• 109,000 families and whānau with children will, on average, receive $175 more a week from all changes made since 2017. The Government has announced a boost in benefits costing $3.3 billion over four years that it says will lift up to 33,000 children out of poverty. As part of Budget 2021, the Government has included spending to increase all benefit rates by $20 from July 1 this year. The second benefit increase and student allowance increase is estimated to cost $1.65b over four years, with savings of about $100m expected. "It will also lift between 12,000 and 28,000 children out of poverty on the before housing-cost measure."

Source: New Zealand Herald May 20, 2021 02:12 UTC