New Zealand — Help & Advice

Government benefits & financial support (New Zealand)

After a death in New Zealand, meaningful financial help may be available — especially through Work and Income (MSD) grants and ongoing support, housing assistance, family tax credits via Inland Revenue (IRD), and ACC support if the death followed a covered accident or injury. This page is built to help you find what can be paid, quickly work out eligibility, and take the right actions in the right order.

Key idea (this prevents missed money)

The fastest help is usually MSD grants (Survivor’s Grant + Funeral Grant) — apply early.
If income drops, don’t “wait and see” — ask Work and Income for a full entitlement review (income + housing + family).
If the death followed an accident or injury, add the ACC layer (funeral costs + survivor support) on top of MSD/IRD.
IRD steps can affect refunds, Working for Families, student loan treatment, and KiwiSaver/estate processes — do them early.

Start here (best order for benefits)

A practical sequence that gets payments moving and avoids missed support.

Use NZ Government’s “financial help if someone dies” page as your overview (it links to the main systems): govt.nz — Financial help if someone dies
Apply for Survivor’s Grant and check Funeral Grant with Work and Income.
If the death followed an accident or injury, contact ACC (funeral cost support + survivor support may apply).
Ask Work and Income for a full entitlement review (ongoing benefit + housing support + temporary top-ups).
Tell IRD and stabilise tax + credits (Working for Families changes, refunds, estate obligations, KiwiSaver pathway).

One-line rule

“Notification” and “claiming” are different actions. You can notify agencies and still receive nothing unless you apply for the right grants/benefits.

Fast eligibility filters (30 seconds)

These determine the main financial pathways.

Relationship/dependency: were you the partner, dependent, parent/guardian, or the person arranging the funeral?
Children: are there children now in your care, or has caregiving changed?
Income and assets: has your household income dropped or become unstable?
Housing pressure: are rent/mortgage costs now difficult to meet?
Superannuation age: are you or the deceased receiving NZ Super (or near 65)?
Cause of death: was it linked to an accident/injury (ACC layer)?

If you’re unsure where to start

Start with Work and Income’s “Death” pathway, then add IRD and ACC as needed: workandincome.govt.nz — Death (life event)

Immediate money (Survivor’s Grant + Funeral Grant)

Short-term support that many families miss because they delay.

Survivor’s Grant (short-term help after a partner dies)

Survivor’s Grant is designed to help during the immediate shock period after a partner’s death. Start here: Survivor’s Grant — Work and Income

Funeral Grant (help with reasonable funeral expenses)

Work and Income may help with some funeral costs depending on the situation (including relationship rules and whether the estate can meet costs). Start here: Funeral Grant — Work and Income

Best practice (fastest approvals)

When you contact Work and Income, ask for two things at the same time: (1) “Am I eligible for Survivor’s Grant?” and (2) “Am I eligible for Funeral Grant or other bereavement assistance?” Then ask what evidence they need and how to submit it quickly.

Don’t assume the estate solves this

Funeral costs are often due before the estate is settled. Start the grant pathways early so you know what support is realistically available.

If the death followed an accident or injury (ACC layer)

Add this layer if the death is linked to a covered accident/injury — it can change what support is available.

If the death followed an accident or injury, the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) may help with funeral/burial or cremation costs and can provide survivor support in some circumstances. Start from the official government overview: govt.nz — Financial help if someone dies (includes ACC)

What to do (practical steps)

Tell Work and Income the death may be covered by ACC so they can advise how MSD assistance and ACC support may interact.
Contact ACC and ask for the correct “fatal injury / death” pathway for survivors (funeral cost support + survivor entitlements).
Keep copies of invoices/quotes for funeral costs and any documents showing dependency/relationship.

Key question (gets you to the right ACC pathway)

“This death followed an accident/injury. Can you confirm what ACC support is available for funeral costs and surviving dependants, what evidence you need, and the expected steps and timeframes for a decision?”

Important

ACC eligibility is case-specific (it depends on whether ACC accepts the claim). Start early, provide evidence promptly, and keep a single folder with all documents and receipts to reduce delays.

Ongoing income support (Work and Income benefits)

If income drops, this is often the largest ongoing support.

Work and Income can provide ongoing income support and supplementary help depending on your situation (work status, health, childcare, household costs). Use the benefits A–Z list to identify likely pathways, but the best move is to request a full entitlement assessment: Benefits A–Z — Work and Income

The “full entitlement review” (ask for this explicitly)

A full entitlement review means: you’re not only asking about one benefit — you’re asking them to assess main benefit eligibility, supplementary help, and housing support based on the new household reality.

What to say

“A death has changed my household. I need a full entitlement review — main benefit options, housing support, and any temporary top-ups. Please tell me what evidence you need and the fastest way to submit it.”

If you’re already on a benefit

Report the change promptly (household composition, income, rent/mortgage costs, childcare responsibilities).
Ask if you qualify for additional support (temporary assistance, extra help with essentials) while things stabilise.

Overpayment protection

Overpayments can happen when details aren’t updated quickly. If you’re unsure what to report, report the change and ask for guidance.

Housing help (Accommodation Supplement + extra support)

Housing pressure is one of the fastest routes into hardship — deal with it early.

