Gardening, lawns and outside window cleaning

Disability Allowance can be paid to cover the costs of gardening, lawn-mowing, and outside window cleaning for the client's own home or private residence.

A registered medical practitioner or nurse practitioner must complete a Disability Allowance medical certificate confirming the client's disability, the need for treatment and that gardening, lawn-mowing or outside window cleaning is necessary. The certificate must confirm the client has a:

• disability that is likely to last at least 6 months or
• life expectancy of less than 6 months because of a terminal illness

The certificate must also confirm the treatment is beneficial and of therapeutic value and that the costs are:

• additional and
• ongoing and
• directly related to the client's disability

Disability Allowance can only be paid if the client is unable to do these tasks themselves because of their disability. This cost cannot be included in Disability Allowance solely based on the client's age.

Disability Allowance cannot be paid for:

• house repairs or house painting as these are part of normal living costs, and are not due to the clients disability (clients may be able to get Essential Home Repairs advance)
• indoor household maintenance (e.g. carpet cleaning) as funding for home help is available through Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora MSD should refer the client to the local Hospital and Health Services home support services
• gardening, lawn-mowing or window cleaning costs that are included in a standard service fee charged for all residents of a retirement village or complex. However there are exceptions, for more information see: Retirement Villages.

While Disability Allowance should not generally be paid for gardening, lawn-mowing or window cleaning carried out by family members, MSD should use its discretion to consider the individual circumstances of each case. The cost can be included if it seems appropriate. For example, when the family member does not live with the client and incurs a cost to travel to the client's home to provide the service.

When a client has high gardening costs (e.g. due to the extra work involved in maintaining a large property, or high maintenance gardens) the client should look at other options for meeting or alleviating the cost.

The client must provide:

• a Disability Allowance medical certificate completed and signed by a registered medical practitioner or nurse practitioner and
• receipts or invoices or quotes for the cost of the gardening work - a receipt showing actual costs is preferred

Note sometimes gardening costs are covered as part of the client's tenancy agreement. MSD should check if this applies to the client before accepting these as allowable costs.

The costs must be reasonable in the client's circumstances and for the season of the year. Generally, lawns will not require mowing every week throughout the colder months.

If the client has difficulty getting a receipt, the client's statement of the hourly rate paid, plus a quote from the gardener stating the time taken per week is acceptable.