Social Security (Rates of Benefits and Allowances) Order 2025
Version as at 20 December 2025
Social Security (Rates of Benefits and Allowances) Order 2025
(SL 2025/9)
Cindy Kiro, Governor-General
Order in Council
At Wellington this 24th day of February 2025
Present:
Her Excellency the Governor-General in Council
Note
The Parliamentary Counsel Office has made editorial and format changes to this version using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.
Note 4 at the end of this version provides a list of the amendments included in it.
This order is administered by the Ministry of Social Development.
This order is made under sections 452 and 453 of the Social Security Act 2018 and sections 15 and 16 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council.
Contents
Order
1 Title
This order is the Social Security (Rates of Benefits and Allowances) Order 2025.
2 Commencement
Order: confirmed, on 20 December 2025, by section 15 of the Secondary Legislation Confirmation Act 2025 (2025 No 84).
3 Interpretation
In this order, commencement date means 1 April 2025.
4 Application
(1)
In accordance with section 453(5) of the Social Security Act 2018, clause 5 applies to benefits (as defined in that Act) payable on and after the commencement date.
(2)
In accordance with section 15(6) of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001, clause 6 applies to New Zealand superannuation payable on and after the commencement date.
(3)
In accordance with section 452(4) of the Social Security Act 2018, clause 7 applies to benefits, allowances, and entitlements payable on and after the commencement date.
5 Mandatory adjustments under section 453 of Social Security Act 2018
In each provision of the Social Security Act 2018 listed in the first column of Part 1 of Schedule 1 of this order, replace the amount set out opposite to that provision in the second column with the amount set out opposite to that provision in the third column.
6 Mandatory adjustments under sections 15 and 16 of New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001
In each provision of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 listed in the first column of Part 2 of Schedule 1 of this order, replace the amount set out opposite to that provision in the second column with the amount set out opposite to that provision in the third column.
7 Discretionary increases under section 452 of Social Security Act 2018
(1)
In each provision of the Social Security Act 2018 listed in the first column of Part 1 of Schedule 2 of this order, replace the amount set out opposite to that provision in the second column with the amount set out opposite to that provision in the third column.
(2)
In each provision of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 listed in the first column of Part 2 of Schedule 2 of this order, replace the amount set out opposite to that provision in the second column with the amount set out opposite to that provision in the third column.
8 Revocation
The Social Security (Rates of Benefits and Allowances) Order 2024 (SL 2024/11) is revoked.
Schedule 1 Mandatory adjustments
Part 1 CPI adjustments to social security benefits and allowances
| Provision amended | Old amount ($) | New amount ($) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 4, Part 1 (Jobseeker support) | ||||
| Clause 1(a) | 262.30 | 268.13 | ||
| Clause 1(b) | 307.87 | 314.72 | ||
| Clause 1(c) | 364.82 | 372.93 | ||
| Clause 1(d) | 353.46 | 361.32 | ||
| Clause 1(e) | 494.80 | 505.80 | ||
| Clause 1(f) | 494.80 | 505.80 | ||
| Clause 1(g)(i) | 300.73 | 307.42 | ||
| Clause 1(g)(ii) | 317.55 | 324.61 | ||
| Clause 1(h)(i) | 300.73 | 307.42 | ||
| Clause 1(h)(ii) | 317.55 | 324.61 | ||
| Clause 1(j)(i) | 601.46 | 614.84 | ||
| Clause 1(j)(ii) | 635.10 | 649.22 | ||
| Clause 2 | 300.73 | 307.42 | ||
| Clause 3(i) | 300.73 | 307.42 | ||
| Clause 3(ii) | 317.55 | 324.61 | ||
