Community Services Card

The Community Services Card can help you and your family with the costs of health care. This means you could pay less on some health services and prescriptions. Always carry your card with you to make it easy to get the benefits.

• You don’t have to be on a benefit to qualify for the card.

• You can also use the card for your dependent children under 18. Work & Income administer the Community Services Card on behalf of the Ministry of Health.

Who can get it

You may get the Community Services Card if you;

• are 16 or over

• are not a dependent child either:

• are a New Zealand citizen

• are a permanent resident, or

• have, or have applied for, refugee or protection status

• normally live in New Zealand and intend to stay here.

It also depends on how much income you and your partner get. By income, we mean any money, goods and services you or your partner get from any source, such as:

• wages or salary

• NZ Superannuation

• private pensions (if you get NZ Super and a private pension, only half of your private pension is counted as income)

• overseas pensions

• interest or dividends from investments

• Child support

• Paid Parental Leave

• Working for Families Tax Credits from Inland Revenue

• ACC payments

• income from rents

What the card can help with

The Community Services Card can reduce the cost of:

• visits to a health practitioner (eg; a doctor or nurse) if you’re enrolled at their practice (for yourself, and your dependent children aged 14-17)

• ACC visits to a general practice if you’re injured (you may not need to be enrolled at their practice - it depends on the practice)

• prescription fees

• fees for after-hours health practitioner visits

• glasses for children under 16

• emergency dental care provided by:

• hospitals, and

• approved dental contractors (ask the dental provider if they are an approved contractor)

• travel and accommodation for treatment at a public hospital you’ve been referred to outside your area:

• at least 80km away for adults

• at least 25km for children

• home help.

If you don’t automatically get a card sent to you, you’ll need to apply for one. You can get an application form in any of these ways:

• download the application form

• ring us on 0800 999 999 and ask for one

• call into a Work and Income service centre

• ask a health practitioner, eg, your family doctor or pharmacy.

If you get Working for Families Tax Credits, you’ll be sent an application form automatically.