Costs covered

Civil Defence Payments can cover the following costs (up to the maximum allowed):

• payments to hosts for billeting evacuees in private homes
• accommodation costs for evacuees in temporary accommodation e.g. in motels, hotels, camping grounds or home-stays
• loss of livelihood when a person can't work and loses income due to the emergency - e.g. they can't get to work, the workplace is closed, or they need to stay with their family or whanau
• food, clothing and bedding for immediate needs

Note payments for food, clothing, bedding, and loss of livelihood are not limited to evacuees.

Assistance for other one-off items such as tables, chairs, drawers, beds, fridges, freezers etc, can be considered under normal Special Needs Grant/Advance Payment of Benefit/Recoverable Assistance Payment provisions.

This means a person's income and assets will be taken into account as part of the assessment.

A Civil Defence Payment is not available for any pet-related costs as a result of a civil defence emergency or adverse event.

This includes food, veterinary costs, and temporary accommodation costs e.g. kennels and catteries.