You can get New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance for a maximum of 13 weeks.
If you’re eligible, you’ll get the maximum equivalent rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on your personal circumstances.
We’ll reduce your payment to zero if your income is the same as or more than the average weekly income. The average weekly income before tax is:
- $1,924.60 before 1 January 2026
- $2,011.40 from 1 January 2026.
New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance is a taxable payment and needs to be included in your tax return.