Govt announces temporary $490 per week payment for Kiwis unemployed due to Covid-19

The $570 million scheme, called the Covid Income Reflief Payment, is aimed to help people adjust and find new employment or retrain. It will be available for 12 weeks from June 8 for anyone who has lost their job due to the impact of Covid-19 since March 1. It will pay $490 a week to those who lost full-time work and $250 for part-time. The payment will also not be taxed. "The Government’s priority is making sure people are in work and able to find new work if their job has been impacted by Covid," Mr Robertson said. "That’s why we made a $1.6 billion investment in the Budget to help people retrain. The Budget also invested to create practical jobs for New Zealanders through environmental work, construction and infrastructure. This payment will help Kiwis as they make these transitions." Mr Robertson compared the scheme to the Job Loss Cover payment, which was introduced by the previous Government during the Canterbury earthquakes. He also said it had similarities to the ReStart package for workers who lost their jobs in the Global Financial Crisis. "We know these schemes reduced the impact on people who lost their jobs due to those shocks. They show how important it is for people to have a safety net to support themselves and their families as they look for new work or retrain.
"As we move from the respond and recover phases of our Covid response, and towards rebuilding the economy, we have an opportunity to reset some of the foundations of the safety net for working New Zealanders."
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Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.

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Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?

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