Surviving on the DPB
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Topic: Surviving on the DPB
Posted By: SBM
Subject: Surviving on the DPB
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 3:09pm
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!?
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Replies:
Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 4:02pm
You'd probably get the accomodation supplement as well but I don't really know sorry.
Sorry to hear about your relationship breaking down.
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 4:18pm
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.
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Posted By: clover
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 4:37pm
Sorry to hear about your relationship troubles, unfortunately you won't get a heck of a lot in Wellington for less than $200 per week, in fact I don't really know if you would get your own place for less than $250 per week.
My brother used to live in a 2 bed flat in Haitaitai, pretty old fashioned but perfectly acceptable and I think he paid nearly $300 for that.
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 4:57pm
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?
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Posted By: MrsH
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 5:39pm
You'll know yourself where the cheap accommodation is in Wellington but you could try Housing NZ as they have income-related rent. They also have waiting lists too but worth a try. They're demo-ing many of the 'units' in Porirua and building cute little townhouses. My Mum is in one and something like that would be perfect for you and Natalie (that's if you'd consider moving to the mighty Rua).
Not sure about what you'd get on the DPB sorry.
------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 5:42pm
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.....
------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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Posted By: Tastic
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 5:55pm
Sarah Id ring the 0800 number (0800559009) and just ask them!
you should be entitled to the benefit, accommodation supplement (the accom sup depends on which area you live, as every area has a different amount)
I agree with MrsH try applying for housing nz house - Id apply now as sometimes they have a huge wait list
also does Wellington have like council housing too? you could apply for both
Ill ask my friend if she receives anything else and let you know
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Posted By: freckle
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 6:21pm
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.
------------- mum to 3 lovely girls :D
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 6:24pm
Lol, nope that's before rent comes out. That's what left of his wage after tax and 1 pre-existing bill he had prior to him and I getting together. So rent, phone, power food etc etc come out of that. We have a boarder to help make ends meet. Maybe you could get a boarder SarahBoBera? Something to think about...
Edited to add I get my WFF payment as well, but that goes into savings for our daughter and pays for extra luxuries for us, we don't "live on it"
------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 6:40pm
Woah! That is impressive budgeting.
A border is a great idea!
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Posted By: freckle
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 6:54pm
I am sooooo impressed!! I wish we could be that good flutterby! My problem is I always make extra trips to the supermarket and end up spending more than I need to when I spot a bargain he he... we don't pay rent and power and still live on more than that lol we should be able to cut back I'm thinking
------------- mum to 3 lovely girls :D
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 7:03pm
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.
------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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Posted By: SBM
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 7:09pm
Hmmm yeah a boarder might be a good idea. And I also had a look at TradeMe's flatmate listings and there are a few places where other families/single parents live who are looking for flatmates and don't mind kids.
Monikah I Petone but it's pretty expensive to live there too!!
Flutterby, I don't know for sure but I imagine accommodation costs are cheaper in Wanganui than they would be in Wellington? Either way though, that's very impressive budgeting!!
MrsH I think I will look into Housing NZ and what they offer. I'm just worried we'll end up living in the "bad" part of town, which doesn't sound like much fun But a roof there is better than no roof!
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Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 7:19pm
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.
------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com">
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Posted By: Treen
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 7:19pm
How come you're moving to Welly, Sarah? Is that where you're from originally? Also, your partner will have to contribute child support too, right?
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Snappy
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 7:19pm
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.
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Posted By: catisla
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 7:28pm
Wellington does have council housing (i used to work for them) - though 2 -bed properties are in high demand so i would contact them now if i were you - they can do a phone interview/assessment. You can then be put on the waiting list.
A lot of the city centre accommodation is flats in large blocks though - there are a few stand-alone houses, but they hardly ever come up.
If you are willing to consider suburbs such as Miramar, Strathmore you stand a better chance of an offer of housing than in the city centre.
Housing NZ accommodation is mainly out of town anyway, but definitely put your name down for both them and the council.
Link for Wellington council website
http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/housing/index.html - council housing
ETA - if you do want to apply, i would print off the application form on the website and post it in with a note requesting a telephone interview
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 8:02pm
Wow Flutterby, your live-on money is less than my weeks rent! Impressive!
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Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
 The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 8:05pm
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You might also be able to find a self-contained granny flat type place. Do you want 2 rooms or are you happy for Nat to continue rooming in with you?
