Health Entitlement Cards Amendment Regulations 2026
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2026/38
Health Entitlement Cards Amendment Regulations 2026
Cindy Kiro, Governor-General
Order in Council
At Wellington this 2nd day of March 2026
Present:
Her Excellency the Governor-General in Council
These regulations are made under section 102 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 and section 437 of the Social Security Act 2018—
(a)
on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council; and
(b)
on the recommendation of the Minister of Health.
Regulations
1 Title
These regulations are the Health Entitlement Cards Amendment Regulations 2026.
2 Commencement
These regulations come into force on 1 April 2026.
3 Principal regulations
These regulations amend the Health Entitlement Cards Regulations 1993.
4 Regulation 8 amended (Eligibility for community services cards)
(1)
In regulation 8(5)(a), replace “$33,919”
with “$34,974”
.
(2)
In regulation 8(5)(b), replace “$35,997”
with “$37,116”
.
(3)
In regulation 8(5)(c), replace “$53,828”
with “$55,501”
.
(4)
In regulation 8(5A)(a), replace “$36,245”
with “$37,372”
.
(5)
In regulation 8(5A)(b), replace “$38,596”
with “$39,796”
.
(6)
In regulation 8(5A)(c), replace “$57,894”
with “$59,694”
.
(7)
In regulation 8(6)(a), replace “$65,747”
with “$67,791”
.
(8)
In regulation 8(6)(b), replace “$80,928”
with “$83,444”
.
(9)
In regulation 8(6)(c), replace “$93,364”
with “$96,266”
.
(10)
In regulation 8(6)(d), replace “$105,578”
with “$108,860”
.
(11)
In regulation 8(6)(e), replace “$119,024 for the first 6 people, plus a further $12,065”
with “$122,724 for the first 6 people, plus a further $12,440”
.
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 2026, amend regulation 8 of the Health Entitlement Cards Regulations 1993 to increase the income entitlement thresholds that are used to determine a person’s eligibility for a community services card.
The new entitlement thresholds reflect an increase of 3.11% in the New Zealand Consumers Price Index (the CPI) from the December 2024 quarter to the December 2025 quarter (calculated for all quarters using the New Zealand Consumers Price Index (All Groups)).
The CPI increase is rounded to 2 decimal places for the purposes of this Explanatory note. However, unrounded figures have been used to calculate the new income entitlement thresholds.
Date of notification in Gazette: 5 March 2026.
These regulations are administered by the Ministry of Health.
Versions
Health Entitlement Cards Amendment Regulations 2026
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