If your income drops or the household changes, you may qualify for help with rent or housing costs. Key pathways include:

Accommodation Supplement — help with rent, board, or mortgage (depending on circumstances). official page
Temporary Additional Support (or similar supplementary help) — extra support when costs exceed income.

Practical move

If you’re worried about housing, bring a rent ledger/tenancy agreement (or mortgage statement) to your Work and Income conversation. Housing evidence speeds up the correct assessment.

NZ Superannuation impacts (if 65+ or near)

A death can change payments and can also trigger eligibility for other assistance.

If the deceased was receiving NZ Superannuation (or you are), payments and supplements can change after a death. Don’t just “stop the old payment” — request a reassessment of your support.

Practical move

Ask MSD: “What stops now, what changes, and what new support might apply given my new household income and costs?”

Children & families (Working for Families and changes)

Family support can increase when income drops or caregiving changes.

If you care for children, check Working for Families and related entitlements. Start from the NZ Government overview and then follow IRD:

govt.nz — Working for Families payments (overview)
IRD — Working for Families

Common win

If the household income has dropped, don’t wait until year-end — ask IRD what you need to update now so payments reflect reality sooner.

IRD: tax steps, refunds, KiwiSaver, and estate obligations

This is where delays cause months of friction — do the IRD steps early.

1) Tell IRD someone has died

IRD has a dedicated pathway for people looking after the affairs of someone who has died: IRD — I’m looking after the affairs of someone who has died

One practical “next step” page (what happens after you notify and what evidence may be needed) is here: IRD — Let us know someone has died

2) Estate/trust returns (if required)

Some estates need an IRD return. Start here: IRD — File an estate or trust return for someone who has died

Practical question to ask IRD

“What do I need to do to finalise tax for the person who died, and does this estate need any additional returns or registrations? Also, are there any changes needed for Working for Families, child support, student loans, or KiwiSaver?”

Why this matters

IRD updates can affect refunds, Working for Families, and other obligations. Doing it early reduces the chance of delayed payments or administrative blocks later.

Veterans’ Affairs (if applicable)

A separate pathway that can add funeral support in specific service-related cases.

If the deceased was a veteran (particularly with qualifying service or service-related death circumstances), there may be funeral cost support available. Start here: Veterans’ Affairs NZ — Funeral Expenses

Don’t assume someone else triggers this

Even when service history is known, you may need to apply through the correct Veterans’ Affairs process. Start early and keep copies of service-related documentation.

Document checklist (to get paid faster)

Build this once and every claim becomes simpler.

Death certificate (or official proof of death where accepted)
Photo ID for the applicant (and any authority to act for the estate if required)
IRD numbers (yours and the deceased’s, where relevant)
Proof of relationship/dependency (partner, child, guardian, dependent)
Bank account details for payments
Funeral invoices/quotes/receipts (essential for funeral-cost pathways)
Housing costs evidence (tenancy agreement, rent ledger, mortgage statement)
Any existing MSD/IRD letters or reference numbers

Pro tip

Make a single folder: scans + a one-page “facts sheet” (names, DOBs, addresses, IRD numbers, relationship notes, bank details, housing costs, key dates). It saves hours across MSD, IRD, ACC, and any other processes.

Copy/paste phrases (calls & forms)

Short scripts that get you to the right pathway quickly.

Work and Income (MSD) — full entitlement review

“A death has changed my household income and responsibilities. I need a full entitlement review: Survivor’s Grant, Funeral Grant, ongoing income support, housing help, and any temporary assistance. What evidence do you need and how do I submit it fastest?”

ACC (if accident/injury-related)

“This death followed an accident/injury. Please confirm the ACC pathway for survivors, whether funeral costs are covered, what survivor support may apply, what evidence you need, and the expected steps and timeframes for a decision.”

Inland Revenue (IRD)

“I’m looking after the affairs of someone who has died. I need to notify the death, understand what happens next, and confirm what filings or updates are required for tax, Working for Families, and any estate obligations.”

Working for Families (if children)

“A death has changed our household income and caregiving. What do I need to update now so our Working for Families entitlement reflects our current situation?”

Common mistakes that cost money

These are the big “silent losses” to avoid.

Delaying Survivor’s Grant / Funeral Grant applications and missing early support.
Asking about one payment only instead of requesting a full entitlement review from Work and Income.
Not adding the ACC layer when the death followed an accident or injury.
Not prioritising housing support early (rent/mortgage pressure is a common tipping point).
Leaving IRD steps too late (refunds, Working for Families changes, estate obligations, KiwiSaver pathway).
Not keeping a single evidence pack (documents scattered = delays).

If you only do 3 things this week

(1) Apply for MSD grants (Survivor’s + Funeral), (2) request a full entitlement review (income + housing + supplements), (3) tell IRD and add ACC if the death is accident/injury-related.

Next steps

Split the load into smaller guides.

Administrative checklist: What to do after a death (NZ)
Legal & estate basics: Legal & estate basics (NZ)
Emotional support: Bereavement support (NZ)

Built to evolve

This page is intentionally modular so you can later split it into dedicated pages (MSD grants, housing, IRD, ACC survivor support) without rewriting the core content.

Related guides

Back to help (Aotearoa New Zealand)