We know things are tough for many families right now. To help ease the pressure, we’re taking a range of actions to tackle cost of living pressures.
Our new short term cost of living payment will support more than two million people with their bills, while our Winter Energy Payment is helping more people stay warm and healthy through the colder months. Together, these payments will provide extra support for 81% of New Zealanders this year.
To help Kiwis get where they need to go, we’ve extended the fuel tax cut, reduced road user charges and half price public transport for everyone until the end of January next year.
We’re also taking action to fix our supermarket sector and make sure shoppers get a fair price at the checkout.
These are just some of the ways we’re providing extra support for families. There’s no easy fix to global factors that are driving up costs, but we’re taking immediate action to fight inflation and support Kiwis through.
Read more:
- The Cost of Living Payment is split into three monthly payments starting 1 August 2022, and comes to a total of $350. This benefits around 2.1 million people earning less than $70,000 who don’t already receive the Winter Energy Payment. Further information can be found here.
- From 19 May 2022, house price caps for the First Home Grant were increased for new and existing properties. From June 2022, house price caps were removed entirely from the First Home Loan, to provide a greater choice of homes for prospective first home buyers. Further information can be found here, and here.
- A 25 cents a litre cut in fuel excise duty came into effect on 15 March 2022. This reduction will apply until 31 January 2023. From 21 April 2022 until 31 January 2023, road user charges will be cut by 36 percent across all rates. The Government set this figure because it offers equivalent savings to the fuel excise duty cut of 25 cents a litre. Further information on both of these can be found here.
- Changes to family support, including increases to the Family Tax Credit and Best Start payment, which took effect from 1 April 2022, increased the incomes of 346,000 families by an average of $20 a week. Further information can be found here.
- To increase competition within the supermarket sector and make sure New Zealanders pay fairer prices, the Government has banned major supermarkets from blocking their competitors’ access to land to set up new stores, and is in the process of introducing a further suite of reforms. Further information can be found here.
- From 1 April 2022 until 31 January 2023, public transport fares will be half price. This includes core public transport services, Te Huia and Capital Connection train services, and total mobility options for those with long-term impairments who can’t use public transport. More information can be found here.
- NZ Super rates as at 1 April 2022 can be found here, and as at 1 July 2021 can be found here.
- Winter Energy Payment eligibility and payment rates can be found here.