ETA: someone mentioned child support, I'm a bit vague on the ins and outs but I think that any child support paid goes to IRD and you only get a small increase in your DPB. You may want to come to some other arrangement whereby he buys things that you need for Nat or sends grocery vouchers etc (although the private arrangements may not work if you're on the DPB, you'll need to chat to someone in the know)
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 8:39pm
You will get accomodation supplement too and a child support type payment from IRD ($72 I think for one child). If you ex pays child support you won't get it and your benefit won't change whether or not he pays. You are also entitled to a few food grants and other various things throughout the year and they also can give you interest free loans for important stuff (bond, dentist etc). Unfortunately they do make it as difficult as possible for you to get some of this stuff but just be aware you are entilted to it. Also don't get bogged down with peoples negative attitudes towards the DPB when fighting to get everything you are entilted to.
Sorry about your breakup
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Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 8:54pm
oh that sucks about your break up and about you moving
I don't know much about the money side of things except wow to flutterby! our rent is 300 so there would be nothing left after that !!
------------- Mum to two amazing boys!
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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 9:03pm
Maya wrote:
Wow Flutterby, your live-on money is less than my weeks rent! Impressive! |
Mine too! Good old Auckland.
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 9:08pm
Bobbie wrote:
Maya wrote:
Wow Flutterby, your live-on money is less than my weeks rent! Impressive! |
Mine too! Good old Auckland. |
And mine!
Sarah I would look for a one bedroom place (the bedroom is usually pretty big in a one bed place) it should be much cheaper.
------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months)
I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 9:08pm
Sorry to hear about the break up Sarah
Hope you get the move and the money side of things all sorted out quickly
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Posted By: BuzzyBee
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 10:18pm
You should be entitled to the DPB, accom supplement, temp additional support, family tax credit...generally it usually works out that you have your rent paid for and roughly $150-200ish left to live off (ie. for food, bills, petrol, insurance, water, power etc etc). It is dependant on where you live and your situation, everyone is different.
TBH we went to Housing NZ when DS was a couple months old and the lady told me bluntly that she wouldn't be comfortable with putting me into a Housing NZ house ...that they are usually in unsafe areas, the houses aren't in the greatest condition and you don't get a say in where you go, and because your rent is decreased quite significantly in comparison to if you were to rent privately/through an agent, you will be entitled/paid a lot less from WINZ too. So technically speaking you end up better off (well as much as you can be) if you rent a house privately rather than going through Housing NZ corp.
Any questions feel free to PM me, I don't mind at all. I'm very sorry to hear that you are your partner are parting ways, it's never easy.
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Posted By: Tastic
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 10:21pm
Sarah - I just read your from christchurch but looking at moving to welling
Ring housing new zealand here and soon and say you are moving to wellington and then you can do the application process down here and have you on there books for a place up there. Also do you know wellington at all? You can tell Housing new zealand which areas you prefer and which you would not move to!
Im ringing my housing officer on monday, I could ask her if it is possible for you to apply now in hope to get a place in Jan? pm me and let me know if you do
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 04 September 2009 at 11:19pm
SarahBoBera wrote:
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). |
Are you saying you are splitting up because of money or has the relationship broken down? Just trying to understand what you meant here.
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Posted By: SBM
Date Posted: 05 September 2009 at 1:06pm
Flutterby, I wish I could say I'd be happy living "just anywhere" as long as there was love in my home. I moved from Welly to Chch at the start of the year and it's totally destroyed me. I don't know anyone and feel like because I don't have any friends, no one wants to be my friend. That's why I feel like I need to move back to Welly for a while, back to where there are people who know me and like me, people I can go to when I'm feeling down - a recently single mummy with PND living in a dump in the bad part of town?? I couldn't imagine anything worse =(
Jo, I'm happy with just a 1-bedroom - even if Natalie did decide she wanted to sleep in a cot I'd want it in the same room as me! A granny flat would be OK, but I have a noisy parrot (my first "child", no way could I give him up!) so it'd have to be somewhere that was at least semi-setached, or someone who didn't mind him going mental every now and then (he goes to bed at night and doesn't make any noise, mind).
BuzzyBee, I could definitely live off of $150-200 after rent! I figure it's about $60-70/week for power/phone/net, and maybe $80-100/week to feed myself and eventually a little girl. I hope you're right!
Tastic, can you tell Housing NZ where you would like to live?? That would be great, coz I know there are certain places I would certainly not like to live!!
