Health costs · New Zealand
Help with health travel costs
Travelling for specialist treatment can add up quickly. National Travel Assistance (NTA) is the main national scheme for help with travel, accommodation and related costs when you meet Health New Zealand rules.
- Official New Zealand sources
- Private · No account
National Travel Assistance
NTA may contribute toward travel and sometimes accommodation when you need to travel a significant distance for eligible specialist treatment on a regular basis.
National Travel Assistance
- Who
- People who travel regularly for publicly funded specialist assessment or treatment away from their home area.
- Why it matters
- Can help with travel, and in some cases accommodation, when distance and frequency meet Health New Zealand criteria.
- Next step
- Read current distance, frequency and documentation rules before your first trip.
- Distance from your home to the treatment location matters. Short or occasional trips may not qualify.
- You usually need evidence of appointments and costs. Keep fuel receipts, parking and accommodation invoices.
- NTA is separate from the Disability Allowance, which may help with some ongoing treatment travel costs through Work and Income.
- If you are on a benefit, also check whether Temporary Additional Support could help with urgent one-off travel costs.
What NTA does not cover
- Routine GP, pharmacy or local outpatient visits.
- Travel for private treatment or treatment not publicly funded.
- One-off trips that do not meet frequency rules, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
- Companion travel in all cases. Check current rules if someone must travel with you.
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Check benefits and supportsOfficial sources used for this guide
Sources reviewed 2026-09-10. No guessed payment amounts.