Social Security Act 2018

Administration - Payment of benefits, tax on benefits, debts and deductions - Payment of benefits

346: Required manner of payment: payment on death of beneficiary

You could also call this:

"What happens to your benefit payment if you pass away"

Illustration for Social Security Act 2018

If you get a benefit and you die, the next payment can still be made. This payment can be made to your spouse or partner if they ask for it. If you do not have a spouse or partner, the payment can be made to the person looking after your dependent child.

If you were having your money managed, the payment will be made as if you were still alive and not having your money managed. In other cases, the payment will be made as if you were still alive. You can find more information about this in the Social Security Act and the Social Security Amendment Act 2025.

The payment rules have been updated by the Social Security Amendment Act 2025.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6783832.


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"Getting leftover money from your payment card when you finish a youth money management programme"


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347: Advance payment of instalments of benefit, or

"Getting some of your benefit money early from the government"

Part 6Administration
Payment of benefits, tax on benefits, debts and deductions: Payment of benefits

346Required manner of payment: payment on death of beneficiary

  1. If an instalment of a benefit is payable after the beneficiary’s death, the instalment may be paid,—

  2. on application by the surviving spouse or partner of the beneficiary, to that spouse or partner; or
    1. if the beneficiary has no surviving spouse or partner but has a surviving dependent child, on application by the person who has the care of the child, to that person (or to another person appointed by MSD for the purpose) for the benefit of that child and any other surviving dependent children of the beneficiary; or
      1. if the instalment and the beneficiary were subject to money management, in the manner in which the instalment would have been paid if—
        1. the beneficiary had not died; and
          1. the instalment and the beneficiary had not been subject to money management; or
          2. in any other case, in the manner in which the instalment would have been paid if the beneficiary had not died.
            Compare
            Notes
            • Section 346: amended, on , by section 55(1) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).
            • Section 346(ba): inserted, on , by section 55(2) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).
            • Section 346(c): amended, on , by section 55(1) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).