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If you have a disability or ongoing health problems, ask for an assessment to see if you can get help with your diet, cooking, meals or shopping for food.
There is government support available if you need help with meals because you:
have ongoing or age-related health problems
live with a disability
were injured or disabled in an accident
are recovering after hospital treatment and need help for a short while.
You can also arrange your own help, but you pay for it yourself.
Help you can get
Help with cooking and meals includes:
getting meals delivered, for example Meals on Wheels
preparing meals, for example a caregiver helps you prepare food or makes sure you have food for the day
shopping for essentials or special food you need, for example a caregiver may take you shopping or do the shopping for you
seeing a specialist if you need a special diet.
If you have a Community Services Card, help with meal preparation and other household management services is free.
How to ask for government help
The help you can get from government depends on your personal circumstances, for example whether you have family or whānau who could help, or if you’re over 65.
If you’re on a low income, you can apply for a Disability Allowance to:
help with the cost of visiting a dietician
pay for the extra cost of any special food you need because of your disability or illness, for example if the special food you need costs more than the same regular food, you can claim for the difference in the cost.
If your claim is accepted, your case owner at ACC can arrange the help you need. They carry out a Social Rehabilitation Assessment to work out what you need.
After a stay in hospital
If you’re in hospital and need some help for a short time when you get home, talk to the social worker at the hospital. They can arrange help through the Needs Assessment Service Coordination (NASC) team or sometimes through the District Nursing Service.
If you find that you need help after you’re back home, talk to your family doctor or the doctor treating you.
If you’re a veteran
If you have a service-related injury or illness, you may be able to get some short-term help with cooking and meals. The Social Rehabilitation programme may be able to help for up to 6 weeks.
If you’re on a low income — including a benefit or a pension — and have no other way to pay for food, talk to Work and Income about benefits you can apply for, for example a Special Needs Grant.
