Paying a benefit when the client has not advised before departure

Generally, clients receiving a main benefit must advise Work and Income of their intention to leave New Zealand prior to their departure to be eligible to continue to receive their payments.

Only in specific circumstances can a client receiving a benefit who leaves New Zealand without telling us be able to have their benefit either:

• resumed from the date they notified Work and Income of their absence if their travel is allowed or
• backdated to the day after their departure date

Note this can occur either while the client is still overseas or once they have returned.

If a client contacts Work and Income after they have left New Zealand, and is not eligible to have their payment backdated, their benefit can only be resumed from:

• the date that they notified us of their absence and
• only if the travel is allowed (ie they meet the criteria to continue to be paid their benefit while overseas either because they meet the criteria for approved travel, or the requirement that travel be approved does not apply to them)

Otherwise, the client cannot have their benefit resumed until they return to New Zealand.

For more information see:

• Backdating benefit to the day after departure date
• Action on return to New Zealand
• Approved travel reasons
• Payment when client or partner absent from New Zealand
• Examples of applying the Absence from New Zealand policy