Surviving on the DPB

My DP and I are thinking about going our separate ways at the end of the year (depending on where he can get a job). I've started looking into what sort of financial support I can get and I hope the WINZ website is only telling me half the story! It says you get a weekly income of $272.70, but I'm sure there must be additional supplements/allowances on top of that?

Sorry if this is a cheeky question, but how much do you get on the DPB? What sort of additional support can you apply for? I tried talking to my case manager about it and he wasn't much help

I've been looking at rental places in Wellington (where I'll be moving to) and finding somewhere that's not a dark, damp hole in the middle of no where for under $200/week looks impossible! I'll go crazy if I live too far away from the city (I tried living in Upper Hutt for a few months and hated every single moment ).

How do people manage!?

Sorry about you & your DP.

You will get accommodation, not much else. You say you have a case manager already so I take it you are getting assistance for something, so it may cancel that out when you go on a benefit.

You wont get much on it & with only 1 child.

maybe try petone. thats where we live and love it. we are really close to the train station though so town is either a 7 min drive or 12 minute train ride. you have everything real local. cafes, supermarket, beach etc... sorry not much help with the DPB question but that may help the living arrangement?

Just my opinion, but 272 + accomodation supplement should be enough shouldn't it? My DP and I survive on 360 a week, we have the internet etc and he gets meat for dinner every night.....

Flutterby wrote: Just my opinion, but 272 + accomodation supplement should be enough shouldn't it? My DP and I survive on 360 a week, we have the internet etc and he gets meat for dinner every night.....

wow that's impressive! is that after rent? You must be much better than us at budgeting

When I was on the DPB years ago I got about $330 including accom allowance - but that's in chch so you don't get as much for accom.

Woah! That is impressive budgeting.

A border is a great idea!

The bit I find hard is, because of DP's gross wage earnings we are eligible for accomodation supplement from WINZ, of a grand $1. Which then has to be paid 50/50 into our bank accounts. So I told them to stick it, the bank fee's would eat it anyway.

You're right Sarahbobera, accomodation is cheaper here, and yes, I live in a bad part of town so my rent is as cheap as I could find. I drive an old suzuki swift, and I've had one haircut since I was pregnant. But the rent is paid, the car is registered, the dog is registered, there's food on the table and the bills are taken care of. Something I learned a long time ago is it's not where you live, it's the love in your home that matters.

We lived in a two bedroom flat in petone - $220 per week which was right off Jackson street.

Best of luck. Must be very hard for you.

Wow Flutterby, your live-on money is less than my weeks rent! Impressive!