New Hampshire unemployment benefits pay 1% to 1.1% of annual base-period wages (a schedule in the law). — up to $427 per week for up to 26 (uniform) weeks, for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation.
This guide gives the exact New Hampshire unemployment benefits figures with the date we verified them, shows how your own weekly amount is calculated with a worked example, and explains when the first payment arrives and how it is taxed.
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with New Hampshire Employment Security before you rely on it.
New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
| Maximum weekly benefit | $427 (January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation) |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $32 |
| How the amount is set | 1% to 1.1% of annual base-period wages (a schedule in the law). |
| Duration | up to 26 (uniform) weeks |
| Waiting week | Yes — first eligible week unpaid |
| Base period | The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. |
| Statute | RSA ch. 282-A |
In This New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits Guide:
How Much Are New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits?
1% to 1.1% of annual base-period wages (a schedule in the law). The minimum weekly payment is $32 and the maximum is $427. Those are the numbers that matter: most claimants land between them, and nobody is paid above the cap no matter how much they earned.
Want an estimate for your own wages in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits at a Glance
Figures are from the United States Department of Labor’s state-law tables effective January 1, 2026, read October 2026; confirm the current amount with New Hampshire Employment Security before you rely on it. The statute column is where to check it yourself.
| Maximum weekly benefit | $427 |
| Effective period | January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation |
| Minimum weekly benefit | $32 |
| Formula | 1% to 1.1% of annual base-period wages (a schedule in the law). |
| Duration (weeks) | 26 (uniform) |
| Waiting week | Yes |
| Base period | The first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. |
| Alternate base period | Yes |
| To qualify | $2,800 in base-period wages with $1,400 in each of two quarters. |
| Partial-week earnings | 30% of the weekly benefit amount |
| Agency | New Hampshire Employment Security |
| File online | https://www.nhes.nh.gov/services/claimants/ |
| Statute | RSA ch. 282-A |
How New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits Are Calculated
New Hampshire uses a benefit table in RSA 282-A:25 instead of a high-quarter percentage. You find your total base-period wages (annual earnings) in the table, and that row gives your maximum weekly benefit amount and the most you can be paid in total. The table has no dependents’ allowance, and no rounding step is needed because each wage band has a set dollar figure.
$2,800 in base-period wages with $1,400 in each of two quarters.
New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits: A Worked Example
Suppose a worker earned about 30000 across all four base-period quarters. New Hampshire would find the band of the RSA 282-A:25 table that covers 30000 and pay the weekly amount printed on that row. Quarter-by-quarter timing would not change it. This shows how the formula works and is not anyone’s actual award, so confirm your own figure on the NHES monetary determination.
The estimate is illustrative; New Hampshire Employment Security computes the official amount from your wage records.
How Long New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits Last
Regular New Hampshire unemployment benefits run up to 26 (uniform) weeks in a benefit year. The most recent 2026 trigger information found shows no state, including New Hampshire, triggered “on” for federal-state Extended Benefits, so only regular state benefits are paid. The status can change from week to week, so check the current trigger notice on oui.doleta.gov.
The first eligible week is a waiting week: you file for it but it is not paid.
Working Part-Time While Claiming New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits
If you work part-time, you can earn up to 30 percent of your weekly benefit amount with no reduction. Every dollar above that amount comes off your weekly payment, rounded to the nearest dollar (RSA 282-A:14). 30% of the weekly benefit amount Report every dollar on the weekly claim — unreported earnings are the most common route to an overpayment.
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Severance, vacation pay and pensions may delay or reduce benefits depending on how the employer allocates them — report them and let the agency apply the rule.
When and How New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits Are Paid
The first payment usually arrives two to four weeks after filing, once the monetary determination is issued and the first weekly claim is processed. The NH Employment Security (NHES) claim application lets you choose direct deposit, which sends payments straight to your bank account and avoids check delays and check-cashing fees. A 2023 NHES banking-services request for proposals said NHES did not offer debit card payments at that time.
Confirm the current options on the claim application. The benefit week runs Sunday through Saturday. File your first continued (weekly) claim during the Sunday–Saturday week after the week you opened your claim, then file every week you want benefits. Use the online “File for weekly benefits for week ending…” option and keep the confirmation page.
NHES says a week’s claim must be filed in time or benefits for that week may be denied. Confirm the exact late-filing window with NHES.
Taxes on New Hampshire Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment benefits are taxable federal income, and you can choose to have 10 percent withheld for federal tax when you file your claim. New Hampshire has no state income tax on unemployment benefits, so there is no state withholding. Its Interest and Dividends Tax was repealed effective January 1, 2025. NHES issues a Form 1099-G showing the benefits paid during the year and reports the same figures to the IRS.
New Hampshire bases the weekly amount on a fixed annual-earnings table in RSA 282-A:25. The weekly figure and the most you can be paid in total come from the same table row, so a higher-earning quarter does not raise the weekly amount by itself.
A 2025 bill to add higher tiers to the table (HB 542) got a “do not pass” committee report, and there is no confirmation that it was enacted. Check the current statute for the table in effect.
Next step: the amount only matters if you qualify. Our New Hampshire eligibility guide covers the fired-vs-quit rules and the work-search count, and the application guide walks through filing.
New Hampshire — the bottom line
- The New Hampshire unemployment benefits amount is a share of your base-period wages up to a dated cap — check the period on the figure before you trust it.
- New hampshire unemployment benefits are paid weekly for a set number of weeks; a missed weekly claim is a lost week.
- Part-time earnings reduce New Hampshire unemployment benefits but rarely erase them — report everything and keep claiming.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is unemployment in New Hampshire?
The weekly amount is 1% to 1.1% of annual base-period wages (a schedule in the law). The current maximum is $427 for the period January 1, 2026 (DOL table); changes only by legislation.
How long does unemployment last in New Hampshire?
Regular benefits run up to 26 (uniform) weeks in a benefit year, depending on your base-period wages. Extended benefits only switch on when the state unemployment rate crosses a trigger.
Does New Hampshire have a waiting week?
Yes — the first eligible week is not paid, but you must still file for it.
Are New Hampshire unemployment benefits taxable?
Unemployment benefits are taxable federal income, and you can choose to have 10 percent withheld for federal tax when you file your claim. New Hampshire has no state income tax on unemployment benefits, so there is no state withholding. Its Interest and Dividends Tax was repealed effective January 1, 2025. NHES issues a Form 1099-G showing the benefits paid during the year and reports the same figures to the IRS.
Official New Hampshire Sources & Resources
- New Hampshire Employment Security: https://www.nhes.nh.gov/services/claimants/
- New Hampshire unemployment statute: RSA ch. 282-A
- U.S. Department of Labor — Unemployment Insurance: dol.gov
- DOL Significant Provisions of State UI Laws (Jan 2026): https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/content/sigpros/2020-2029/January2026.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Appeals: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2023/appeals.pdf
- DOL Comparison of State UI Laws — Monetary Entitlement: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2021/monetary.pdf
- CareerOneStop (DOL) — state benefit finder: careeronestop.org
- IRS — Form 1099-G: irs.gov
This New Hampshire unemployment benefits guide was last verified against official New Hampshire sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More New Hampshire Unemployment Guides
- New Hampshire Unemployment Eligibility: Who Qualifies
- How to Apply for Unemployment in New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Unemployment Appeal: Deadline and Hearing
- Unemployment Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Unemployment benefit amounts, deadlines and rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current figure and any deadline with your state unemployment agency before you act.