Weekly Income Compensation
You may be able to get this support if you have Qualifying Service and can't work full-time because of a condition.
You may be able to get this if you have:
- Qualifying Service before 1 April 1974, or
- Qualifying Operational Service in Viet Nam.
And be unable to work full-time because of a condition. This doesn't need to be service-related.
When we say full-time, we mean:
- working for an average of 30 hours per week, or
- less than 30 hours if your employment agreement defined this lower amount of hours as full-time.
There are special rules that apply if you're at, over or close to NZ Superannuation age.
For those in the NZ Armed Forces with Qualifying Operational Service after 1 April 1974, you may be able to get Weekly Compensation.
Weekly Income Compensation is paid every:
- two weeks within NZ, and
- four weeks outside of NZ.
Payments are based on 80% of the average wage in NZ on 1 April each year. We deduct:
- income tax — if you receive a back payment to cover previous years, this will be taxed as income in the tax year that you receive the payment
- ACC payments
- Child Support
- Student Loan
- NZ Superannuation
- civil orders.
Payments are also reduced for any part-time earnings.
Weekly Income Compensation payment rates
If you are a contributor to KiwiSaver, we encourage you to take appropriate advice from your KiwiSaver provider or Inland Revenue on how to handle contributions while receiving Weekly Income Compensation or Weekly Compensation. You can arrange your own contributions or take a KiwiSaver holiday.
Recipients of Weekly Income Compensation may also be eligible to receive a Community Services Card.
Information on the Community Services Card on the Work and Income site(external link)
Getting ACC, social welfare or the Veteran's Pension
Veteran's Pension
While receiving Weekly Income Compensation, you can't get a Veteran's Pension.
ACC
If you’re on ACC income-replacement, Weekly Income Compensation is paid only as a top-up to meet what you’d get from Weekly Income Compensation alone.
If you’re declined by ACC, you may still qualify for Weekly Income Compensation.
Social welfare
While on Weekly Income Compensation, you can’t get social welfare benefits. This includes Accommodation Supplement, Disability Allowance, Child Disability Allowance, and Childcare Assistance.
- Complete the Weekly Income Compensation application form.
- Send the application form and any supporting information to us — make sure you include a medical certificate.
We'll reimburse the cost of getting a medical certificate if you:
- are in NZ, and
- send us an invoice for the appointment.
Download the Weekly Income Compensation application form [PDF, 2.4 MB]
If you plan on leaving the country you are applying from — for any amount of time — you need to let us know.
After you apply, we'll:
- contact you to confirm we've received your application
- start the decision-making process
- arrange — depending on your individual circumstances — for you to participate in assessments and rehabilitation
- keep you informed on the status of your application.
If we need more information, we'll get in touch with you.
Your responsibilities
You must let us know if you:
- start paid part-time work
- return to full-time work
- become able to return to full-time work — once assessed, you'll have a notice period before payments stop.
Taking part in rehabilitation
Working toward rehabilitation is a condition of getting Weekly Income Compensation — unless we accept you’re unable to. Your rehabilitation responsibilities include:
- working with us to set up a rehabilitation plan
- engaging fully in rehabilitation
- attending assessments arranged for you — including vocational reassessment around every 6 months
- supplying a doctor's certificate every 13 weeks — this helps us to tailor the rehabilitation to your needs.
Contact us for more information
We strive to be transparent. If you want to know how this entitlement is administered you can read the policy.