Income Help
Many of the people who are financially eligible for legal aid are receiving assistance from other Government agencies.
This page provides links to rates and extra information about some of these. These links go to external websites so the information will be up-to-date. Information from an external website will display in a separate browser window, so you can keep it open to refer to while working in this window, or you can just close it when you’ve finished with it.
Information
Income sources
Income may come from a range of sources. Here are some of the categories used by the Agency: earnings (wages and salary), Work and Income benefits, Family Tax Credits, other forms of Working for Families Tax Credits, Child Support, ACC weekly compensation, Student Allowance, Redundancy or termination payment, Insurance or super scheme payment, Rental income from other property, Income from three or more boarders, Interest and Dividends, Value of goods and services received instead of income.
Work and Income ‘extra help’ - not counted as income for Legal Aid eligibility
Work and Income ‘extra help’ is not counted as income for Legal Aid eligibility. This ‘extra help’ includes a range of allowances like the Accommodation Allowance, Disability Allowance etc. plus special assistance programmes like ‘Seasonal Work Assistance Programme’, ‘Recoverable Assistance Programme’ etc. You don’t have to be on a benefit to get this assistance. For a full list of Work and Income ‘extra help’ given on the Work and Income website, click here.
Work and Income main benefits
These are the primary help offered by Work and Income. These include Superannuation, Unemployment, Sickness, Invalids, Independent Youth, Widows, Domestic Purposes, Orphan’s and Unsupported Child’s Benefit. For more about these see the list of Work and Income ‘main benefits’ given on the Work and Income website, click here.
Working for Families Tax Credits
Working for Families is a grouping of assistance that is available as tax credits – which is like receiving some money back for tax you’ve already paid from your other income.
Family Tax Credits is one form of this assistance, with payments made by Work and Income if you are receiving a Work and Income main benefit or by IRD if you are working. For more about the Working for Families Tax Credits see details on the IRD website, click here.
Rates
Rates for Work and Income main benefits
Take note of the rate that applies in the ‘gross weekly rate’ column for the type of benefit you are receiving. For a full list of rates given on the Work and Income website, click here.
Rates for Family Tax Credits
Take note of the ‘before tax’ rate you receive. This will be based on the number of dependent children you have (as recognised by Work and Income and IRD), which may be less than the number of financially dependent children you have (as recognised by the Legal Services Agency). For details of the rates on the Inland Revenue website, click here.
Rates for Student Allowances
Take note of the ‘before tax’ rate you receive. For details of the rates for Student Allowances on the StudyLink website administered by the Ministry for Social Development, click here.
