Financial Support

People living with diabetes and their families often qualify for a range of benefits. Some of these benefits require means testing (verification that your income is not “excessive”), others do not.

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Disability Allowance

Child Disability Allowance

Community Services Card

Carer Support

The Disability Allowance is a weekly payment for people who have regular, ongoing costs because of a disability, such as visits to the doctor or hospital, medicines, extra clothing or travel. You don’t need to be on a benefit to qualify for a Disability Allowance and can apply on behalf of a child if they’re 18 or under and financially dependent on you. 

You may get a Disability Allowance if you:

•Have a disability that is likely to last at least six months

•Have regular, ongoing costs because of your disability that are not fully covered by another agency

•Are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident

•Normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here. 

It also depends on how much you and your partner earn.

The amount of the Disability Allowance depends on the extra costs you have because of your disability. It is usually paid straight into your bank account with your main benefit (or weekly if you don’t get any other assistance). The Disability Allowance can help pay for a number of things your doctor advises you need because of your disability. You will need to keep receipts and provide proof of any costs.

This allowance is subject to regular reviews. Work and Income will need to see proof of any costs that have increased or are new. 

More information is available here

The Child Disability Allowance is a fortnightly payment made to the main caregiver of a child or young person with a serious disability in recognition of the extra care needed for that child.

You may get a Child Disability Allowance if:

•You are the main carer of the child (or if there is no main carer, you have care of the child for the time being)

•You are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident

•The child had been assessed as needing constant care and attention for at least 12 months because of a serious disability

•The child or young person is under 18

The Child Disability Allowance is a set amount and doesn’t depend on your income, assets or costs. This allowance is paid into your bank account every two weeks and is paid separately from any other assistance you may get.

All Child Disability Allowance applications MUST be completed by a health professional, preferably a paediatrician or diabetes specialist.

The assessor’s decision is based solely on the information you and your specialist have provided on the forms, so make sure you have explained everything.

This allowance is subject to regular reviews. Work and Income will send you a renewal form that will often require a medical report. These forms must be returned swiftly or payments of the allowance will be stopped until forms are received and processed.

A child’s needs may alter as they get older and even though an insulin pump may be used, this still needs constant monitoring to manage health condition so it is important that full information is provided from the Health professional.

For more information visit here

If you receive a Child Disability Allowance you will also receive a Community Services Card. This is for the use of the child with diabetes only and is not means tested.

The Community Services Card can reduce the cost of:

•prescription fees

•fees for after-hours doctor visits

•visits to a doctor who is not your regular doctor

•glasses for children under 16

•emergency dental care provided by hospitals and approved dental contractors (ask the dental provider if they are an approved contractor)

•travel and accommodation for treatment at a public hospital outside your area when you have been referred (at least 80km away for adults and 25km for children)

There is a ‘government prescription charge’ for prescription items that are subsidised by the Government (there’s no Government prescription charge on items for children aged under six years). Sometimes there is also a ‘premium’ to pay if the cost to manufacture the item is more than the government subsidy.

If you have a Community Services Card, all you‘ll pay is approximately $5 for a subsidised prescription item, but you will still have to pay the premium if there is one. The amount of the prescription charge and the premium can change.

If you do not receive a Child Disability Allowance, you may still be entitled to a Community Services Card.

For more information refer here