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.

1	Title
2	Commencement
3	Principal regulations
4	Regulation 55 amended (Funeral grants: amounts)
5	Regulation 71 amended (Allowable costs)
6	Schedule 2 replaced
7	Schedule 8 amended
	Schedule Schedule 2 replaced
	Explanatory note
	Administrative Information

Regulations

1 Title

These regulations are the Social Security Amendment Regulations 2024.

2 Commencement

These regulations come into force on 1 April 2024.

3 Principal regulations

These regulations amend the Social Security Regulations 2018.

4 Regulation 55 amended (Funeral grants: amounts)

In regulation 55, replace “$2,445.37” with “$2,559.20”.

5 Regulation 71 amended (Allowable costs)

(1)

In regulation 71(3)(a), replace “$30.94” with “$32.38”.

(2)

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

Payments for essential household items

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
Essential household item	Maximum number of items	Maximum weekly amount ($)
Beds (including mattresses)		38.14
Combined refrigerator-freezer	1	30.17
or	or	or
Separate refrigerator and separate freezer	1 of each if separate items	30.17 in total if separate items
Dining suite	1	38.14
Lounge suite	1	38.14
Portable heaters		20.64
Washing machine	1	30.17
Stove	1	30.17
Television set	1	28.58

(3)

In regulation 71(3)(d), (9), and (10), replace “$28.83” with “$30.17”.

(4)

In regulation 71(3)(h) and (i), replace “$77.93” with “$81.56”.

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)(xiii), insert:

(xiv)

payments received on or after 1 April 2024 but before the close of 31 March 2025, $4.36 per hour; and

Schedule Schedule 2 replaced

r 6

Schedule 2 Rates of childcare and OSCAR subsidies

rr 36, 44

Item	Caregiver		Rate
1	For 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 $1,062 a week	$6.38 per hour
	(b)	$1,062 or more but less than $1,934 a week	$5.09 per hour
	(c)	$1,934 or more but less than $2,095 a week	$3.56 per hour
	(d)	$2,095 or more but less than $2,257 a week	$1.99 per hour
	(e)	$2,257 or more a week	Nil
2	For 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 $1,221 a week	$6.38 per hour
	(b)	$1,221 or more but less than $2,225 a week	$5.09 per hour
	(c)	$2,225 or more but less than $2,401 a week	$3.56 per hour
	(d)	$2,401 or more but less than $2,579 a week	$1.99 per hour
	(e)	$2,579 or more a week	Nil
3	For 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 $1,368 a week	$6.38 per hour
	(b)	$1,368 or more but less than $2,482 a week	$5.09 per hour
	(c)	$2,482 or more but less than $2,692 a week	$3.56 per hour
	(d)	$2,692 or more but less than $2,902 a week	$1.99 per hour
	(e)	$2,902 or more a week	Nil

Nicola Purvis,
for 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 2024, 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 4.66% increase in the New Zealand Consumers Price Index from the December 2022 quarter to the December 2023 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 the net average wage increase of 5.28% from the December 2022 quarter to the December 2023 quarter.

Issued under the authority of the Legislation Act 2019.

Date of notification in Gazette: 29 February 2024.

These regulations are administered by the Ministry of Social Development.

Social Security Amendment Regulations 2024