This table outlines the New Zealand Government's planned social development spending for the 2026/27 budget year.
Actual spending for the previous five years is on the left.
The numbers are drawn together from the Vote Social Development.
Links to the primary sources used, from Treasury's website, can be found at the bottom of the page.
Please note that some of the allocation titles have been shortened for the sake of space. Figures for each allocation are in millions of NZ$.
| Actual 2021/22 | Actual 2022/23 | Actual 2023/24 | Actual 2024/25 | Estimate 2025/26 | Budget 2026/27 | % | |
| NZ$m | NZ$m | NZ$m | NZ$m | NZ$m | NZ$m | ||
| 5,176.4 | 273.5 | 14.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | Business & Worker Support Subsidy Covid-19 | 0.0 | 0.0% |
| 5.0 | 56.0 | 46.4 | 70.8 | 0.0 | Place-Based Initiatives | 0.0 | 0.0% |
| 17.0 | 19.2 | 20.3 | 18.1 | 1.0 | Social Work Support | 0.9 | 0.0% |
| 20.8 | 17.0 | 17.2 | 15.4 | 16.1 | Corporate Support Services | 15.1 | 0.0% |
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 13.5 | 19.0 | 20.9 | Driver Licence Support | 20.9 | 0.0% |
| 67.2 | 68.6 | 72.1 | 68.5 | 69.4 | SuperGold Cards & Senior Support | 71.3 | 0.1% |
| 79.3 | 85.1 | 91.9 | 101.4 | 95.2 | Youth Payments and Support | 97.2 | 0.2% |
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 35.2 | 107.9 | Redress for Abuse in Care | 105.0 | 0.2% |
| 134.5 | 132.0 | 131.5 | 131.8 | 132.3 | Veterans’ Pension | 132.4 | 0.3% |
| 114.2 | 118.1 | 122.5 | 165.9 | 144.4 | Administration & Policy Advice | 135.5 | 0.3% |
| 131.9 | 138.6 | 164.7 | 167.2 | 159.2 | Childcare Assistance | 166.8 | 0.3% |
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 128.9 | Ministry of Social Development – Services for the Future Programme | 195.6 | 0.4% |
| 179.0 | 223.1 | 283.7 | 225.6 | 225.5 | Extra, Historic and Special Circumstance Payments | 236.0 | 0.5% |
| 328.4 | 376.3 | 300.9 | 275.4 | 282.1 | Recoverable Assistance | 301.2 | 0.6% |
| 588.5 | 549.4 | 466.3 | 461.7 | 455.0 | Community Support & Services | 450.7 | 0.9% |
| 348.6 | 386.0 | 418.1 | 431.6 | 463.3 | Programs and Support for Children | 473.8 | 1.0% |
| 416.0 | 2,491.6 | 2,795.0 | 2,906.5 | 517.8 | Disability Assistance | 533.2 | 1.1% |
| 513.2 | 518.9 | 536.5 | 561.7 | 582.7 | Winter Energy Payment | 594.5 | 1.2% |
| 505.0 | 673.4 | 667.4 | 754.6 | 815.5 | Hardship Assistance | 835.0 | 1.7% |
| 1,272.2 | 1,297.6 | 1,293.1 | 1,144.7 | 1,163.5 | Improved Employment and Social Outcomes Support | 1,232.6 | 2.5% |
| 1,703.7 | 1,916.5 | 2,097.0 | 2,255.1 | 2,389.9 | Sole Parent Support | 2,474.0 | 5.1% |
| 2,467.2 | 2,468.4 | 2,607.3 | 2,553.2 | 2,602.7 | Housing Services and Support | 2,619.6 | 5.4% |
| 2,047.4 | 2,310.8 | 2,530.3 | 2,668.5 | 2,829.8 | Supported Living Payment | 3,023.2 | 6.2% |
| 2,288.9 | 2,109.4 | 2,137.3 | 2,510.1 | 2,909.1 | Student loans, Scholarships and Support | 3,157.7 | 6.5% |
| 3,333.4 | 3,477.0 | 4,065.4 | 4,643.7 | 4,947.1 | Jobseeker Support and Emergency Benefit | 5,021.7 | 10.4% |
| 17,764.0 | 19,517.0 | 21,574.4 | 23,191.2 | 24,729.7 | New Zealand Superannuation | 26,481.3 | 54.7% |
| 39,502 | 39,224 | 42,467 | 45,377 | 45,789 | Total Spending | 48,375 | 100% |
| Less: Recoveries | |||||||
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | Interest Revenue | 0.0 | 0.0% |
| -0.1 | -0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | Benefit Recoveries - Liable Parent Contributions | 0.0 | 0.0% |
| 0.3 | -16.3 | 11.9 | 25.5 | 0.5 | Maintenance Capitalisation | 0.5 | 0.0% |
| -0.1 | -1.5 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.6 | Income Related Rent Underpayment Recoveries | 1.6 | 0.0% |
| 22.6 | 18.2 | 16.1 | 2.6 | 2.7 | Programme Recoveries | 3.2 | 0.0% |
| 7.7 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 8.3 | 9.4 | Student Loan - Administration Fee | 9.7 | 0.0% |
| 113.0 | 98.0 | 96.8 | 93.3 | 108.0 | Student Loans - Repayment of Principal | 122.1 | 0.3% |
| 99.9 | 101.7 | 115.3 | 149.5 | 183.3 | Benefit Recoveries - Non-Current Debt | 190.9 | 0.4% |
| 346.3 | 382.8 | 409.8 | 435.0 | 467.9 | Benefit Recoveries - Current Debt | 486.8 | 1.0% |
| 360.7 | 379.5 | 413.5 | 440.9 | 485.5 | Overseas Pension Recoveries | 469.1 | 1.0% |
| 950.2 | 969.2 | 1,071.3 | 1,156.2 | 1,258.8 | Total Recoveries | 1,283.9 | 2.7% |
| 38,552 | 38,254 | 41,396 | 44,220 | 44,530 | Net Social Welfare | 47,091 | 100% |
You can get back to the main page that summarises all government spending here >>
Sources: You can download the data behind these tables from the NZ Government website here.
1 Comments
Thanks Jessica.
IMO the SuperGold Cards should be cut to zero as it was an election bribe.
It's currently an opportune time to cut subsidies to landlords since they do not generate wealth for the economy- better to redirect that money into infrastructure.
The massive increases in Jobseeker Support and Emergency Benefit costs
3,333.4 3,477.0 4,065.4 4,643.7 million dollars
2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25
Is an indictment on governments economic management.
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