Cash assets

• cash
• bills of exchange or promissory notes
• building society shares
• money in bank accounts, including fixed and term deposits with any bank, friendly society, credit union, or building society
• money invested with or lent to any bank, financial institution or other person whether in mortgage or other security, or unsecured
• money withdrawn from a KiwiSaver scheme
• mortgage investments and other long-term loans
• the net equity held in any property or land not used as a person’s home
• pre-paid funeral expenses (in some circumstances)
• shares, stocks, debentures, bonus bonds and other bonds (including shares in energy organisations) and
• the client’s share in any partnership

Note if you are unsure of a case contact Helpline.

• the home property and land on which it is situated
• a motor vehicle or other vehicle principally used by the client or their partner for their personal use (this is limited to 1 vehicle for a single person or 2 vehicles for a couple)
• a caravan, boat or other vehicle with a net equity less than $2000, or which is used by the client or a member of their family for day-to-day accommodation
• payments people get under Housing Support Products (Bond Grant, Moving Costs Grant, Rent in Advance, Rent Arrears Grant, Transition to Alternative Housing Grant, Accommodation Security Cover, Tenancy Costs Cover)
• personal effects
• Christchurch mosques attack support payments
• Crown funds provided directly to clients to purchase Support Services and Direct Disability Support payments
• funds locked into KiwiSaver and other retirement scheme accounts
• Information share Child Support payments currently being charged as income
• Māori land
• MSD lump sum payments for the first 12 months after the payment is received
• Payments of Accommodation Supplement arrears due to system processing error from 1993 to 2014 for the first 12 months after payment is made
• Payments of arrears to Special Benefit clients better off on Temporary Additional Support for the first 12 months after payment is made
• Payments to clients whose Kāinga Ora tenancy was terminated due to methamphetamine contamination for the first 12 months after the payment is received
• Residential Care Subsidy historic review refunds for the first 12 months after the payment is made
• specified Ex gratia and compensation payments

A bank overdraft is not considered a cash asset or resource available to a client.

Christchurch earthquake related payments

Payments made by the Crown, Earthquake Commission, insurance companies or the Canterbury Earthquake Commission (Red Cross) relating to the Canterbury earthquake are generally excluded for the first 12 or 24 months following the date the client got the payment. See:

• Payments from the Crown for the purchase of property in the Canterbury red zone
• Payments from the Earthquake Commission and insurance companies (Canterbury earthquake 2010 and aftershock 2011)
• Payments from the Canterbury Earthquake Commission (Red Cross)