The Community Services Card (CSC) can reduce the cost of some health care and public transport. You don’t need to be on a benefit to qualify: it depends on how much income you and your partner get.
The Community Services Card can reduce the cost of some health services and prescriptions. The main benefit: prescriptions from approved prescribers are free instead of the usual $5 charge. GP visits can also cost less if you are enrolled at the practice. Income thresholds (2026): single person living alone under about $37,100/year (about $35,000 if sharing), couple with no dependent children under about $55,500/year, with higher limits for families with dependent children. Some people are sent a card automatically; otherwise get an application form from workandincome.govt.nz, by phoning 0800 999 999, or at a Work and Income service centre.
What Is the Community Services Card?
The Community Services Card (CSC) is issued by Work and Income and provides access to reduced-cost healthcare services for New Zealanders on lower incomes. It’s a card you carry with you and use when getting health services.
It is not a benefit — you don’t need to be on a benefit to qualify. Working people can qualify if their income is under the limit for their household.
Who Qualifies — Income Thresholds (2026)
Thresholds are based on gross (before-tax) annual income of you and your partner, and your family size. As at 2026 (WINZ adjusts thresholds annually):
| Household type | Approximate annual income threshold |
|---|---|
| Single, living alone | ~$37,116 |
| Single, sharing accommodation | ~$34,974 |
| Couple, no children | ~$55,501 |
| Single parent + 1 child (family of 2) | ~$67,791 |
| Family of 3 (couple + 1 child, or single parent + 2 children) | ~$83,444 |
| Family of 4 | ~$96,266 |
| Family of 5 | ~$108,860 |
| Family of 6 | ~$122,724 |
Thresholds increase by a further ~$12,440 for each extra person beyond 6. Check the current limits at workandincome.govt.nz.
Who may qualify that doesn’t know it:
- Part-time workers
- People working irregular or seasonal hours
- Early-career workers on graduate salaries
- Students with part-time income
- Parents on parental leave (reduced income period)
- People recently separated with children
What Benefits the CSC Provides
1. Prescriptions: Free Instead of $5
Without a CSC: Each prescription item from an approved prescriber usually costs $5; prescriptions are free for children under 14 and for people 65 and over. Prescriptions from unapproved prescribers cost more ($15 for adults 18–64, $10 for 14–17 year-olds). With a CSC: Prescriptions from approved prescribers are free. (From an unapproved prescriber, the charge drops to $5 with a CSC or a High Use Health Card.)
Annual saving example (items from an unapproved prescriber, for an adult aged 18 to 64): A person with 18 prescription items in a year, which is under the 20-item cap described below.
- Without CSC: 18 × $15.00 = $270/year
- With CSC: 18 × $5.00 = $90/year
- Saving: $180/year
Prescription subsidy card: Once you, your partner and your dependent children aged 14 to 17 have collected 20 prescription items in a year, you can get a prescription subsidy card, which means no more prescription charges until 1 February the following year.
2. GP Visits — Higher Government Subsidy
The government pays a capitation (per-patient) subsidy to GPs. At practices in the very low cost access scheme, the fee cap for a standard consultation is lower for CSC holders aged 18 and over than for other adults.
Typical effect:
- Without CSC: the GP visit fee is whatever the clinic charges, which varies by clinic and age
- With CSC: the card can reduce the fee at a practice you are enrolled at (for you and your dependent children aged 14 to 17), by an amount that depends on the clinic
The saving per visit depends on your clinic, so ask what it charges CSC holders.
3. Dental and Optical
Community Services Card holders can access:
- Emergency dental care from hospitals and approved dental contractors (ask the dental provider whether they are an approved contractor)
- Glasses for children under 16
4. Public Hospital Outpatient Fees
Treatment at public hospitals is publicly funded for eligible people with or without a CSC, and the card can help with travel and accommodation for hospital treatment outside your area.
5. Reduced Fees at Some Services
Work and Income lists these other costs the card can reduce:
- Fares for public transport, including trains, buses and some ferries
- Fees for after-hours health practitioner visits
- Home help
Automatic Eligibility
Work and Income automatically sends you (and your partner) a card if you get any of the following:
- Jobseeker Support
- Supported Living Payment
- Sole Parent Support
- Youth Payment / Young Parent Payment
- Accommodation Supplement
- Emergency Benefit
- Veterans Pension
NZ Super does not trigger a card automatically: if you get it you apply, and a higher income limit applies to NZ Super clients.
Check whether your card has been issued automatically, as WINZ sometimes issues them without prompting.
How to Apply
Online (Fastest)
- Get an application form from workandincome.govt.nz, by phoning 0800 999 999, or at a service centre
- Gather 2 documents as proof of identity (not needed if you get NZ Super)
- Send the completed form and documents to the address on the form
- Be ready to prove your income if Work and Income asks (self-employed applicants send their latest business accounts and tax summaries)
- Decision is usually same day or within a few days
In Person
Call into a Work and Income service centre and ask for an application form. Bring two identity documents (at least one government-issued) if you haven’t already verified your identity online.
Duration: Your card shows the date it starts and expires, and it needs renewing before it expires.
Related Entitlements to Check While You’re at WINZ
If you’re checking CSC eligibility, also check:
| Entitlement | Who it’s for |
|---|---|
| Working for Families Tax Credits | Families with dependent children |
| Accommodation Supplement | Renters or those with housing costs |
| Childcare Subsidy | Eligible families with young children |
| Best Start Payment | Families with a child in their first 3 years |
| Disability Allowance | Those with ongoing disability costs |
Many New Zealanders are eligible for entitlements they’ve never claimed — don’t assume you don’t qualify without checking.
