Over a billion dollars in new funding for disability

Note that all budget figures are usually expressed over four years - that does not mean the funding stops after four years.

You will see that the funding is allocated through a number of portfolios with the majority being allocated through the new Ministry for Disabled People (yet to be formally named).

It also important to note that there is increased funding in the social development budget that will benefit disabled people who are receiving benefits.

Other new funding such as increases in funding to Positive Behaviour for Learning, Incredible Years, School Transport (all of which are in the education budget) will benefit disabled children/young people.

Funding for the Human Rights Commission, the establishment of the New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme and the range of Family Violence/Sexual Violence initiatives, while not totally focused on disabled people, will benefit disabled people. 

The following information comes directly from the Budget website .

Strengthening New Zealand Sign Language in Education

This initiative provides a funding increase for New Zealand Sign Language at School (NZSL@School) to ensure continuation of current services, as well as NZSL professional learning development (PLD) to 150 schools with Deaf/hard of hearing ākonga. The initiative will also fund 100 more families having access to First Signs, a home-based service enabling families to strengthen their communication with their deaf child.

$12.242 million over four years (Education)

Preventing Family Violence and Sexual Violence: Engage and Value Communities in Collective Monitoring, Sharing and Learning

This initiative provides additional funding to ensure community engagement in the collective implementation and monitoring of Te Aorerekura and its related Action Plan, including the establishment of relevant advisory groups. Funding will enable communities to participate in hui and grow their capability and capacity to engage collectively with government, with the aim of building enduring relationships to ensure that government policies, decisions and services are accessible, relevant and effective.

$4.000,000 over four years (Ministry of Justice)

Community-based services for disabled people

This initiative will expand existing community-based services for disabled people by an additional 370 places per year from 2023/24 onwards. This will allow more disabled people to access the services they require. The services are based on the Enabling Good Lives principles, which aim to enhance the mana and quality of life of disabled people by supporting them to participate in and contribute to the wider community.  

$11,000,000 over four years (Vote MSD)

Disability support services cost pressures

This initiative funds cost pressures on the Government Disability Support Services budget, including price increases due to inflationary pressures and increases in service volumes due to demand for services. Funding has been provided in Vote Health for pressures in the current financial year (2021/22). Funding provided in Vote Social Development is for anticipated ongoing pressures on the disability budget managed by the Ministry for Disabled People in the 2022/23 financial year.

$704,000,000 over four years from 2022/2023 (MSD/Ministry for Disabled People)

$31,000,000 (Ministry of Health for 2021/2022)

Disability support system transformation

Implementation of the Enabling Good Lives (EGL) approach. This initiative will extend EGL to more of the disabled population and their whānau, progressing towards a national rollout of the EGL approach. This includes providing Connectors/Kaitūhono to help people navigate assistance, achieve more seamless support and funding which is easier to access. A national model for delivery of the Disability System Transformation based on the EGL approach and implementation plan will show how the funding will be used and the phasing of the expenditure.

Contingency $100,000,000 over four years

Ministry for Disabled People – establishing a new ministry

This initiative will fund the establishment of the new departmental ministry and support its ongoing operation from 1 July 2022. The ministry will drive improved outcomes for disabled people, lead cross-government strategic disability policy, deliver Disability Support Services, and lead ongoing work on Disability System Transformation. Funding also includes investment to develop disability leadership and capability within the disability sector. This initiative will potentially benefit up to 1.1 million disabled people in New Zealand.

$107,859,000 over four years (Vote Social Development/new Ministry for Disabled People)

Payment to family members for support services

This initiative will ensure that people receiving disability supports have the option to choose to pay a family member to provide those supports. This applies to supports that would otherwise be provided by a support worker through Ministry for Disabled People-funded disability support services and Health New Zealand-funded support services. This initiative is part of the multi-year Health process.

$72,000,000 over four years for MoH

$39,000,000 over for years for MSD/Ministry for Disabled People