help sole parents into work.

Income, childcare and money on top

• Earnings: $160 a week free; 30 cents per $1 from $160 to $250 (max $27), then 70 cents per $1 above $250. If you pay childcare while working, the free threshold can be up to $180.
• Winter Energy Payment is added automatically. A Community Services Card and Family Tax Credit may be available.
• Ask about Accommodation Supplement, Childcare Subsidy / OSCAR and Temporary Additional Support.

Worked example: you work 12 hours at $23.95 = $287.40 a week gross. Reduction = $27 + (287.40 - 250) x 0.7 = about $53.18, so benefit is about $468.34 after tax.

Child support and your benefit

• You can apply for child support through Work and Income during your online application, or direct through Inland Revenue (0800 227 773). Child support payments count as income.
• Child support received through Inland Revenue is usually shared with Work and Income automatically. It's treated as income for the following 4 or 5 weeks and averaged into a weekly amount.
• Child support you receive privately (outside IRD) or from overseas must be declared in MyMSD ('Declare wages', then 'Change other income'). Unreported changes can lead to debt.
• For Unsupported Child's Benefit, most people must apply to IRD for a formula assessment; the government keeps an amount equal to the benefit and IRD passes on any excess.
• If you pay child support, formula-assessed amounts can count as an essential cost for Temporary Additional Support (for now; see the TAS guide for the 2027 change for some groups). If you lose your job, contact IRD promptly about your circumstances; it can't be assumed an assessment will fall automatically.