Sole Parent Support - widows and widowers going to or residing in Ireland

Under the agreement with the Republic of Ireland a widow or widower can be paid the New Zealand Sole Parent Support when they are living in Ireland.

Clients can apply for the Sole Parent Support as a widow or widower to be paid in Ireland before their departure from New Zealand or from Ireland.

To get Sole Parent Support as a widow or widower paid in Ireland, a client must:

• meet the qualifications for Sole Parent Support as a widow or widower
• be ordinarily resident and present in Ireland or New Zealand when they apply under the agreement
• have the intention of living in Ireland for more than 26 weeks
• have had at least 12 months continuous residence in New Zealand since the age of 20

Children born in Ireland can be regarded as born in New Zealand for Sole Parent Support.

If a client leaves New Zealand intending to live in Ireland for 26 weeks or more, they have up to 26 weeks to take up residence in Ireland. Clients may go to other countries before they get to Ireland, but they must arrive in Ireland within 26 weeks from the date they left New Zealand to be considered ordinarily resident in Ireland on the date they left New Zealand.

Example

A client may want to have a three-month holiday in the United Kingdom before taking up residence in Ireland.

In this example, the client would be considered ordinarily resident in Ireland for the purposes of deciding their application for payment of Sole Parent Support in Ireland.

A client's Sole Parent Support will cease to be payable when the client's last dependent child turns 14. Clients cannot transfer to Jobseeker Support once their child has turned 14 as Jobseeker Support is not included as a benefit payable under the Agreement with Ireland.

If a client is still getting Sole Parent Support at the time they reach the qualifying age for New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran's Pension they will no longer be eligible for Sole Parent Support as a widow or widower and must apply for New Zealand Superannuation or Veteran's Pension.

For more information contact International Services.