12/12/2025
Congratulations to the team at the Citizens Advice Bureau for putting this report together 👏 It's certainly a sobering read, but a vital one if we want to create a system that can best help people of all ages.
Parts of the report touch upon the difficulties faced by the older members of our community. Over the past week, there has been a lot of talk about the Retirement Villages Act Review and ensuring ex-residents can get their money back in a timely manner. It's worth remembering that not everyone can afford to live in a retirement village, and the release of this report stands as a good reminder of that.
When people can't cover rent because they've switched from Jobseekers to NZ Super and the gap between payments is too long, or you need dentures that Work and Income won't cover because they aren't "essential", the system needs to change.
This morning we released a report revealing the harmful gaps in NZ’s welfare support system. Mana Āki - Dignity for All cab.org.nz/mana-aki, highlights the urgent need for the welfare system to accommodate for the complexity of people’s real-life circumstances and to treat people with dignity.
Based on over 10,000 welfare-related enquiries to the CAB from November 2023 to May 2025, the report shows that systemic barriers and inadequate support are leaving many people without the basic essentials for life including housing and food.
“Our clients are struggling to get help from the systems that are supposed to be there when people need them,” says Dr Andrew Hubbard, CAB Deputy Chief Executive. “They are actively seeking solutions, but the welfare system is failing to provide the support they need.”
Key findings include:
* Income inadequacy is driving financial stress, including for people in work.
* Housing unaffordability and tightened emergency accommodation criteria are pushing families into homelessness.
* Systemic and administrative failures within Work and Income is preventing people from accessing their legal entitlements.
* Sanctions and compliance systems are causing confusion, fear, and financial harm.
* Older people relying solely on superannuation are experiencing poverty.
* Digital exclusion and disability are compounding barriers for vulnerable groups.
The report underscores that these issues are not about the failings of people needing help, they are about systems that cannot accommodate the unpredictability and complexity of people’s lives. CAB calls for policy and service design that recognises complexity, prioritises dignity, and ensures access to all entitlements without unnecessary hurdles.
“People want to work, contribute, and live independently,” say Dr Hubbard. “But when the welfare system imposes rigid processes and punitive measures, it creates more hardship instead of alleviating it.”
The report calls for urgent action to:
* Improve income adequacy so benefits and wages meet real living costs.
* Strengthen housing security and streamline emergency accommodation processes.
* Simplify communication and improve case management within Work and Income.
* Review sanctions and compliance systems to prevent harm.
* Invest in advocacy and budgeting services to reduce barriers and waitlists.
Download the report cab.org.nz/mana-aki
[Image description: A purple heart with koru designs on a pale purple background with the CAB logo and report title below.]