Jazzy, yikes. It's a long story that I tried to write a couple times just now but it's very long and complicated. BASICALLY we got together after I found out I got preggy. We moved to Chch so DP could do a pilot's course. Now he's about to graduate and IF he can get a job as a pilot it's likely to be somewhere random and out-of-the-way. I'm already a little crazy living here not knowing anyone and having him as the only adult I talk to. I think I'd be kidding myself if I thought I'd be OK moving AGAIN to a different city/town/settlement. So, for my sanity, I've decided I need to move back to Wellington once we're done here. And we both agreed that our relationship wasn't strong enough for him to not at least try and be a pilot. So I'm definitely going to Wellington, and he's going to try really hard to get a job wherever he can (jobs for new pilots are few and far between). If he gets one, we split. If he doesn't, he comes to Wellington.
Gosh even the short version is long
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Posted By: Tastic
Date Posted: 05 September 2009 at 1:30pm
Sarah - yes you can! we did!!!
they say you may wait a bit longer but if your not moving till jan then you should be fine :)
also not all housing houses are in bad areas! I actually take offense to that!
we life in a good area, our house is fabulous, it has carpet, a heat pump, huge back lawn and smaller front lawn, across the road is a small playground and a larger one over the back of us. It was very handy to hubbys work before he left that job, close to public transport as we dont have a car
yes we may not get an accommodation supplement from winz but with the amount of rent we are paying we don't need it
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Posted By: Andriea
Date Posted: 05 September 2009 at 3:13pm
Hi there sorry about your situation. What sort of Pilots licence and endorsements IF time PIC time, Twin time etc does he have I may know of a job outta welly if he has the right requirements.
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Babykatnz
Date Posted: 06 September 2009 at 12:50am
I was on the DPB a couple of years ago before DP moved in, and I was getting about $400 per week, that was base rate DPB of just over $250, WFF (now $82 for one child) and accom supplement which will depend on the area/zone you live in, and the amount you pay in rent.. a good website to try is www.workingforfamilies.govt.nz - Here
I was having to live off $110 per week for myself and a DS who ate like a horse as I was paying $290 per week in rent alone (Auckland isnt cheap!) so it is doable...
also re child support.. if you go on DPB your DP will have to pay child support if he is on her birth cert, and his money will go to IRD... it helps cover the cost of your DPB, and you wont see a cent of it unless he earns enough to have to pay more than what your DPB is... you would then get the amount skimmed off the top so to speak.
------------- Brandon - 05/12/2003

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Posted By: lisa85
Date Posted: 06 September 2009 at 8:20am
I know a girl thats just split with her partner and has 17 month old twins with him. She has decided to rent a bigger house and get another couple of solo Mums with kids to rent with her. That way the rent is cheap and they don't have to settle for a crap house or area Plus they are all in the same situation and they have each other for support and baby sitting needs when needed. I imagine it's a chaotic house. but the kids would all love it
Sorry to hear about the split chic. While your still in CHCH if you ever wanna catch up for a coffee or a beer let me know
------------- http://lilypie.com">
TTC #3 since Jan 2010 - PCOS
MC April 2010
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Posted By: RoSee
Date Posted: 06 September 2009 at 10:12pm
I'm on the DPB and get just under $600 a week. Made up of the DPB, an accomodation supplement, temporary additional support and family tax credits. The house I rent is $400, I have a boarder living with me... you are allowed to have up to two boarders living with you without it affecting your benefit (doesn't matter how much they pay you). You can also earn up to $80 a week through part time work without it affecting your benefit (I think that's before tax though)...
I hope everything works out for you
------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
September '11
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Posted By: Berg19
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 11:47am
Im soon to be a single mummy too :) except i havent had mine yet, and the father and i have never been in a soild relationship. Im planning to go on the DPB aswell and even though its not enough to live life of luxury it seems like it will be enough to survive and thats the main thing huh. I no you can get the benefit which is what, 272? and then acom supplement, depending on which area your living in to how much you get and family assistance (WFF). So at the end it would be around 400, give or take. then you can get the 20 hours free childcare and find a part time job (earning up to 80 a week) so thats an extra 80 on top. And yeah, if you get a house, look at getting a border, im not to sure who would want to put up with a screaming baby hehe but im going to try that to help with rent. If you pop into citizens advice they can help you come up with a budget and help you out :)
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 12:24pm
Berg19, the 20hrs free child care is for 3-4yr olds & up to 6hrs a day. Best option is home care as that was quite cheep but hard to find. But it is full price fore under 3.
A friend on a benefit get about $20 for family assistance, but does not get WFF as you have to be working & I think at least 30hrs a week.
I think a boarder is a good idea, & maybe you could look at doing something from home, like child care, then your little one will have playmate & you get extra $$$.
