Financial assistance available for New Zealanders working in horticulture
If you are considering taking up work in the horticulture industry, it may be worth looking at what financial assistance may be available to you through the government agency Work and Income.
The information contained on this page is a guide only and is not an exhaustive list of the assistance available through Work & Income. For more information please go to the Work and Income website or contact your nearest Work and Income Branch to talk about your individual circumstances.
You may also be entitled to assistance from Working for Families or Housing New Zealand (see below).
Work and Income assistance
+ Seasonal Work Assistance
This is non taxable payment to help Work & Income clients moving into seasonal work in horticulture. It provides financial assistance to workers who are unable to work (and lose income), due to poor weather conditions.
The amount paid depends on the client's family circumstances and the actual net income lost for the week.
You may get Seasonal Work Assistance if you:
- stopped getting a benefit within the last 26 weeks to go into seasonal horticultural work
- have lost wages because you could not work due to bad weather
- are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.
It also depends on:
- how much you and your spouse or partner earn
- any money or assets you and your spouse or partner have.
You should also normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here.
+ Help with childcare costs
Work and Income may be able to help pay for childcare if it isn't paid for by 20 Hours Early Childhood Education.
- Childcare subsidy - help with the cost of pre-school childcare
- Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) subsidy - help with the cost of before-school, after-school, and school holiday programmes.
+ Transition to Work Grant
Transition to Work Grant is a payment which helps people with the costs of moving into a job.
Some of the costs the grant can help people with are:
- job search costs
- job interview costs such as clothing and travel
- tools or clothing needed for work
- relocation costs
- living expenses until their first pay.
+ New Employment Transition Grant
The New Employment Transition Grant is a payment which helps people who are no longer on a benefit and who can't work because of sickness or a breakdown in childcare arrangements. You may get a New Employment Transition Grant if you have a dependent child or children and either:
- you can't work because you, your spouse or partner, or your dependent child is sick and you have no sick leave available
- there has been a breakdown in childcare arrangements and you have no paid leave available.
You can only get the grant if your spouse or partner can't care for the child.
You must also:
- have stopped getting a benefit within the last six months
- be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.
+ Accommodation Supplement
Accommodation Supplement is a weekly payment which helps New Zealand citizens and residents with their rent, board or the cost of owning a home. How much you will get will depend on your income, assets, accommodation costs, family circumstances and where you live.
Community Services Card
The Community Services Card helps people on a low to middle income with the costs of health care. The card reduces the cost of some health services and prescriptions. You can use your card for your dependent children aged less than 18 years. It is available to New Zealand citizens or permanent residents 18 years or older. For more information go to the Work and Income website.
Working for Families
Working for Families is a package designed to help make it easier to work and raise a family. It pays extra money to many thousands of New Zealand families. Greater financial support is available for:
- almost all families with children, earning under $70,000 a year
- many families with children, earning up to $100,000 a year
- some larger families earning more.
This increased assistance is delivered by Work and Income and Inland Revenue.
For more information please go to the Working for Families website.
Housing New Zealand
Housing New Zealand provides rental homes for people on low to moderate incomes. Go to the Housing New Zealand website for more information.
Pathways into horticulture
You could aim to be a horticultural consultant, a science technican or become a marketer selling produce. Or picture yourself running a packhouse or being responsible for quality control.
+ Read more
Career stories in horticulture
Look at the work, training, and pathways others have taken in their own horticulture careers.
+ Read more
