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Emergency Benefit : Contents

Equivalent to Supported Living Payment

Where a client is permanently restricted and severely restricted in their capacity to work because of a health condition, an injury or a disability or totally blind but does not meet the residential requirements for Supported Living Payment (on ground of health condition, injury or disability), an Emergency Benefit equivalent to Supported Living Payment may be considered.

Note if the client's health condition, injury or disability does not permanently and severely restrict them from working more than 15 hours a week in open employment, consider in the first instance Jobseeker Support, Jobseeker Support on grounds of hardship then Emergency Benefit equivalent to Jobseeker Support.

For more information see:

Legislation

  • Supported living payment on ground of restricted work capacity or total blindness sections 34-35 Social Security Act 2018
  • Emergency benefit: discretionary grant on ground of hardship section 63 Social Security Act 2018
  • Jobseeker support part 2, subpart 2 Social Security Act 2018
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To be permanently restricted, MSD must be satisfied that:

Legislation

To be severely restricted in their capacity for work, the Ministry of Social Development must be satisfied the client is incapable of regularly working 15 or more hours a week in open employment.

For more information see:

The features of the client's working environment in relation to the client's health condition, illness or disability need to be considered on a case by case by basis.

Legislation

Permanent means the health condition, injury or disability your client has is expected to continue for at least 2 years. Your client's health condition, injury or disability is also considered permanent when they have been diagnosed with a terminal illness (where your client is not expected to live for more than 2 years).

Severely means that your client cannot regularly work 15 hours or more per week in open employment.