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Social Security Act 2018

Factors affecting benefits - Guide to this Part

183: What this Part does

You could also call this:

"How different things can affect the money you get from the government"

This Part of the law tells you about the things that can affect your benefit. You might get a benefit from the government to help you financially. The law lists many factors that can change how much benefit you get or whether you can get one at all.

The factors that can affect your benefit include things like your jobseeker profile, what you did before getting a benefit, and whether you get money from insurance or an overseas pension. You can also be affected by things like shared care of a child, getting compensation or damages, or being in hospital. Other factors include being a refugee, being in prison, or leaving New Zealand.

The law also mentions things like voluntary unemployment, losing your job because of misconduct, or having your benefit suspended. All these things can change how much benefit you get or whether you can get one.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6783486.

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"Your benefit rules are paused if MSD lets you keep getting money while overseas"

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183A: Requirement to have completed jobseeker profile, or

"You must fill out a jobseeker profile form if you want financial help to find a job."

Part 4Factors affecting benefits
Guide to this Part

183What this Part does

  1. This Part sets out the factors that may affect a benefit.

  2. The factors affecting a benefit are:

  3. jobseeker profiles:
    1. pre-benefit activities:
      1. insurance recovery:
        1. entitlement to an overseas pension:
            1. shared care of a dependent child:
              1. compensation or damages:
                1. the grant of a veteran’s entitlement:
                  1. a personal benefit excluding a benefit on behalf of a spouse or partner:
                    1. a maintenance claim:
                      1. a family protection claim:
                        1. not being ordinarily resident in New Zealand:
                          1. refugee or protected person status:
                            1. hospitalisation:
                              1. alcohol and drug treatment:
                                1. the issue of a warrant for a beneficiary’s arrest:
                                  1. custody in prison or on remand:
                                    1. absence from New Zealand:
                                        1. voluntary unemployment or loss of employment through misconduct, etc:
                                          1. a non-entitlement period, stand down, or 100% suspension of benefit.

                                            Notes
                                            • Section 183(2)(aaa): inserted, on , by section 10 of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).
                                            • Section 183(2)(d): repealed, on , by section 5 of the Social Assistance Legislation (Budget 2019 Welfare Package) Amendment Act 2019 (2019 No 23).
                                            • Section 183(2)(r): repealed, on , by section 6 of the Social Security (Subsequent Child Policy Removal) Amendment Act 2021 (2021 No 38).