Payments and support for single parents (New Zealand)
Reviewed 19 September 2026 · New Zealand · signposting, not legal or financial advice
Sole Parent Support from Work and Income is the weekly payment for single parents with a dependent child under fourteen. You apply online through MyMSD, and child support you receive is taken into account.
Ask at the same time about the Accommodation Supplement, childcare assistance and one-off help with urgent costs; they are separate applications.
Where to get help
Work and Income: Sole Parent Support Visit › Weekly payment for single parents with a dependent child under 14, applied for through MyMSD. New Zealand Inland Revenue: child support Visit › Child support received affects Sole Parent Support; the two are linked. Phone: 0800 221 221. New Zealand Community Law Visit › Free advice if an application is declined or you are unsure what you are entitled to. New ZealandThe basics in New Zealand
Sources checked September 2026. Government pages change; the links go to the official page for the latest.
How it usually works
Whatever route you take, a calm shared record helps. ParenThing keeps messages, the calendar, costs and handovers in one private place both parents can see, and your data is held in the EU. See how it works for New Zealand families.
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