Financial help for dementia caregivers in New Zealand
New Zealand support for dementia carers comes through two different systems — an income payment from Work and Income, and a respite subsidy allocated through a needs assessment. They work separately, and many families use both.
What support exists in New Zealand
Supported Living Payment (carers)
A weekly payment from Work and Income for people caring full-time at home for someone with a significant health condition or disability, where that person is not your partner.
There are income and residency conditions, and the person you care for must not be your partner.
Carer Support Subsidy
Allocated in days as an annual budget rather than paid as a wage, for full-time carers providing around four or more hours of care a day. It is accessed through your local NASC needs assessment.
The days can be used for respite, and in some cases for equipment such as home monitoring devices that help with dementia care. Check with your NASC what your allocation covers.
Figures and rules change. Confirm current amounts and eligibility with the official source before you rely on them.
How to apply
- 1
Contact your local NASC (Needs Assessment and Service Coordination) service to request a needs assessment for the person you care for.
- 2
Use the assessment to discuss both the level of care being provided and what respite or equipment support could help.
- 3
If Carer Support days are allocated, ask exactly how many days you have, how to claim them, and what they can be used for.
- 4
Separately, contact Work and Income about the Supported Living Payment if you're caring full-time and are not the person's partner.
- 5
Keep your own record of hours, appointments, and costs — it makes reassessments and claims far easier.
Spouses and other family members
The Supported Living Payment for carers is not available for caring for your partner. The Carer Support Subsidy runs through the needs assessment process instead, so ask your NASC directly what applies in your situation.
Go deeper on New Zealand carer support
This page is an overview. The detailed eligibility rules and application walkthroughs live in our full guides.
Get organized before you apply
Dementia care generates paperwork slowly and constantly — appointment letters, assessment dates, medication changes, receipts, hours of unpaid support. Applications go smoother when that history is already in one place instead of reconstructed from memory.
Hours of support, check-ins, and day-to-day help logged as they happen.
Assessments, letters, and forms stored together and easy to find again.
Out-of-pocket costs and trips to appointments captured as you go.
Official sources
This page is general information, not legal, tax, medical, or financial advice. Payment amounts, eligibility rules, and application processes change — confirm details with the official body or a qualified adviser before making decisions.