Fixing Double Dips For Boarder And Rent Payments
Hon Louise Upston
Minister for Social Development and Employment
Legislation fixing the inconsistent treatment of boarder and rental payments has been passed into law in Parliament today.
The Social Assistance Legislation (Accommodation Supplement and Income-related Rent) Amendment Bill and the supporting legislation of the Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Bill has addressed the inconsistent treatment of board and rent payments around housing subsidies.
'This has been an unnecessarily complicated and confusing system,' says Minister for Social Development and Employment Louise Upston.
'This legislative change means that from March 2026, payments from boarders and renters will be treated equally when considering housing assistance.
'These common-sense changes were signalled in Budget 2024. The changes don't take effect until March 2026, meaning recipients will have time to provide information about any boarders they have.'
Currently, if people have only one or two boarders, board payments aren't included when MSD calculates housing subsidies -- unless it's their main source of income. This can result in the Government subsidising the same accommodation costs more than once.
In contrast, rent payments received are included when calculating a person's eligibility for housing subsidies.
'This change supports our Government's aim of ensuring our public services are fiscally sustainable and effective.
'We believe that those who have a genuine need should be able to get the help they require while ensuring consistency across MSD payments,' Louise Upston says.
Passed this morning, the Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Bill introduces mandatory reviews of some specified benefits. These reviews will require MSD to check in and confirm a client's eligibility and rate of benefit at least once a year.
Clients must confirm if they are receiving any contributions from boarders, as well as any other circumstances which may impact their eligibility and rate of benefit, like their income.
Some aspects of the mandatory reviews will use Automated Decision-Making so MSD staff can focus on supporting people in to work.
Notes
From 2 March 2026, payments from all boarders will be included when MSD:
Calculates how much a person can get for housing subsidies (e.g. Accommodation Supplement or Temporary Additional Support), and
Calculates the Income Related Rent (IRR) for a social housing tenant in a social housing property
Additionally, if the total board and rent a person receives exceeds their total accommodation costs (or market rent for social housing tenants), the excess amount will be considered as income for other MSD assistance.
The housing subsidies that will be impacted from 2 March 2026 are:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
50 Years On: Petition Calls For Review Of NZ's Outdated Drug Laws
Campaign: Modernise Our Drugs Act A new petition is calling on Parliament to launch an independent regulatory review of New Zealand's outdated Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 (MoDA) and its associated framework, including the Psychoactive Substances Act 2013. Launched under the banner Modernise Our Drugs Act, the campaign is non-partisan and focused on sound governance — not ideology. The petition specifically calls for the review to be led by the Ministry for Regulation, to ensure an evidence-based, impartial assessment of whether these laws are effective, efficient, fair, and fit for purpose in 2025 and beyond. 'This is about public interest and modern regulation. These laws haven't had a full review in 50 years — it's time to assess whether they're working, not from a moral or political standpoint, but through the lens of good governance.' Why Now? Outdated framework: MoDA was passed in 1975 and reflects an era long past. Fragmented laws: Ad hoc amendments have created inconsistency and confusion. Equity concerns: Māori, Pasifika, and young people are disproportionately impacted. Inefficiency: Current laws impose high costs on police, courts, and health services with limited results. Global leadership: New Zealand has previously led the world on needle exchange, medicinal cannabis, and drug checking — it's time to lead again. What This Petition Is Not Calling For This campaign does not advocate for: The legalisation or decriminalisation of any specific substance Specific changes to health or justice policies Any predetermined reform outcome Instead, it simply calls for a regulatory review — a neutral, expert-led process to evaluate whether our current laws are achieving their intended goals and aligned with modern evidence. The petition is live on OurActionStation and open for public signatures: About the Campaign Modernise Our Drugs Act is a grassroots, cross-partisan initiative seeking an evidence-informed, modern approach to drug law in Aotearoa. The campaign is focused on clarity, fairness, and regulatory fitness — not on promoting any specific policy outcome.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
The Bill and the trees
Something which often surprises those whose only glimpse of Parliament is a few seconds on the TV news of MPs shouting at each other, is that most politicians — just like most people — actually get along fairly well. In my experience, very few MPs are malevolent figures: they genuinely are in the job to make New Zealand a better place (as they see things) and it is not at all unusual to see friendships made across the aisle. Parliament is a workplace, albeit a very unusual one, and like most workers MPs just want to get on with their colleagues and get the job done. Hence the genuine expressions of shock and grief in the House on Thursday when the news of the death of Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp was announced. She is the second MP to have died during this term: both she and the Green MP Fa'anānā Efeso Collins were young, first-term MPs with their abundant potential unfulfilled. The unexpected adjournment was a reminder that while politics is proposition and opposition, those advancing their ideas are real people with genuine human concerns. Before Parliament came to a shuddering halt the House did get through the first reading of the snappily entitled Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme — Forestry Conversion) Amendment Bill, one of those rare pieces of legislation where Labour and National — mostly — see eye to eye. In 2002 the then Labour government passed the well-intentioned Climate Change Response Act 2002 which — among many initiatives — allowed farmers who swapped their entire property over from tending cows and sheep to tending trees, to register for the emissions trading scheme. Farmers, like most businesspeople, are practical. Once it eventuated that there was more money in lumber than livestock, pines started proliferating and productive farmland stopped generating food. New Zealand First Taieri list MP Mark Patterson offered the Bill his full-throated endorsement. Advancing this law change is part of the National-NZ First coalition agreement and is an issue close to Mr Patterson's heart: he has seen many properties in the vicinity of his