Qualifications

A young person applying for Youth Payment must have no dependent children and be one of the following:

• single and in exceptional circumstances or
• single because they are divorced, have a dissolved civil union or are separated from their de facto partner or
• married, in a civil union or de facto relationship and not be married to, or in a civil union or de facto relationship with a specified beneficiary

To qualify for the Youth Payment the young person must be:

• aged 16 or 17 years old
• undertaking or is available for a full-time course of secondary or tertiary education, approved training or approved work-based learning leading to NCEA level 2, or an equivalent qualification (in the opinion of the Chief Executive) or a higher qualification

or

• would be available but the young person is in a situation that would qualify them for an exemption from the obligation to undertake education or training or work-based learning
• have continuously lived in New Zealand for 2 years or more at any one time since becoming a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident and
• have no income, or an income of less than the amount that would fully abate the benefit

To get Youth Payment on grounds of hardship, the young person must meet the above qualifications except for the residence criteria. However they must:

• be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident but have lived in New Zealand for less than 2 years
• be suffering hardship and
• not qualify for any other benefit