How Long Is the CSC Valid and How to Renew
Each Community Services Card has an expiry date printed on it, and you can keep using it until then even if your circumstances change. WINZ will usually send a renewal reminder before expiry.
Renewal Process
- Look out for the renewal form Work and Income sends before your card expires (some people are sent a replacement card automatically). If none arrives, call 0800 999 999
- Fill in the form and send it back to your nearest service centre
- Work and Income checks whether you still meet the criteria
- If you still qualify, a new card is sent to you; allow about 3 weeks for it to arrive
If your income has increased above the threshold since the card was issued, you will not be eligible to renew. If your income has decreased, check whether you now qualify for other entitlements.
Renewal takes time: a replacement card takes about 3 weeks to arrive, so applying before the card expires avoids a gap.
Using the CSC at Your GP and Pharmacy
At the GP
Tell the receptionist you hold a Community Services Card when booking or checking in. The card can reduce the cost of visits to a practice you are enrolled at.
If your GP doesn’t offer CSC rates: Ask specifically.
At the Pharmacy
Present your CSC when collecting prescriptions. For prescriptions from approved providers such as your GP, CSC holders and their dependents pay no co-payment. Keep the card with you when you collect prescriptions.
Free Prescriptions After 20 Items
Once you or your family (you, your partner and dependent children aged 14 to 17) have collected 20 new prescription items in a year starting 1 February, you will not pay for new prescriptions until 1 February the following year. CSC holders already pay no co-payment on prescriptions from approved providers.
Keep track: The pharmacy’s system monitors your prescription count. Ask your pharmacist how many items you’ve had this year if you think you’re approaching the free threshold.
The CSC and Dental Care
Basic dental care is free only until 18; adults can apply for government help if they are on a low income or have a disability, illness or injury. The Community Services Card helps in limited ways:
What the CSC Can Help With
- Emergency dental care from hospitals and approved dental contractors (ask the dental provider if they are approved) can cost less for CSC holders. The reduced cost applies where the dentist has a contract with Health New Zealand.
- Local hospital dental services: if you have a CSC you may be able to get dental treatment through your local hospital. Talk to your doctor or dentist about this.
What the CSC Does Not Cover
- Routine dental care (the card’s listed dental help is emergency care from hospitals and approved dental contractors)
The card’s dental help is limited to emergency care, and Work and Income’s Special Needs Grant may help with the cost of essential dental treatment if you meet its criteria.
Carrying Your Card
Work and Income says to carry your card with you.
Show your card to the provider when you want the reduced cost.
Other Entitlements to Check at the Same Time
If you’re checking your CSC eligibility, these related entitlements are worth reviewing at the same time — each has its own eligibility rules, and Working for Families and Best Start are usually applied for through Inland Revenue:
Accommodation Supplement
A weekly payment to help with housing costs if you’re renting or have a mortgage. Income and asset-tested. Available to renters and (with some restrictions) homeowners.
Single person paying $600/week rent in Auckland: the Accommodation Supplement is 70% of rent above $93/week, capped at $165/week (the Area 1 maximum for a single person with no children), then reduced by 25 cents for every dollar of gross income above $693/week.
Childcare Subsidy
For families with children in ECE or daycare. Income-tested. The rate depends on the number of children and your weekly income before tax; for one child it falls to nil at $2,404 a week or more.
Best Start Payment
Up to $77/week for each child under 3, reducing above $79,000 family income (for children born before 1 April 2026 the first year isn’t income-tested). Paid by Inland Revenue as part of Working for Families; you apply online.
Disability Allowance
A weekly payment for regular, ongoing costs because of a disability that is likely to last at least 6 months. Covers costs such as medical fees, prescription fees, extra clothing and travel because of your disability. Income limits apply if you get NZ Super or don’t get a main benefit.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m working full time — can I still get a Community Services Card?
Yes. The CSC is not limited to beneficiaries. Working people on modest incomes can qualify. A single person living alone with income (before tax) under $37,116 may qualify ($34,974 if sharing accommodation); the limits are higher for people with dependent children. A single person working full time on the adult minimum wage earns more than the single limits above, but the limits are higher for couples and for people with dependent children, so check the table.
My income changed after I got the CSC. What do I do?
If your income goes up during the year, you can keep using the card until it expires. Work and Income checks whether you still qualify when the card is renewed. If your income has dropped, the Check what you might get tool on the Work and Income site shows what else you may qualify for.
Can I get a CSC if I’m on NZ Super?
Yes — some NZ Super recipients qualify for a CSC if their total income (including NZ Super and any other income) is below the threshold for their household type. NZ Super itself doesn’t disqualify you.
My child is sick a lot. Does the CSC help?
Most children aged 13 and under can see their enrolled general practice free of charge. For children aged 14 to 17, a CSC gives lower cost visits to their enrolled general practice. For prescriptions from approved providers, CSC holders and their dependents pay no co-payment.
The pharmacy didn’t apply my CSC rate. What should I do?
Point out that you have a CSC and ask them to apply the subsidised rate. If you paid full price before your card arrived, you may be able to claim some of the cost back from Work and Income (this covers prescriptions and after-hours visits). If there’s a systematic error, contact WINZ. Note: prescriptions from approved providers are free for CSC holders and their dependents, and the charge for prescriptions from unapproved prescribers is reduced to $5 per item.