NZ Disability Advisory Trust Inc

20/03/2026

Benefits are adjusted based on the consumer price index (CPI), which lifted 3.11 percent last year.

18/03/2026

Kia ora 👋 If you receive a benefit, this update is for you.

From Wednesday 1 April, benefit rates will increase. Income and asset limits for some types of support will also increase.

We know updates like this matter, so it’s important people have clear information about what’s changing and how it affects them.

These changes affect around 1.5 million people across New Zealand who receive financial support through MSD, including around 436,000 people receiving these benefits.

They’re part of the Annual General Adjustment, which happens each year on 1 April. This is where benefit payments are reviewed and updated. The increase is always based on changes in the Consumer Price Index, which measures how the cost of living has changed over the past year.

This year, the Consumer Price Index increased by 3.11%, which is reflected in the increase to main benefit rates.

You don’t need to do anything to receive this increase. Your payment will update automatically.

If you also receive other support, such as Accommodation Supplement or Temporary Additional Support, those payments may change when your main benefit increases. The total amount you receive from us after the 1 April changes won’t be less than what you’re getting now.

From 1 April you’ll be able to check your updated payment details in MyMSD.

Find more information about the Annual General Adjustments on our website below 👇

https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/about-work-and-income/news/2026/changes-to-benefit-and-payment-rates-from-1-april-2026.html

NZ Super and Veteran’s Pension are also included in the Annual General Adjustment. You can see our recent post on those rates here 👉 https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GrH8Vxcdv/

🚨 Just a reminder, if you see other posts or websites claiming payment changes, take a moment to check where the information is coming from and confirm it with an official source.

Real changes will always be shared in places you know and trust, like the Work and Income website.

09/03/2026

Debate about whether New Zealand should increase benefit payments often focuses on the role of social support within the country’s welfare system. Government assistance programs are designed to provide income support for people who are unemployed, unable to work, or facing other financial challenges. Over time, different governments have adjusted benefit levels in response to economic conditions, inflation, and broader policy priorities. Discussions about benefit increases often arise during periods when the cost of living rises or when poverty levels become a major public concern.

Supporters of higher benefits frequently argue that increasing payments can help address financial hardship and reduce poverty, particularly for families with children or people facing barriers to employment. They often point to housing costs, food prices, and other essential expenses as reasons why current support levels may not fully meet basic living needs. Some economists and social policy groups also argue that stronger income support can improve health, education, and long term economic outcomes by providing greater stability for households.

Others raise questions about how benefit levels interact with employment incentives and government spending. Critics sometimes argue that large increases could place pressure on public finances or reduce incentives for some people to move into paid work, depending on how the system is structured. Because of these considerations, the issue is often discussed alongside wider policy questions such as job creation, housing supply, and tax policy, which together shape how governments balance social support with economic sustainability.

03/03/2026

The Invercargill City Council committee discussed a paper relating to Total Mobility — a service providing subsidised transport to people with disabilities.

01/03/2026

Kia ora 👋 We’re making a change to ensure that people are getting the right type of support from us.

From 2 March 2026, some people getting payments from us will need to confirm their circumstances at least once a year.

This change will mean we have more up-to-date information and will know earlier when people are eligible for more support from us. It will also help people avoid debt if they are not getting the right amount for their situation.

You will need to confirm your circumstances at least once a year if you receive any of the payments below:
🔹Supported Living Payment
🔹Emergency Benefit, including Emergency Maintenance Allowance when it’s granted for longer than 52 weeks, or has no expiry
🔹Accommodation Supplement, excluding those also receiving the Youth Payment and Young Parent Payment
🔹Disability Allowance
🔹NZ Super, for those with a partner included who doesn’t qualify to get NZ Super.

You won’t need to do anything until you get a letter and a ‘Confirming your Circumstances’ form from us. We may not need to send you a form if you have confirmed your circumstances and costs with us recently.

If you get the letter and form from us, please respond before the due date on your letter, otherwise your payments will stop.

The easiest and fastest way to do this is online via MyMSD.

If you get paper letters from us, you can still do it in MyMSD, or fill out and return the Confirming your Circumstances form by post or drop it off at your nearest service centre.

Check out the Work and Income website for more info below 👇
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/on-a-benefit/re-apply/review-of-circumstances.html

15/02/2026

Cost-of-Living Payments Returning in 2026 — $350 Relief for Kiwi Households Acacia Charman February 10, 2026 5 Min Read Copy Link For many New Zealand households, the cost of everyday life has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Even as inflation slows on paper, weekly expenses such as groceries,...

12/02/2026

21/01/2026

This is one of the many reasons that anything to do with the Ministry of Social Development and Employment must be subjected to review they will never apologize till they are pushed

The application was declined in error, but one advocate says a "tightening" of government hardship grants has seen more people turn to food banks.

08/10/2025

We are back on the BBQ tools as of tommrow we've been back quietly for a week or so not saying where we will be events wise but we are out there and working something big is coming and we aren't saying what it is till it's in the bag,

08/10/2025

We unfortunately missed these changes coming into effect from March 2026 we will do our best to fight them and make sure they cannot be enacted, although we won't be in the client space to help others we can make our feelings known to the Minister,

From 2 March 2026, we'll ask clients getting certain payments from us to confirm their circumstances at least once a year.

13/09/2025

Another market completed today that's five yes five events in two weeks now we will put down the tools for a couple of weeks and start again in early October, Thanks to those who find us at events and buy our food and support our mahi.