Pensioners, students, and everyone on main benefits will see their payments from the Government rise by 7.22% in line with inflation from April 1.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced the changes today as part of his continuing focus on "bread and butter" priorities amid what's shaping up to be a tight election year.
He added it would "mean approximately 1.4 million New Zealanders will not go backwards" as they "feel the bite from the rise in the cost of living".
The changes announced today would apply on the same day that the Government's previously-announced childcare cost-of-living package would go into effect.
The minimum wage would also be increasing on the same day next month.
Under the changes, a couple on NZ Super would receive $103 more in total a fortnight, and a single person living alone receive an extra $67 with each payment.
Other main benefits that will see an increase include Jobseeker Support, Youth Payment, Young Parent Payment, Sole Parent Support and the Supported Living Payment.
Tertiary students receiving the student allowance will also see around $20 extra for each payment. It will also apply to student loan living cost payments.
"Working families will see increases to Working for Families, including an extra $4 for Best Start Payments taking it to $69 per week and an increase of $9 for the eldest child rate of Family Tax Credit, lifting it to $136 per week," Hipkins said.
Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni said the $311 million change was a "practical solution to ensure those being supported didn't fall behind."
Inflation "rose by 7.22% in the year to December, while the net average wage – against which main benefits are indexed – rose by 6.24%. The extra boost to main benefits covers the 0.98% gap," she said.
"For working-age people receiving a main benefit, they will see an increase of between $19.81 and $46.20, depending on the type of benefit and whether they are single or a couple."
Today's cost of living changes follows an increase to the minimum wage and the Government’s $718 million extension of discounts to the fuel excise duty and public transport fares until June.
Last November, former prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced the Government's $189 million package to make an additional 10,000 children eligible for childcare assistance.
"All up, the additional support above the annual general adjustment equates to an extra $311 million, this is on top of the $189 million announced for the changes to Childcare Subsidy," Hipkins said on Monday.
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Poll: As a customer, what do you think about automation?
The Press investigates the growing reliance on your unpaid labour.
Automation (or the “unpaid shift”) is often described as efficient ... but it tends to benefit employers more than consumers.
We want to know: What do you think about automation?
Are you for, or against?
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9.5% For. Self-service is less frustrating and convenient.
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43.4% I want to be able to choose.
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47.1% Against. I want to deal with people.
Even Australians get it - so why not Kiwis???
“Ten years ago, if a heatwave as intense as last week’s record-breaker had hit the east coast, Australia’s power supply may well have buckled. But this time, the system largely operated as we needed, despite some outages.
On Australia’s main grid last quarter, renewables and energy storage contributed more than 50% of supplied electricity for the first time, while wholesale power prices were more than 40% lower than a year earlier.
[…] shifting demand from gas and coal for power and petrol for cars is likely to deliver significantly lower energy bills for households.
Last quarter, wind generation was up almost 30%, grid solar 15% and grid-scale batteries almost tripled their output. Gas generation fell 27% to its lowest level for a quarter century, while coal fell 4.6% to its lowest quarterly level ever.
Gas has long been the most expensive way to produce power. Gas peaking plants tend to fire up only when supply struggles to meet demand and power prices soar. Less demand for gas has flowed through to lower wholesale prices.”
Full article: www.theguardian.com...
If even Australians see the benefit of solar - then why is NZ actively boycotting solar uptake? The increased line rental for electricity was done to make solar less competitive and prevent cost per kWh to rise even more than it did - and electricity costs are expected to rise even more. Especially as National favours gas - which is the most expensive form of generating electricity. Which in turn will accelerate Climate Change, as if New Zealand didn’t have enough problems with droughts, floods, slips, etc. already.
Dry cleaners mt Roskill
Hello our fellow neighbors I was hoping someone would know where the old dry cleaners we had up at the lights on dominion road have moved to?? I was out of town and when I came back they were gone .... I had some items that I would really love to get back but if only I new where they moved to or how to get In Touch with the owners to see what they did with our clothes if they closed down or moved elsewhere? Any updates or news about it would be amazing neighbors. Have a great day
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