| Schedule 4, Part 2 (Sole parent support) | ||||
| Clause 1 | 494.80 | 505.80 | ||
| Schedule 4, Part 3 (Supported living payment) | ||||
| Clause 1(a) | 337.63 | 345.14 | ||
| Clause 1(b) | 402.84 | 411.80 | ||
| Clause 1(c) | 552.14 | 564.42 | ||
| Clause 1(d)(i) | 342.24 | 349.85 | ||
| Clause 1(d)(ii) | 359.07 | 367.06 | ||
| Clause 1(e)(i) | 342.24 | 349.85 | ||
| Clause 1(e)(ii) | 372.81 | 381.10 | ||
| Clause 1(g)(i) | 684.48 | 699.70 | ||
| Clause 1(g)(ii) | 718.14 | 734.12 | ||
| Clause 1(h)(i) | 342.24 | 349.85 | ||
| Clause 1(h)(ii) | 372.81 | 381.10 | ||
| Clause 2 | 552.07 | 564.35 | ||
| Clause 2 | 71.46 | 73.05 | ||
| Clause 7(a) | 342.24 | 349.85 | ||
| Clause 7(b) | 372.81 | 381.10 | ||
| Schedule 4, Part 4 (Orphan’s benefit) | ||||
| Clause 1(a) | 332.61 | 340.01 | ||
| Clause 1(b) | 310.40 | 317.30 | ||
| Clause 1(c) | 288.06 | 294.47 | ||
| Clause 1(d) | 286.08 | 292.44 | ||
| Schedule 4, Part 5 (Unsupported child’s benefit) | ||||
| Clause 1(a) | 332.61 | 340.01 | ||
| Clause 1(b) | 310.40 | 317.30 | ||
| Clause 1(c) | 288.06 | 294.47 | ||
| Clause 1(d) | 286.08 | 292.44 | ||
| Schedule 4, Part 6 (Rates and component of youth payment and young parent payment, and criteria for incentive payments) | ||||
| Clause 1 | 307.87 | 314.72 | ||
| Clause 2 | 285.44 | 291.79 | ||
| Clause 3 | 494.80 | 505.80 | ||
| Clause 4 | 300.73 | 307.42 | ||
| Clause 5(a) | 317.55 | 324.61 | ||
| Clause 5(b) | 317.55 | 324.61 | ||
| Schedule 4, Part 10 (Rates of generally abolished former widows’ benefits under section 21 of Social Security Act 1964 as saved by clause 55 of Schedule 1 of Social Security Act 2018 for reciprocity agreement applicants or recipients) | ||||
| Clause 1 | 494.80 | 505.80 | ||
| Clause 2 | 364.82 | 372.93 | ||
| Schedule 4, Part 11 (Rates of generally abolished former DPB for solo parents under section 27B of Social Security Act 1964 as saved by clause 55 of Schedule 1 of Social Security Act 2018 for reciprocity agreement applicants or recipients) | ||||
| Clause 1 | 494.80 | 505.80 | ||
| Clause 2 | 364.82 | 372.93 | ||
| Schedule 4, Part 12 (Rates of benefits payable to long-term hospital patients) | ||||
| Clause 1 | 55.35 | 56.58 | ||
Part 2 CPI adjustments to superannuation entitlements
| Provision amended | Old amount ($) | New amount ($) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 1, Part 1 (Rates generally) | ||||
| Clause 1(a) | 606.67 | 621.54 | ||
| Clause 1(b) | 558.31 | 571.72 | ||
| Clause 1(c) | 461.41 | 472.27 | ||
| Schedule 1, Part 2 (Rates saved by Schedule 1AA) | ||||
| Clause 1(b) | 874.88 | 895.38 | ||
Schedule 2 Discretionary increases under section 452 of Social Security Act 2018
Part 1 Increases to other social security benefits and allowances, and to asset and income limits
| Provision amended | Old amount ($) | New amount ($) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 4, Part 6 (Rates and component of youth payment and young parent payment, and criteria for incentive payments) | ||||
| Clause 11 | 270.10 | 276.11 | ||
| 320.10 | 326.11 | |||
| Clause 11B | 270.10 | 276.11 | ||
| Clause 12 | 270.10 | 276.11 | ||
| 370.10 | 376.11 | |||
| Clause 12A | 270.10 | 276.11 | ||
| Clause 12B | 270.10 | 276.11 | ||
| Schedule 4, Part 9 (Child disability allowance and disability allowance) | ||||
| Clause 1 | 59.23 | 60.55 | ||
| Clause 2 | 78.60 | 80.35 | ||
| Clause 3 | 49.02 | 50.11 | ||
| Schedule 5, Part 1 (Asset limits) | ||||
| Clause 1 | 1,338.90 | 1,368.68 | ||
| Clause 2 | 2,230.96 | 2,280.58 | ||
| Clause 3 | 1,758.04 | 1,797.14 | ||
| Clause 4 | 1,888.47 | 1,930.47 | ||
| Schedule 5, Part 2 (Income limits) | ||||
| Clause 5 | 611.56 | 625.16 | ||
| Clause 6 | 702.85 | 718.48 | ||
| Clause 7 | 1,020.90 | 1,043.60 | ||
| Clause 8 | 852.89 | 871.86 | ||
| Clause 9 | 898.56 | 918.54 | ||
| Schedule 5, Part 3 (Disability allowance income limits) | ||||
| Clause 10 | 660.90 | 675.60 | ||
| Clause 11 | 823.31 | 843.78 | ||
