Maintaining your house and garden
You may qualify for help with cleaning your home, doing the laundry, buying essential appliances, mowing the lawn, weeding the garden and getting essential home maintenance tasks done. Find out how to get these home support services and if you qualify.
Get help with your home and garden
The government can provide help around your home if you need it. Find out if you’re eligible to get government-funded home help.
Getting publicly-funded health services
Age Concern gives advice about maintaining your home.
Repairs and maintenance — Age Concern
Types of help you can get
You can get help with regular jobs, for example:
- maintaining your garden
- mowing your lawn
- cleaning windows
- housework, such as cleaning your bathroom.
You can also get help to:
- buy bedding, essential furniture or appliances
- repair and maintain some things around your property.
How to ask for government help
What help you can get and how to apply for it, depends on your situation.
Ill or disabled
Housework
You can get regular help with your housework if you have a Community Services Card.
Community Services Card
Before you can get these services, your local Needs Assessment Service Coordination (NASC) team must assess your needs. The NASC service is part of Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand.
Getting a needs assessment
Gardens, lawns and windows
The Disability Allowance can cover the costs of getting help for:
- gardening and lawn mowing
- cleaning the outside of your windows.
Check if you’re eligible for the Disability Allowance.
Disability Allowance
Talk to your doctor to apply for the Disability Allowance and tell them that you would like help with gardening or cleaning your windows.
After an injury
You can apply for support at home any time after the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) have accepted cover for your injury.
To apply you can:
- ask your doctor to send a referral
- contact ACC’s claims team or your recovery team, if you have one
- fill out the ACC001 request for assistance form.
Help at home after an injury — ACC
Home insulation and heating
You may be able to get a grant that pays up to 80-90% of the cost for ceiling and floor insulation and efficient heating. You need to own your own home and have a Community Services Card or live in an area identified as low-income.
Paying for home insulation
Veteran
Veterans’ Affairs can organise home help for things like mowing your lawns, cleaning your gutters or helping with chores around your home.
Contact Veterans’ Affairs to talk to a case manager about what you need.
Get support — Veterans’ Affairs
Freephone: 0800 483 8372
Email: veterans@nzdf.mil.nz
Energy efficiency in your home — tips and advice for everyone
Learn some quick ways to make your home healthier and keep energy costs down.
General government help
There’s some government help to maintain your house that’s available to all New Zealanders.
Essential furniture, bedding or appliances
If you’re on a low income and do not have enough money to buy bedding, essential furniture or whiteware, for example a washing machine or fridge, talk to Work and Income about applying for financial help.
The type of payment they offer you depends on your personal situation. You normally have to pay this money back to Work and Income.
Special Needs Grant — Work and Income
Recoverable Assistance Payment — Work and Income
House repairs or maintenance
If you’re on a benefit or NZ pension, ask for an advance to help with essential repairs to your home. You have to pay back the money to Work and Income.
The most you can apply for is usually $1,000, but it can be more or less depending on your situation.
Advance Payment of Benefit — Work and Income
If you need more help or have questions about the information or services on this page, contact one of the following agencies.
Utility links and page information
