Unclaimed benefits & grants in New Zealand
79 real support programmes from national, regional and city bodies — each with the published eligibility rules, an official source and the date we last checked it. 11 of them pay out automatically; the other 68 need an application.
Income support
20 income support programmes18 more income support programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- Sole Parent Support
- Supported Living Payment
- New Zealand Superannuation (universal state pension from age 65)
- Veteran's Pension
- Youth Payment
- Young Parent Payment
- Emergency Benefit
- Temporary Additional Support (TAS)
- Special Benefit (legacy hardship payment)
- Orphan's Benefit
- Unsupported Child's Benefit
- Special Needs Grant for food (hardship food grant)
- Recoverable Assistance Payment (interest-free hardship loan)
- Advance Payment of Benefit
- Funeral Grant
- Civil Defence Payment (emergency event support)
- ACC weekly compensation (80% income replacement after injury)
- MoneyTalks — free financial mentoring helpline
Health & care
12 health & care programmes10 more health & care programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- High Use Health Card (reduced GP fees for frequent users)
- $5 prescription co-payment with exemptions, and free prescriptions after 20 items (Prescription Subsidy Card)
- Disability Allowance (weekly help with ongoing disability costs)
- Child Disability Allowance
- Free breast screening (mammogram) for women 45–69
- Free/subsidised cervical screening (HPV test)
- Free bowel screening test for ages 58–74
- Free GP visits and after-hours care for children under 14
- ACC-funded treatment, attendant care, home help and home modifications after injury
- Funded home help hours for families with twins or triplets
Education & training
12 education & training programmes10 more education & training programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- 20 Hours Early Childhood Education (free ECE for 3–5 year olds)
- Fees Free — final year of first tertiary qualification fees paid back
- Student Allowance (weekly living support for full-time students)
- Student Loan living costs component (in-kind loan, repayable)
- Student Loan course-related costs (up to $1,000/year)
- Training Incentive Allowance (course costs help for people on certain benefits)
- School donations scheme (schools with Equity Index 432+ can opt in; parents not asked for donations)
- Free school lunches for students at participating high-need schools
- Free period products (pads and tampons) available in all state and state-integrated schools
- PELT — pre-purchased English classes for migrants
Housing & rent
10 housing & rent programmes8 more housing & rent programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- Emergency Housing Special Needs Grant
- Housing Support Products — bond, rent in advance, rent arrears and moving cost grants
- Kāinga Ora First Home Loan (5% deposit, government-underwritten)
- KiwiSaver first-home withdrawal
- Kāinga Whenua Loan (build or buy on Māori land)
- Kāinga Ora Tenant Home Ownership Grant
- Rates Rebate Scheme (local council rates relief for low-income homeowners)
- Council rates postponement schemes for older or hardship homeowners
Business & self-employment
7 business & self-employment programmes5 more business & self-employment programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
- Investment Boost — 20% upfront deduction for new business assets
- RBP Capability Development Vouchers (50% co-funding up to $5,000 for SME training)
- R&D Experience Grant — student R&D internship funding for businesses
- New to R&D Grant — co-funding for businesses starting R&D
- Māori business growth support (Te Puni Kōkiri)
Family & children
5 family & children programmes3 more family & children programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
Transport
4 transport programmes2 more transport programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
Work & employment
4 work & employment programmes2 more work & employment programmes are on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
Energy & utilities
3 energy & utilities programmes1 more energy & utilities programmes is on the paid plan, with the amount, the rules, the documents and the steps for each.
Tax relief
2 tax relief programmesRegions covered: Auckland · Bay of Plenty · Canterbury · Gisborne · Hawke's Bay · Invercargill · Manawatu-Whanganui · Marlborough · Nelson-Tasman · Northland · Otago · Taranaki · Waikato · Wellington · West Coast. City and regional schemes are the ones people miss most — if yours isn't listed, the national programmes above still apply.