Contents
Disability Allowance : Contents

Nature of disability

A registered medical practitioner or nurse practitioner must complete a Disability Allowance medical certificate confirming 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

Disability

The client's disability must mean they have a reduction in independent functioning to the extent that they need ongoing:

The client must also be assessed as having ongoing, additional costs arising directly from that disability, and that other assistance available to meet those costs is insufficient to cover them.

Note Disability Allowance should not be granted to a client just because of their age. However, an older client may have an age-related disability.

For more information see:

Legislation

  • Disability allowance: discretionary grant section 85(2) Social Security Act 2018
  • Discretionary grant if life expectancy or continuing disability less than 6 months regulation 50 Social Security Regulations 2018
  • Meaning of disability section 84 Social Security Act 2018
  • Medical examinations: prescribed health practitioners regulation 52 Social Security Regulations 2018
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A medical practitioner is commonly referred to as a doctor. Medical practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand as practitioners of the profession of medicine and hold a current practising certificate.

All medical practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Medical practitioners don't need to have completed their training in New Zealand but must be registered with the New Zealand ...

A health practitioner is a person who is registered with an authority as a practitioner of a particular health profession under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003. All health practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

MSD may require information from a registered health practitioner to help determine a person's eligibility for some types of financial assistance.

Note unless specifically mentioned otherwise, most medical ...

Nurse practitioners are health practitioners who are registered with the Nursing Council of New Zealand and hold a current annual practising certificate.

Nurse practitioners are expert or specialist nurses with advanced education, clinical training and experience. They have demonstrated clinical competence and have the legal authority to practice as independent healthcare providers.

All nurse practitioners have a unique identifying number called a Health Practitioners Index number (HPI number).

Some nurse practitioners have specialised ...