ACC

ACC stands for Accident Compensation Corporation. It’s a New Zealand government service which helps people who get injured in accidents. They provide treatment, support, and compensation.

ACC’s goal is to make sure everyone gets the care they need to recover and live as independently as possible.

You pay an ACC levy when you’re working from you wage or salary, if you have a car or motorbike, and the Government also tops it up to cover the injuries of people who don’t earn an income.

How ACC helps people with disabilities from injuries

Equipment and assistive technology

If you need them, ACC can provide things like wheelchairs, crutches, and hearing aids to help with daily tasks. Some people might need an elevated bed for a few months, while others need a knee scooter for a few weeks.

Financial support

If you can’t work, ACC may offer up to 80% of your income to help cover bills. This will only be for the period you’re not able to work, which could decrease over time if you transition back into regular employment. Some employers top up the other 20% as part of their employment package. It’s worth checking with your organisation if this is the case for you.

Counselling and therapy

ACC covers therapy sessions to help with mental health and recovery. If you’re approved, you could get up to ten funded counselling sessions.

Home help

ACC can assist with household jobs like cleaning or cooking. You might also be able to get personal care like help showering or getting changed if you need this extra support. If you’re not staying at home due to your injury, you could still get support in the home through ACC.

Getting around

If you’re travelling for treatment or appointments, these costs could be fully or partially covered by ACC. Some of these need to be approved by ACC before you take them, so it’s worth checking out what you’re eligible for on their MyACC app or giving the ACC team a call.

Support for children

If your child is injured or if you look after a child and your ACC-covered injury prevents you from doing everything you need to, you might get special support. This could be help at home, funded daycare, or home education.

Hāpai support

This is a tikanga-based service for Māori and follows te ao Māori principles. The programme is relatively new, so it’s not available everywhere. It offers a culturally-supportive approach to the ACC process and rehabilitation for injured Māori and their whānau.

Support for permanent injuries

ACC can provide financial help if your injury will affect you for life.

Getting equipment through ACC

If you do need equipment to support you in daily life, you can be referred by a healthcare professional. If you already have an active claim, you can make a request for equipment yourself too through MyACC or giving the team a call. ACC equipment might be provided for you by disability equipment providers Enable New Zealand or Accessable.

This could include:

• mobility equipment

• activity equipment to get you back to 100%

• voice or other assistive technologies.

Take a look at the ACC equipment journey.

If you’ve already purchased equipment to help with your recovery, you may be able to claim this cost or some of it back. You can speak to your recovery team at ACC about making this happen.

Find out more about assistive equipment

Getting housing modifications through ACC

If you are an ACC client and need to modify your home to live a good life, you can get in touch with ACC to request changes. If you need wider hallways or doorways, rails for your bathroom, or other changes which make things accessible, ACC might cover the cost.

Enable New Zealand manages modification services on behalf of ACC for people south of the Bombay Hills - take a look at their housing modification process below. If you live in Auckland or above, the process will be pretty similar but you’ll work with Accessable.

Find out more about housing modifications

Getting your support person to look after your claim

If you want support from someone you know to work with ACC for you, you can choose to give them what’s called your ‘authority’. This means that they’ve promised you to do their best for you and handle things in the way you want them to. It might be that there’s too much paperwork, you’re too busy, or everything just feels a bit confusing.

Learn about giving someone authority to act on your behalf

Check out the ACC website

You can call ACC on 0800 101 996