Verification of income
To be eligible for Disability Allowance, New Zealand Superannuation clients', Veteran's Pension clients' and non-beneficiaries' income must be below the appropriate income threshold, depending on their family circumstances.
Note this also applies to clients who get Orphan's Benefit or Unsupported Child's Benefit when they get Disability Allowance for those children, and they aren't getting a main benefit.
Clients getting a main benefit automatically meet the income test.
Exception
New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran’s Pension clients
Clients getting New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran's Pension who also get Disability Allowance are not required to provide verification of their income if it is below the relevant income limit by at least $20.00 per week ($1040.00 per annum).
Note if a client has a grandparented non-qualified partner included in their New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran's Pension, they are not required to provide verification of their income if it is below the grandparented non-qualified partner income exemption by at least $20.00 per week ($1040.00 per annum).
Example 1
A single New Zealand Superannuation client, who is getting the single living alone rate and has other income, has been getting Disability Allowance for the previous year. The client is now due for a Mandatory Review of their Disability Allowance, and has stated their other income as $7,020.00 per annum.
The assessment would be as follows:
New Zealand Superannuation gross (as at 1 April 2026) | $33,663.24 per annum |
plus other gross income | $7,020.00 per annum |
Total gross income - Total A | $40,683.24 per annum |
Disability Allowance single person income threshold (as at 1 April 2026) Total B | $45,240.00 per annum |
Difference is threshold (Total B) less total gross income (Total A) | $4,556.76 per annum |
Difference (per week) | $87.63 per week |
As the client's total gross income is more than $20.00 per week below the single person income threshold, no verification of the client's income is required.
Example 2
A single New Zealand Superannuation client who is getting the single sharing accommodation rate has other income, has been getting Disability Allowance for the previous year. The client is now due for a Mandatory Review of their Disability Allowance, and has stated their other income as $9,400.00 per annum.
The assessment would be as follows:
New Zealand Superannuation gross (as at 1 April 2026) | $30,969.64 per annum |
Other gross income | $9,400.00 per annum |
Total gross income - Total A | $40,369.64 per annum |
Disability Allowance single person income threshold (as at 1 April 2026) Total B | $45,240.00 per annum |
Difference is threshold (Total B) less total gross income (Total A) | $4,870.36 per annum |
Difference (per week) | $93.66 per week |
As the client's total gross income is more than $20.00 per week below the single person income threshold, no verification of the client's income is required.
For more information see:
- Deskfile Disability Allowance Income limits
- New Zealand Superannuation Charging income
- Processing standards Income and asset evidence [no link find out why]
Legislation
- Review of entitlement and rate payable section 304 Social Security Act 2018
- Review of entitlement and rate payable section 310E Social Security Act 2018
- Information gathering, disclosure, and matching schedule 6, clauses 2-5 Social Security Act 2018