Lawrence farm given over to trees. "This is the most consequential Bill to come before this House in this term of Parliament for our rural communities," he said. "Whole-of-farm conversions of some of our most productive land, if left unchecked, are in the process of shuttering large swathes of rural New Zealand. Action is both necessary and overdue." Beef and sheep farms were doing decent business at the moment, but the current price for carbon credits meant trees were far more profitable. What's more, on current trends trees were about to become competitive with dairy farming — the backbone of New Zealand's economy. "I know: I planted some myself; I've taken advantage of this scheme," he confessed. "Why would I not? It would be looking a gift horse in the mouth." Mr Patterson said he came not to damn forestry — a $6 billion export sector in its own right — but to encourage the right trees being planted in the right place. "It does create opportunities to integrate forestry in with sheep and beef farming primarily, in a mosaic-type approach, and it can help cash-flow farm succession. It's not all down side, by any means, for our rural communities." Dunedin Labour MP Rachel Brooking said while Labour thought it was slightly ambitious to hope this Bill could solve the woes of rural communities, we could all (well, apart from the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, who voted no) agree there was a problem. "We think that some more fixing will be needed in addition to this Bill," she said. "We heard the Hon Mark Patterson speak before about a piece of farmland that he owns where he planted some trees because that is what the economics were telling him to do. "He didn't have to do it, but it made good financial sense, and people will follow the incentives." Ms Brooking noted the issue was not trees per se, but how to disincentivise carbon forests on good food-producing farmland. "These are pine trees that are planted to stay put. They might be harvested once, but then they're going to stay in the ground. "It's different from plantation forestry whereby foresters are out there planting the trees and then planning to cut them down." While broadly backing the stated intent of the Bill, Ms Brooking took issue — as the opposition has with other pieces of legislation — with the short time the environment select committee will have to consider the legislation. "The report back is only August 20, which is not much time, but it is better than all stages under urgency, which, of course, this government likes to do." Not quite peace in our time, but it was a start.
Scoop
a day ago
- Scoop
The House: Parliament's Week Ended Early But Was Still Packed Full
This year, 2025, is the middle year of the 54th Parliament. Middle years in a three-year term are typically when the largest number of bills get passed by a government. The current executive is certainly trying to follow that pattern. In two weeks before Christmas in 2023 five new laws were enacted. During 2024 Parliament passed 44 laws (including one member's bill). Now, half-way through 2025's sitting year it has completed 30 bills. Eight of those were finalised this week. One reason for the very rapid pace is the sheer number of bills that have not graced a Select Committee, even for a brief period of public consultation. Of the 79 bills passed, 40 are noted as being considered in committee. The apparent nearly 50/50 split of bills skipping select committee is misleading - the total of bills passed includes eight appropriations and imprest supply bills (about cash not policy). A more accurate number is 40 bills considered in committee from 71. Across recent parliaments the use of extra sittings and urgency seems to have accelerated. Urgency in and of itself is now barely newsworthy. This week's sprint under urgency to finalise those eight bills in just two days was impressive, but it is important to know what laws are being debated and agreed - at whatever speed that happens to be. Below is a quick rundown on the bills debated this week - those finalised and those initiated. First readings this week Each of these bills was referred to a Select Committee and will now be available for public feedback. The Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Bill would make approvals for incoming foreign investment, faster and easier. Investment tests would be coalesced and a three-week deadline imposed for approvals to be given unless there are reasonable grounds for a national interest assessment. The Immigration (Fiscal Sustainability and System Integrity) Amendment Bill gives the Minister of Immigration a range of new powers, imposes new penalties, fixes some legislative holes and allows immigration-related levies to be charged to new groups. The Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme-Forestry Conversion) Amendment Bill seeks to disincentivise the conversion of farms into exotic forestry by no longer allowing owners to register for benefits through the Emissions Trading Scheme. The Game Animal Council (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Bill adjusts current legislation so that species currently designated as needing extermination (as pests) can be kept from being eradicated by being designated herds of special interest by the minister. These are things such as Himalayan tahr that were initially naturalised as a hunting target then later legislated against as being environmentally problematic. This bill seeks to preserve some for the original purpose. Third and final readings this week The below bills were all read for a third and final time and will now be signed into law. The House completed the Supplementary Estimates (which updates last year's budget numbers), and an Imprest Supply Bill (which affords the government an ongoing cash supply). The Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Bill creates a mandatory requirement for those receiving specific benefits or supplements to re-apply for these yearly. It also appears to widen the allowance for what sounds like AI to make decisions about matters like ending benefits or imposing sanctions. The Rates Rebate Amendment Bill slightly increases the earnings limit within which SuperGold Card holders can apply for a rates rebate. Don't get too excited: it's a small increase, but the bill was widely supported but without acclaim. The Racing Industry Amendment Bill widens the current betting monopoly held by the TAB to include online betting. The Invest New Zealand Bill creates a new agency with the objective of attracting international investment. The Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Legislation Amendment Bill changes the mechanism and agencies responsible for watching over the performance of Oranga Tamariki, the child protection agency. The Employment Relations (Pay Deductions for Partial Strikes) Amendment Bill allows employers to withhold wages from employees for undertaking partial strikes, like working to rule or refusing overtime. The Victims of Sexual Violence (Strengthening Legal Protections) Legislation Bill seeks to enhance protection for victims of sexual violence participating in court processes. *RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.
