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Five years on from the Government’s Families Package, MSD research released today shows it has made a real difference to increasing incomes for New Zealanders which will help them through the global cost of living pre

The Government is easing cost of living pressures for the majority of New Zealand families by improving access to and the value of childcare assistance Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today.

The Annual Ministry of Social Development (MSD) Child Poverty Report shows child poverty continuing to decline despite the 1 in 100 year economic shock caused by COVID-19.

The Government’s Apprenticeship Boost programme has reached a significant milestone, supporting over 50,000 apprentices to move into or retain their trade, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Minister of Education Chris Hipkins and Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni announced today.

The Government’s Mana in Mahi programme continues to go from strength to strength with 5,000 job-seekers supported into jobs, exceeding the 4,000 target following its extension in 2019.

In a suite of improvements to family support from 1 April 2022 the Government is increasing the incomes of 346,000 families by an average of $20 a week; lifting an estimated 6000 more children out of poverty.

Between 19,000 and 33,000 children are projected to be lifted out of poverty on the after-housing-costs measure in 2022/23 as a result of increases to benefit levels in Budget 2021.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni have today announced a significant expansion to the Government’s Flexi-wage initiative, which will see up to 40,000 New Zealanders supported into work.