Humanitarian work

A client can get Veteran's Pension while overseas if:

• they are doing full-time voluntary and unpaid humanitarian work for a recognised aid agency
• the absence is not more than 156 weeks
• the work the client is doing is not depriving another person of paid employment and
• they remains ordinarily resident in New Zealand during this time

If these conditions are not met, the usual absence overseas rules apply.

If the client is overseas for more than 156 weeks, payments must stop from the day after departure from New Zealand.

A recognised aid agency is an organisation that has as its principal function 'the giving of aid and assistance to less advantaged communities in one or more other countries' or similar. Aid agencies would include (but are not limited to) organisations such as:

• Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies
• United Nations Volunteers
• Volunteer Services Abroad and
• World Vision

Whether an aid agency meets the criteria above, is determined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. If you need assistance deciding if the agency is a "recognised aid agency" please contact Helpline

Payment can continue up to 156 weeks for the partner of a Veteran's Pension client if they are also doing humanitarian work.

If the partner is absent from New Zealand and is not doing humanitarian work, they can get payments for up to 26 weeks, if they return to New Zealand within 30 weeks.

Clients must supply evidence of their absence from the Aid Agency (on their letterhead) confirming:

• the name(s) of the people concerned
• the period of their absence
• detail of the work being undertaken and that it is voluntary, full-time and unpaid
• that the work the person has been engaged to do has not deprived another person of paid employment and
• the principal function of the aid agency