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Posted By: SBM
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 8:04pm
Andriea wrote:
Hi there sorry about your situation. What sort of Pilots licence and endorsements IF time PIC time, Twin time etc does he have I may know of a job outta welly if he has the right requirements. |
He's getting his CPL in a couple months and has 30 hours IF, 20 hours twin, 80 hours PIC and about 200 total flying hours.
Probably not enough hours for this job huh? Worth a shot though!
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 8:15pm
RoSee wrote:
I'm on the DPB and get just under $600 a week. Made up of the DPB, an accomodation supplement, temporary additional support and family tax credits. The house I rent is $400, I have a boarder living with me... you are allowed to have up to two boarders living with you without it affecting your benefit (doesn't matter how much they pay you). You can also earn up to $80 a week through part time work without it affecting your benefit (I think that's before tax though)...
I hope everything works out for you  |
Surely having a border affects your accommodation supplement entitlement as that is based on the amount of rent you pay .. if you have a boarder the amount of rent you pay is decreased.
------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months)
I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: SBM
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 8:20pm
Thanks for the info and support everyone! We're not definitely breaking up just yet (only if he can find a job as a pilot, which apparently is very difficult - # pilots >> # pilot jobs), I was just psyching myself into it and figuring out how me and Nat would survive! I'm very relieved to hear it's not just $272/week, since that's probably about the amount we would pay in rent for a semi-decent house in Welly
lisa85, I'd to live with other solo mums and bubs! Though I've never been very good at flatting... definitely a cool idea though and something I would certainly consider.
RoSee, this boarders thing sounds too good to be true! Do you have to cook and clean for them or are they just like flatmates? Dunno who'd wanna live with a widdle noisy bubba though LOL
Berg19, sounds like a familiar situation! Though we've made it a little bit longer than you! Hope everything works out for you and bubba
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Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 8:23pm
lilfatty wrote:
RoSee wrote:
I'm on the DPB and get just under $600 a week. Made up of the DPB, an accomodation supplement, temporary additional support and family tax credits. The house I rent is $400, I have a boarder living with me... you are allowed to have up to two boarders living with you without it affecting your benefit (doesn't matter how much they pay you). You can also earn up to $80 a week through part time work without it affecting your benefit (I think that's before tax though)...
I hope everything works out for you  |
Surely having a border affects your accommodation supplement entitlement as that is based on the amount of rent you pay .. if you have a boarder the amount of rent you pay is decreased.  |
I enquired about this a couple of months ago and thought I was hearing things when he said "It won't affect your benefit unless it's more than two boarders". Yet they are very restrictive about how much you should be paying if you are living on your own and will often suggest somewhere cheaper if they think it's too much. Some of their policies really don't make any sense!
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 8:36pm
neeandsam wrote:
lilfatty wrote:
RoSee wrote:
I'm on the DPB and get just under $600 a week. Made up of the DPB, an accomodation supplement, temporary additional support and family tax credits. The house I rent is $400, I have a boarder living with me... you are allowed to have up to two boarders living with you without it affecting your benefit (doesn't matter how much they pay you). You can also earn up to $80 a week through part time work without it affecting your benefit (I think that's before tax though)...
I hope everything works out for you  |
Surely having a border affects your accommodation supplement entitlement as that is based on the amount of rent you pay .. if you have a boarder the amount of rent you pay is decreased.  |
I enquired about this a couple of months ago and thought I was hearing things when he said "It won't affect your benefit unless it's more than two boarders". Yet they are very restrictive about how much you should be paying if you are living on your own and will often suggest somewhere cheaper if they think it's too much. Some of their policies really don't make any sense! |
Yeah their policies don't seem to make any sense.
The DPB tenant would be getting the maximum entitlement (as they are on a low "income") and then they are getting more money towards rent from other sources.
Then the boarders are probably getting financial assistance in the form of an accommodation supplement too.
Seems like loophole to me, surely if doesn't affect the rent total and decrease the amount of accommodation supplement it should be classed as income and decrease your DPB
Ahh well .. i will build a bridge now
------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months)
I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: RoSee
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 9:39pm
It is very strange in my opinion... that it doesn't matter how much the boarder pays! And the fact you can have two... if you had two people paying $200 a week each, IMO it should affect your benefit.
The reason it doesn't affect the accomodation supplement is because they are a 'boarder' not a 'flatmate'. A boarder pays a set amount which includes their accomodation, meals, power, water, phone, internet etc... So therefore they are not paying the 'rent' as such (I hope that makes sense!!) If they were a flatmate, they would be paying rent, plus expenses, then it would affect the accomodation supplement because they are giving you money directly for the rent. Man I think I have just confused myself!
