Full-time employment

If the client has commenced full-time employment, they will no longer qualify for Jobseeker Support.

Jobseeker Support should be stopped from the date the client commences full-time employment.

If a client commences full-time employment they may qualify for Extra Help as a non-beneficiary such as:

• Accommodation Supplement
• Disability Allowance
• Assistance to transition into employment
• Transition to Work [no link find out why]
• Working for Families Tax Credits from Inland Revenue
• Childcare Assistance Programme

Exception for sole parent and grandparented clients before 30 June 2026

Sole parent and grandparented Jobseeker Support clients whose benefit commenced (or last commenced) before 1 July 2025 can have their income charged annually, until they reach their final 52 week expiry date.

Sole parent and grandparented clients who have their income charged annually may be able to undertake full-time employment for a temporary period of up to 26 weeks if their income, when assessed over 52 weeks, does not reduce their benefit to zero.

This is a transitional arrangement.

These clients move to weekly income charging when they complete their reapplication before their final 52 week expiry date and moved to the 26 week expiry and reapplication cycle, once their Jobseeker Support has been regranted. If a client is working full-time at the time of their reapplication, Jobseeker Support cannot be regranted as they no longer qualify

For more information see:

• Annual income for sole parents and grandparented clients before 30 June 2026
• Temporary employment period for sole parent and grandparented clients before 30 June 2026

Note if the client has outstanding debt when their benefit is cancelled, MSD is responsible for arranging repayments with the client. If a client is cancelling their benefit to commence full-time employment, their debt recovery can be suspended for a 3 month period provided the client remains in employment.

MSD can still accept repayments if the client wishes to start paying the outstanding debt straight away.

For more information see:

• Arranging repayments at cancellation

To determine whether the benefit should be suspended or cancelled when a client commences full-time employment, see:

• Guidelines for suspension or cancellation

If the person who has commenced full-time employment is the partner, then the Jobseeker Support can continue with the partner's earnings being charged as income against the benefit.

This is regardless of whether the partner is subject to work obligations.

Note if the partner has full-time work obligations and is working 30 hours per week, or has part-time work obligations and is working 20 hours or more, then they will be meeting their work obligations.