WINZ Funeral Grant 2026: Amount, Eligibility, How to Apply

The Funeral Grant from Work and Income (often called WINZ) pays up to $2,697.43 toward a funeral in New Zealand, as at 1 April 2026. It is for reasonable funeral costs that the deceased's estate and the family can't cover. It is not a loan, you don't need to be on a benefit, and there is no time limit for applying.

The figures below come from Work and Income's Funeral Grant pages, last updated in mid-2026. The limits change, so check the site before you apply.

How much is the Funeral Grant?

The maximum is $2,697.43 (as at 1 April 2026). The grant pays the lesser of:

• the reasonable funeral costs that can't be met from the assessable assets, or
• the maximum amount.

Most funerals cost more than the grant, so think of it as a contribution. Our guides to average funeral cost in New Zealand and cremation cost in New Zealand show what bills to expect.

Who can get it?

You can apply if you are arranging the funeral for:

• your partner
• your parent or guardian
• your child (under 18)
• someone over 18 who was single

The person who died must have normally lived in New Zealand. They didn't need to be receiving a benefit. Eligibility is judged on the circumstances and asset values at the date of death, using the income limits and asset exemption in force on that date, even if you apply later.

What are the income limits?

Income and asset tests apply to a surviving partner, or to the parents of a child who died. Income limits are yearly and before tax.

If the person who died was a single adult, the test looks at their own estate rather than your income.

How do the asset rules work?

For a partner or a child, the first $2,351.46 of your assets is ignored. Work and Income counts the money that would be available for the funeral, including:

• bank accounts, term deposits, shares, stocks and bonds
• proceeds of life insurance or retirement funds
• net equity in any property or land not used as the family home
• the total in a prepaid funeral account before it is used

It does not count the family home, the family car, caravan or boat, or household furnishings and personal items, when the person who died was a child or left a partner or children. If the estate is not yet finalised, Work and Income has separate rules, so ask them.

What does the grant cover?

The grant is for reasonable funeral expenses, and Work and Income decides what is reasonable. Its bereavement page mentions items such as embalming, a casket, death notices, hearse fees, a burial plot and cremation costs. Costs not related to a funeral are not covered.

Ask the funeral director for an itemised account, because Work and Income asks for one.

How do you apply?

1. Complete the Funeral Grant application form. It is a PDF on the Work and Income website.
2. Add confirmation of the death: a death certificate, a confirmation from the funeral director, or a newspaper death notice.
3. Add the itemised funeral account and any receipts.
4. Add proof of your identity, as listed on the application form.
5. Hand everything in at a Work and Income service centre, or post it.

You do not need to wait for the death certificate to start. There is no time limit for applying. The grant can be paid to the funeral director, the surviving partner or child, the estate, the parent of a child who died, or whoever paid the bill. If you have already paid, Work and Income can repay you when you supply proof of payment.

For the paperwork that comes before the funeral, see our guide to death registration in New Zealand.

Does the grant have to be repaid?

Work and Income says you don't have to pay it back if all the criteria are met. Make sure your income and assets information is complete and correct when you apply, because that is what they check.

Are there other sources of help?

• ACC: if the death resulted from an accident, ask ACC. Its funeral support is separate from Work and Income's.
• Travel help: Work and Income says close family such as partners, children, grandchildren, siblings, parents and grandparents may get help with travel costs to a funeral or tangi, as described above.
• Reducing costs: ask for itemised quotes, and ask the funeral director which tasks the family can do themselves.

What to do next

1. Ask the funeral director for an itemised account.
2. List the deceased's bank accounts, shares, insurance and any prepaid plan, and whether ACC or Veterans' Affairs might pay.
3. Fill in the application form and send it in with proof of identity.
4. If you need to reach the deceased's money for the funeral, read how to access a deceased bank account.