It is a good thing having it that way though, makes it a bit easier to live off a benefit. No doubt there are people out there milking it though
------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
September '11
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Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 9:56pm
RoSee wrote:
It is very strange in my opinion... that it doesn't matter how much the boarder pays! And the fact you can have two... if you had two people paying $200 a week each, IMO it should affect your benefit.
The reason it doesn't affect the accomodation supplement is because they are a 'boarder' not a 'flatmate'. A boarder pays a set amount which includes their accomodation, meals, power, water, phone, internet etc... So therefore they are not paying the 'rent' as such (I hope that makes sense!!) If they were a flatmate, they would be paying rent, plus expenses, then it would affect the accomodation supplement because they are giving you money directly for the rent. Man I think I have just confused myself!
It is a good thing having it that way though, makes it a bit easier to live off a benefit. No doubt there are people out there milking it though  |
Totally! And they make it incredibly easy too. I asked if I could get a flatmate fully intending to take a cut to my benefit because that made sense to me and they said "Oh no, say that it's a boarder, then it won't affect you, if you say flatmate then you'll lose money". A friend of mine went to apply for the unemployment benefit and they told him to go and get a doctors certificate to say that he was 'depressed' and he could go on the sickness benefit instead and bypass the 13 week stand down period!
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Posted By: Andriea
Date Posted: 07 September 2009 at 10:21pm
Ah crap, na not enough hours for this job they want at least 500 hours total time and min 50 pic/ifr/multi, Ill keep an ear out though, the industry for newly qualified pilots is crap at the mo even airlines have slowed down recruiting, he prob wont wanna hear this at the mo but I know loads of Pilots that went for interviews etc with eagle early last year and got accepted and over a year later still dont have a start date, flight instructing is not to hard to get though if he got that, other suggestions would be a jump pilot, fish spotting, etc. CTC in Hamz pays there c-cats not to bad, where I am we get a $200 retainer a week +25hr per flying hour averaging 20hrs a week. Its not bad. Ill def let u know if I hear of anythin else.
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Shelt
Date Posted: 08 September 2009 at 10:01pm
The whole boarder vs flatmate thing is very strange. We were looking at getting a flatmate in a while ago and I got told that we would have to return the money in our tax returns and pay tax on it I'd never heard of that before (and I'm an accountant!) so I looked it up and its correct. According to tax law (and the trusty IRD website) if you have a boarder you can get up to $200 per week from them without it affecting your total taxable income for up to 2 boarders, if you have a flatmate it counts towards income and you are supposed to pay tax on it. This is probably what WINZ look at when they say that you can have 2 boarders and still get the full accomodation supplement.
Also - my sister is on the DPB and has noticed it totally depends on who you get when you go in to see them as to what you are entitled to from them. I think someone mentioned earlier on to not be afraid to fight for yourself. I think the people who know their entitlements tend to get a little more just simply coz they know what questions to ask.
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Shelt
Date Posted: 08 September 2009 at 10:02pm
Forgot to mention: if you get a Housing New Zealand house they have a policy of no sub letting. Can't remember if this applies to boarders or whether its just flatmates but maybe worth asking if you are going to put your name on the waiting list.
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Posted By: RinTinTin
Date Posted: 08 September 2009 at 11:27pm
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If you get hold of some of the pregnancy help groups in the area, they can help you to get all the entitlements available.
From what I can see you can get the DPB and Accomodation supplement but not much else.
Be aware that your partner with HAVE to pay Child Support. I was asking WINZ and IRD about it the other day. The rules use to be that you can have personal agreements with the other parent so they didn't have to pay child support but now, if you're on a main benefit they have to and you won't see a cent of it. It goes straight back to the government to pay for your benefit.
ETA: It might not be what you want to do, but it may be worth considering finding another single mum to board with to help share costs.
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Posted By: RoSee
Date Posted: 09 September 2009 at 9:41pm
AmStaff - I went with my friend last week to her winz appointment and when the lady said something about child support payments my friend just said 'we have our own arrangement' and she goes 'a private arrangement, that's fine'... ?!?! Do you know when the rules changed?
Man, it totally seems like it depends on who you get and what mood they're in!
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September '11
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Posted By: Berg19
Date Posted: 10 September 2009 at 10:34am
I got told that unless the dad makes payments through ird you get about 30 taken off you benefit??
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Posted By: Berg19
Date Posted: 10 September 2009 at 10:36am
And RoSee i have to say your little boy is absolutely gorgeous!!!
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