| Clause 12 | 1,225.95 | 1,256.07 | ||
| Clause 13 | 921.73 | 942.23 | ||
| Clause 14 | 971.14 | 992.74 | ||
Part 2 Increases to superannuation entitlements
| Provision amended | Old amount ($) | New amount ($) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule 1, Part 1 (Rates generally) | ||||
| Clause 1(a) | 621.54 | 627.14 | ||
| Clause 1(b) | 571.72 | 576.80 | ||
| Clause 1(c) | 472.27 | 476.47 | ||
| Clause 3 | 55.35 | 56.58 | ||
| Schedule 1, Part 2 (Rates saved by Schedule 1AA) | ||||
| Clause 1(a) | 922.82 | 952.94 | ||
| Clause 1(b) | 895.38 | 903.42 | ||
Rachel Hayward,
Clerk of the Executive Council.
Explanatory note
This note is not part of the order but is intended to indicate its general effect.
This order, which comes into force on 1 April 2025, increases a range of benefits, allowances, asset limits, superannuation entitlements, etc, that are payable on and after that date. The increases reflect both mandatory adjustments and discretionary increases.
Where an annual consumers price index (CPI) increase is required, it reflects the increase of 2.22% in the New Zealand Consumers Price Index from the December 2023 quarter to the December 2024 quarter (calculated for all quarters using the New Zealand Consumers Price Index (All Groups)).
Annual CPI increases are required under section 453 of the Social Security Act 2018 for the following benefits:
jobseeker support:
sole parent support:
supported living payment:
orphan’s benefit:
unsupported child’s benefit:
youth payment and young parent payment:
former widows’ benefit:
former domestic purposes benefit:
long-term hospital patient benefit.
Those increases are set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1.
Annual CPI increases are also required, under section 15 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001, for superannuation entitlements. Those increases may sometimes be more than the CPI increase to meet the requirements (in sections 15(3) and 16 of that Act) that the increases maintain a specified relationship to the net average wage and also maintain the proportional relationship of specified rates. The total of the increases required by both sections 15 and 16 of that Act are set out in Part 2 of Schedule 1.
The discretionary increases made under section 452 of the Social Security Act 2018 are in respect of—
the various asset and income limits that are set out in Schedule 5 of the Social Security Act 2018 for receiving certain benefits and grants:
certain rates payable to superannuitants set out in Schedule 1 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001.
Those increases are set out in Schedule 2.
This order must be confirmed by an Act before the close of 30 June 2026. If it is not confirmed, it will be revoked on the close of that date. See subpart 3 of Part 5 of the Legislation Act 2019.
Date of notification in Gazette: 27 February 2025.
Notes
1 General
This is a consolidation of the Social Security (Rates of Benefits and Allowances) Order 2025 that incorporates the amendments made to the legislation so that it shows the law as at its stated date.
2 Legal status
A consolidation is taken to correctly state, as at its stated date, the law enacted or made by the legislation consolidated and by the amendments. This presumption applies unless the contrary is shown.
Section 78 of the Legislation Act 2019 provides that this consolidation, published as an electronic version, is an official version. A printed version of legislation that is produced directly from this official electronic version is also an official version.
3 Editorial and format changes
The Parliamentary Counsel Office makes editorial and format changes to consolidations using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019. See also PCO editorial conventions for consolidations.
4 Amendments incorporated in this consolidation
Secondary Legislation Confirmation Act 2025 (2025 No 84): section 15