Mandatory Review for Accommodation Supplement

MSD must review a client's Accommodation Supplement within 52-weeks of when it commenced, or within 52 weeks of the date the client's last Mandatory Review was completed.

Clients must respond to the Mandatory Review before their review date, or their payments will suspend.

The purpose of a Mandatory Review for Accommodation Supplement is to:

• check for any changes to a client's circumstances
• determine if the client stills meets the qualifications for Accommodation Supplement
• check for any changes in a client's accommodation costs and
• review the rate of Accommodation Supplement payable

Generally, all clients getting Accommodation Supplement will have a Mandatory Review for this assistance (except clients getting Youth Payment or Young Parent Payment).

Note New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran's Pension clients and non-beneficiaries getting Accommodation Supplement must meet the income test.

When a client is getting Accommodation Supplement and Disability Allowance, the Mandatory Review date is determined by which assistance commenced first.

This will only apply to clients who are getting:

• non-beneficiary assistance
• Veteran's Pension
• New Zealand Superannuation (unless they have a grandparented non-qualified partner included in their benefit)

Example

Emi has been getting Accommodation Supplement since 11 March 2026.

Emi applied for Disability Allowance, which commenced on 2 April 2026.

Because the initial Mandatory Review date is determined by which assistance commenced first, the review for both Accommodation Supplement and Disability Allowance is set for 52 weeks from 11 March 2026.

Clients who are getting some benefits that are subject to a Mandatory Review will have their Accommodation Supplement reviewed at the same time as that benefit. These benefits are:

• Supported Living Payment
• Emergency Benefit (when the expiry date for the benefit is more than 52 weeks or there is no expiry date)
• Emergency Maintenance Allowance (when the expiry date for the benefit is more than 52 weeks or there is no expiry date)
• New Zealand Superannuation with a grandparented non-qualified partner included

Example

Justin was granted Accommodation Supplement on 11 March 2026.

He was diagnosed with a serious illness that will last and restrict his capacity for work for longer than 2 years and was granted Supported Living Payment on 5 May 2026.

Because the review date is based on the commencement date of Justin's main benefit, the Mandatory Review for Justin's Accommodation Supplement and Supported Living Payment is reset to 52 weeks from 5 May 2026.

When a client is getting Accommodation Supplement and a benefit that does not have a Mandatory review, 26-week or 52-week reapplication, they will still have a Mandatory Review for their Accommodation Supplement at least once in a 52-week period.

Clients getting Youth Parent Payment or Youth Payment do not have a Mandatory Review of their Accommodation Supplement.

Clients are notified at least 20 working days before their Mandatory Review date, unless their Accommodation Supplement is suspended due to the client being temporarily overseas or in prison. The notice period allows sufficient time for clients to respond to the Mandatory Review.

Note if a client's Accommodation Supplement is suspended when the Mandatory Review notice is sent, they are not required to respond to their Mandatory Review until their Accommodation Supplement is to be resumed.

To respond to the Mandatory Review, the client must:

• confirm or provide current information about their circumstances and
• provide further information to MSD if requested

Clients must confirm the information MSD holds is correct or provide any new information before their review date.

When a client has responded to the Mandatory Review and MSD has determined they continue to qualify for Accommodation Supplement, their next review date is 52 weeks from the date their Mandatory Review was completed.

When a client does not respond to the Mandatory Review before their review date, the Accommodation Supplement will suspend.

If the client does not respond to the Mandatory Review to confirm their circumstances within 8 weeks after their payments have suspended, the Accommodation Supplement will be cancelled.

A client can still do their Mandatory Review during those 8 weeks. However, once the Accommodation Supplement has cancelled, the client will need to reapply for Accommodation Supplement if they still need this assistance.

A client's Accommodation Supplement cannot be resumed before they have responded to their Mandatory Review during the 8-week suspension period.

If a client's Accommodation Supplement suspends as a result of the client not responding to their Mandatory Review, all of their assistance will also suspend, except for the following payments:

• Child Disability Allowance
• Orphan's Benefit
• Unsupported Child's Benefit
• Childcare Subsidy
• OSCAR (Out of School Care and Recreational Subsidy)
• New Zealand Superannuation (unless they have a grandparented non-qualified partner included)
• Veteran's Pension
• Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment

The Mandatory Review is complete when MSD makes a decision about the client's eligibility for Accommodation Supplement and the rate of benefit payable.

MSD will either:

• continue paying the benefit at the existing rate
• adjust the rate of benefit so the client is getting the correct rate
• suspend the benefit if there is no rate payable for a period (e.g. client has variable income)
• cancel the benefit if the client no longer qualifies