Unsupported Child's Benefit Rates 2026

Current Weekly Rates (From 1 April 2026)

The Unsupported Child's Benefit (UCB) and Orphan's Benefit (OB) pay the same rates, adjusted annually on 1 April through the Annual General Adjustment. Here are the rates effective from 1 April 2026:

Both the base rate and the clothing allowance are entirely non-taxable. You don't include them in your tax return.

What That Looks Like Over a Year

For a grandparent caring for a 7-year-old, the weekly total of $333.54 works out to roughly $17,344 per year in base and clothing payments. Add the automatic supplementary payments and the total picture changes significantly:

• Holiday Allowance: $151.81 (paid about two weeks before 25 December)
• Birthday Allowance: $151.81 (half the base weekly rate, paid about two weeks before the child's birthday)
• School and Year Start-up Payment: $450.00 (annual, requires separate application in January–February)

That brings the annual total to approximately $18,098 — all non-taxable. And if you successfully apply for the Extraordinary Care Fund, you can add up to $2,000 more for specialist needs like tutoring, counselling, or sports equipment.

Your Income Doesn't Reduce the Payment

The UCB is unusual among New Zealand benefits because it's not means-tested against the caregiver's income. Whether you're on NZ Superannuation, working full-time, or receiving another benefit, the UCB rate stays the same. It's paid in addition to your personal income.

Personal earnings from a child's employment do not affect the benefit rate. Other income received by or for the child, such as interest or trust income, may reduce the benefit if it exceeds 50% of the basic annual benefit rate; each complete dollar above the applicable threshold reduces the benefit by $1. Capital assets or inheritances held in trust don't count unless income is drawn from them.

How Rates Compare to Previous Years

Rates increase each April. For context:

• April 2025 (aged under 5): $292.44 base → $318.03 total with clothing
• April 2026 (aged under 5): $301.53 base → $327.92 total with clothing

That's roughly a 3.1% increase year-on-year, tracking general cost-of-living adjustments.

Multiple Children

If you're caring for more than one child, you receive a separate UCB payment for each child at their respective age rate. There's no cap on the number of children. A grandparent caring for three grandchildren aged 4, 8, and 15 would receive $327.92 + $333.54 + $394.92 = $1,056.38 per week, plus separate supplementary payments for each child.

The Disability Add-Ons

If a child in your care has a disability or serious medical condition, two additional payments can stack on top of the UCB:

• Child Disability Allowance: $62.43 per week, non-means-tested, for a child requiring constant care due to a serious condition lasting at least 12 months
• Disability Allowance: up to $82.85 per week to cover ongoing disability-related costs — this one is income-tested against the caregiver's household income

Both require separate applications with medical evidence.

Making Sure You Get Every Dollar

The base UCB payment arrives automatically once approved. But the School and Year Start-up Payment requires a separate annual application between January and late February — miss that window and you lose the payment for the year. The Extraordinary Care Fund has four annual funding rounds with its own application process.

The NZ Unsupported Child's Benefit and Orphan's Benefit guide includes a full calendar of supplementary payment dates and application deadlines so nothing slips through.

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