Social Security Amendment Regulations 2023

2023/37

Coat of Arms of New Zealand

Social Security Amendment Regulations 2023

Cindy Kiro, Governor-General

Order in Council

At Wellington this 20th day of March 2023

Present:
Her Excellency the Governor-General in Council

These regulations are made under sections 424, 427, and 428 of the Social Security Act 2018 on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council.

Regulations

1 Title

These regulations are the Social Security Amendment Regulations 2023.

2 Commencement

These regulations come into force on 1 April 2023.

3 Principal regulations

These regulations amend the Social Security Regulations 2018.

4 Regulation 55 amended (Funeral grants: amounts)

In regulation 55, replace “$2,280.72” with “$2,445.37”.

5 Regulation 71 amended (Allowable costs)

(1)

In regulation 71(3)(a), replace “$28.86” with “$30.94”.

(2)

In regulation 71(3)(b), replace the table with:

Payments for essential household items
Column 1Column 2Column 3
Essential household itemMaximum number of itemsMaximum weekly amount ($)
Beds (including mattresses)36.44
Combined refrigerator-freezer128.83
ororor
Separate refrigerator and separate freezer1 of each if separate items28.83 in total if separate items
Dining suite136.44
Lounge suite136.44
Portable heaters19.72
Washing machine128.83
Stove128.83
Television set127.31

(3)

In regulation 71(3)(d), (9), and (10), replace “$26.89” with “$28.83”.

(4)

In regulation 71(3)(h) and (i), replace “$72.68” with “$77.93”.

6 Schedule 2 replaced

Replace Schedule 2 with the Schedule 2 set out in the Schedule of these regulations.

7 Schedule 8 amended

In Schedule 8, after clause 18(2)(a)(xii), insert:

(xiii)

payments received on or after 1 April 2023 but before the close of 31 March 2024, $4.17 per hour; and

Schedule Schedule 2 replaced

r 6

Schedule 2 Rates of childcare and OSCAR subsidies

rr 36, 44

ItemCaregiverRate
1For a principal caregiver or temporary OB or UCB caregiver with 1 dependent child where household income before the deduction of income tax is—
(a)less than $1,009 a week$6.10 per hour
(b)$1,009 or more but less than $1,837 a week$4.86 per hour
(c)$1,837 or more but less than $1,990 a week$3.40 per hour
(d)$1,990 or more but less than $2,144 a week$1.90 per hour
(e)$2,144 or more a weekNil
2For a principal caregiver or temporary OB or UCB caregiver with 2 dependent children where household income before the deduction of income tax is—
(a)less than $1,160 a week$6.10 per hour
(b)$1,160 or more but less than $2,113 a week$4.86 per hour
(c)$2,113 or more but less than $2,281 a week$3.40 per hour
(d)$2,281 or more but less than $2,450 a week$1.90 per hour
(e)$2,450 or more a weekNil
3For a principal caregiver or temporary OB or UCB caregiver with 3 or more dependent children where household income before the deduction of income tax is—
(a)less than $1,299 a week$6.10 per hour
(b)$1,299 or more but less than $2,358 a week$4.86 per hour
(c)$2,358 or more but less than $2,557 a week$3.40 per hour
(d)$2,557 or more but less than $2,756 a week$1.90 per hour
(e)$2,756 or more a weekNil

Rachel Hayward,
Clerk of the Executive Council.

Explanatory note

This note is not part of the regulations, but is intended to indicate their general effect.

These regulations, which come into force on 1 April 2023, amend the Social Security Regulations 2018. They are made under the Social Security Act 2018 (the Act).

These regulations increase—

  • the amount payable under the Act as a funeral grant; and

  • the limits on certain allowable costs for which temporary additional support may be granted under the Act; and

  • the rates of childcare and out-of-school care and recreation (OSCAR) subsidies available under the Act to certain caregivers with dependent children; and

  • payments to an educator for providing a home-based education and care service for a child.

The increases reflect a 7.22% increase in the New Zealand Consumers Price Index from the December 2021 quarter to the December 2022 quarter (calculated for all quarters using the New Zealand Consumers Price Index (All Groups)).

These regulations also increase the income thresholds for caregivers with dependent children to be eligible to receive childcare and OSCAR subsidies under the Act. The increases reflect both the net average wage increase of 6.24% from the December 2021 quarter to the December 2022 quarter and a discretionary increase to account for the upward movement in the net average wage since 2010.

Issued under the authority of the Legislation Act 2019.

Date of notification in Gazette: 23 March 2023.

These regulations are administered by the Ministry of Social Development.