Child Support is assessable income from 1 July 2023

From 1 July 2023, most types of Child Support clients get are included as assessable income for all applicable persons in the household, when determining whether the client qualifies for social housing.

Child Support is money paid by parents who do not live with their children, or who share care with someone else. These payments help with the cost of raising a child.

Child Support can be paid through Inland Revenue or directly to the client through another payment arrangement. For more information about Child Support Payments see: Child Support Introduction.

MSD has an agreement with Inland Revenue to share information about Child Support payments clients get.

Information share Child Support payments are automatically included as income for clients who get income-tested financial assistance.

Social Housing income assessments

However, social housing assessments need to be reviewed manually to include Child Support payments as assessable income at the time of application or at the next review.

The information share with Inland Revenue does not include all Child Support payments paid. For more information see: Child Support Income Introduction.

Note from 8 October 2026, MSD does not need to send a notice of adverse action before using information share Child Support when assessing eligibility for Social Housing or calculating Income Related Rent (including indicative Income Related Rent). A client can review a decision that MSD has made based on this information if they don't think it's correct.

If an Adverse Action notice has been sent prior to 8 October 2026 MSD must provide the client with the full 10-working days, or extended timeframe, to dispute the information share Child Support before that information can be used.

The following types of Child Support are included as assessable income:

• Child Support payments paid to a receiving carer from Inland Revenue (formula assessment and voluntary agreement)
• Private arrangements for Child Support
• Foreign Child Support
• Court-ordered lump sums of Child Support (if not considered a cash asset)
• Unsupported Child's Benefit excess payments under a voluntary agreement

The following types of Child Support are excluded as assessable income:

• Offset Child Support payments
• Unsupported Child's Benefit excess payments under a formula assessment
• Mixed Child Support payments

Only Child Support that covers a payment or liability period on or after 1 July 2023 is included as assessable income when determining whether the client qualifies for social housing, except when Child Support is the client's sole source of income.

Client gets Child Support through Inland Revenue

If the client gets Child Support through Inland Revenue, we only include payments made to them on or after 22 August 2023 as assessable income. This is because Child Support paid by Inland Revenue is paid in arrears. Child Support for the calendar month of July is not paid until 22 August 2023 at the earliest.

Any Child Support paid by Inland Revenue before 22 August 2023 covers a liability period before July 2023 and is excluded.

Example

Saeran applies for social housing on 31 July 2023. He gets Jobseeker Support and Child Support of $375 a month paid under a formula assessment from Inland Revenue. His most recent payment of Child Support was on 21 July 2023. This payment was made for calendar month of June 2023.

MSD cannot include his Child Support payments as assessable income when determining whether he qualifies for social housing, as the payments are for a liability period before 1 July 2023.

MSD may include Saeran's Child Support as assessable income at a future review (e.g. a review while he is on the social housing register), if his Child Support at time of review is paid for a liability period on or after 1 July 2023.

Client gets Child Support but not through Inland Revenue

When a client gets Child Support through another arrangement, e.g. a private arrangement you must determine what period the Child Support is paid for. If it is paid for a period on or after 1 July 2023, it is included as assessable income.

Example

Lizzie applies for social housing on 3 July 2023. She works full-time and gets Child Support of $150 a week under a private arrangement. Lizzie tells MSD these payments are generally paid for the current week (e.g. not in arrears). Lizzie says the arrangement is intended to last until her children finish primary school next year.

MSD includes Lizzie's Child Support as assessable income from 3 July 2023 when determining whether she qualifies for social housing.