Government support available
The Needs Assessment is the gateway to free or subsidised home help, personal care, equipment, and respite. There is no asset test for home-based support.
There is more government support available than most families realise. Home-based support has no asset test (unlike rest home subsidies). Your parent may be eligible for funded home help, personal care, equipment, and respite — at no cost.
Needs Assessment (the starting point)
A Needs Assessment is the gateway to government-funded support. It's free and determines what help your parent is eligible for.
- Ask the GP for a referral to the local Needs Assessment Service Coordination (NASC) agency — or self-refer directly
- A trained assessor visits the home and assesses your parent's needs
- They create a support plan — what services are needed and how often
- Services are arranged through approved providers at no or low cost
No asset test for home support
Unlike rest home subsidies, there is no asset test for home-based support services. Income is not assessed either. The assessment is based purely on need.
What support can be funded
| Service | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Home help | Housework, laundry, meal preparation, shopping |
| Personal care | Showering, dressing, toileting, medication prompts |
| Meals | Meals on Wheels or frozen meal delivery |
| Equipment & modifications | Grab rails, shower stools, raised toilet seats, ramps — often free via Enable NZ |
| Day programmes | Social activities and supervision during the day |
| Respite care | Short-term rest home stay so carers can have a break |
| Carer Support | Funding for family carers to pay for replacement care while they take a break |
Financial support
| Benefit / allowance | What | Who |
|---|---|---|
| NZ Superannuation | ~$553/week (single, living alone, after tax, from April 2026) | Everyone 65+ |
| Disability Allowance | Up to $82.85/week for ongoing disability-related costs (from April 2026) | Income-tested, via Work and Income |
| Community Services Card | Cheaper GP visits, prescriptions, and other health costs | Income-tested |
| SuperGold Card | Discounts on business services, free off-peak public transport | Everyone 65+ |
| Rates rebate | Rebate on council rates for low-income homeowners | Income-tested, apply via council |
| Accommodation Supplement | Help with rent or board costs | Income- and asset-tested, via Work and Income |
Carer Support (for you)
If you are the primary carer for your parent (4+ hours/day of unpaid care), you may be eligible for Carer Support — $82 per day to pay for replacement care while you take a break. Days are approved for 12 months at a time through the Needs Assessment process.
Other support for carers:
- Carers NZ — advocacy, information, and support for unpaid carers
- Age Concern NZ — support for older people and their families
- Alzheimers NZ — if dementia is involved
- EAP (through your employer) — free short-term counselling
Carer employment rights and KiwiSaver
One thing to clear up: New Zealand has no statutory carer's leave. Unlike Australia (10 days/year) or the UK, NZ employees don't have a specific entitlement to paid leave to care for an elderly parent. What you do have:
- Sick leave — under the Holidays Act, sick leave can be used to care for a dependent (including a parent in some circumstances). 10 days per year, accruing.
- Bereavement leave — 3 days for the death of a parent (separate from sick leave)
- Flexible Working Arrangements — every employee has the right to request flexible work (reduced hours, working from home, varying start times). The employer must consider the request and respond within a month. Right introduced under the Employment Relations Act, expanded in 2014.
- Annual leave — you can use it for caregiving, of course
- Unpaid leave — at the employer's discretion. Many employers will agree but it's not a right.
- EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) — most medium-large NZ employers offer free short-term counselling. Use it.
If you reduce your hours
- KiwiSaver employer contributions drop in line with reduced earnings — over years of caregiving this adds up. Consider voluntary top-ups while caring.
- KiwiSaver hardship withdrawal — possible in cases of significant financial hardship, including reduced income from caregiving. Apply through your scheme provider.
- KiwiSaver early withdrawal for serious illness — can be used in some cases when the carer's own health suffers
- NZ Super at 65 is paid regardless of work history and asset position — caregiving years don't reduce it. (Work history matters less in NZ than in Australia or the UK because there is no contributory pension element.)
Caregiving and your own retirement
- The hidden cost of family caregiving is your own future. People who reduce work to care for a parent retire with significantly less savings. Be deliberate about how long, how much, and what trade-offs are sustainable.
- Sister site Te Ara Ahunga Ora has retirement-planning calculators that include caregiving scenarios
How to get started
Step 1: Talk to the GP. That's it. The GP refers to the Needs Assessment service. The assessor visits. Support is arranged. You don't need to navigate the system yourself — the Needs Assessment is the entry point to everything.
Sources
NZ Super rates from Work and Income. Carer Support from Health NZ. Disability Allowance from Work and Income.
The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute legal, financial, or medical advice. Every family's situation is different — for advice specific to your parent, consult their GP, a Needs Assessor, or a qualified professional.
Dollar figures and entitlements change periodically. We link to authoritative sources where possible. Last reviewed: April 2026.