The Supervision Allowance
If you have an exemption to home educate, the Ministry of Education pays an annual Supervision Allowance for each child. It is tiered, so a family of three receives more in total but less per child than three separate families would.
How much is it?
The allowance is paid annually per child, and the amount steps down for each additional child in the same family.
| Child | Amount per year |
|---|---|
| First child | $796 |
| Second child | $677 |
| Third child | $557 |
| Each subsequent child | $398 |
A family home educating three children receives $796 + $677 + $557 = $2,030 a year. A family with two receives $1,473. The per-child figure most often quoted is the first-child rate, so a larger family's total is easy to under-estimate.
When is it paid?
In two instalments a year, typically around June and November. It is not a lump sum at the start of the year, which is worth knowing if you are budgeting for resources up front.
How long does it continue?
The allowance is paid for your child until the end of the year in which they turn 19, provided the exemption remains in place.
Who is eligible?
You need a current certificate of exemption for that child. The allowance follows the exemption, so it starts once the exemption is granted rather than when you begin teaching. Our getting started guide covers how the exemption process works.
What it realistically covers
$796 across a year is roughly $15 a week for a first child. That does not fund a private tutor at New Zealand rates, where maths tutoring averages around $31 an hour and centre sessions run higher. It does comfortably cover curriculum materials and a subscription or two, which is the gap most families end up filling with software.
Where Abbi fits
Abbi is a maths tutor for guardian-led learning at home: NZ curriculum content, one consistent guide who remembers where your child is up to, and an honest summary after every session. It is the kind of thing the allowance is well suited to covering.