Work and Income OSCAR Subsidy
CLM’s Chill Out programmes are part of the OSCAR (Out Of School Care and Recreation) network across the country. All our programmes are approved by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) – Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora. Our approval means we are able to offer WINZ (Work and Income New Zealand) subsidies to our customers for those who are eligible. You can claim up to 20 hours per week for Before/After School Care and up to 50 hours per week for School Holiday Programmes. We can provide you with the WINZ application form, and assist with filling in the details. This will then be sent off to WINZ for processing.
Am I eligible for a WINZ Subsidy?
You may be able to get an OSCAR Subsidy if:
- you're the main carer of a dependent child
- you're a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
- your family is on a low or middle income
You also need to be in one of these situations:
- working, studying or on an approved training course
- involved in an activity that Work and Income has asked you to do
- a shift worker who works nights
- seriously ill or disabled
- caring for a child in hospital or for a child you get the Child Disability Allowance.
You can't get the OSCAR Subsidy if the child's other parent or caregiver can care for the child. It also depends on how much you and your partner earn. To receive your OSCAR subsidy from the day your child starts the programme, you need to submit your application to us before your child's first day. This is especially important during school holidays.
The child or young person must:
- normally live in New Zealand
- be at school
- be under 14 (or under 18 if you get a Child Disability Allowance for them)
- be attending an approved OSCAR programme for at least 3 hours a week, which includes: before school, after school and holiday programmes.
How much could I be entitled to?
You can claim up to 20 hours per week for Before/After School Care and up to 50 hours per week for School Holiday Programmes. The subsidy is based on your income, hours or care required, and the size of your family. To give you an idea of payment amounts, you check out the OSCAR Subsidy income threshold table.
How do I get started with a WINZ application?
Staff at each of our Chill Out programmes are able to assist you with your application. You can access the Application form here.
We also have copies of this form available at our programme. There will be a section for you to fill in, followed by the information we need to include (you must have a booking through our website to complete this)
We will then send the application form to WINZ on your behalf. We ask for the form to be completed 4 weeks prior to the programme commencing (this enables payments to come through sooner).
