Emergency Maintenance Allowance : Contents
Income
When a client has been in hospital for more than 13 weeks and has income, the rate payable is:
- the hospital rate or
- the full benefit rate less the deduction due to income
whichever is the lower rate.
For more information see:
Example 1
A client getting an Emergency Maintenance Allowance has been in hospital for more than 13 weeks. This client has other income which reduces the main benefit rate to $20.00 per week.
In this case we pay the rate $20.00 per week which is lower than the hospital rate of $58.34 (as at 1 April 2026).
Example 2
A client getting an Emergency Maintenance Allowance has been in hospital for more than 13 weeks. This client has other income which reduces the main benefit rate to $70.00 per week.
In this case we pay the hospital rate of $58.34 per week (as at 1 April 2026) which is the lower rate.
Legislation
- Hospitalisation section 206 Social Security Act 2018
- Rates of benefits payable to long-term hospital patients part 12, schedule 4 Social Security Act 2018
