CCS Disability Action’s Analysis of New Zealand Government Budget 2022/2023: Focusing on Disability-related spending

You can find our 2023/24 Budget analysis here.

The article provides CCS Disability Action’s analysis of the New Zealand Government Budget announcement 2022/2023, focusing on disability-related funding. It covers various aspects of the funding announcement such as the Social Development Budget, Learning Support and Education Budget, and Ministry of Health’s National Disability Support Services. The information includes charts and graphs to provide a comprehensive understanding of the budget allocation and its impact on disabled people in New Zealand.

Social Development Budget 2022/2023

Please note that due to the establishment of the new Ministry for Disabled People that this budget has been particularly difficult to analyse given the changing formats and reappropriation of funding.

Information has been taken from the Social Development Vote and the Budget 2022 Fact Sheet.

Relating specifically to the establishment of the new Ministry for Disabled People

The establishment of the new Ministry for Disabled People is a win for the disability community. It is a standalone ministry focused on disability issues and services in Aotearoa. There are four key funding aspects to be aware of specifically regarding the establishment of the new ministry.

• Establishing and operating the new Ministry for Disabled People to realise a true partnership between the disability community and government and help drive ongoing transformation across government with, and for, disabled people – $107.859 million over 4 years.

• Increased funding for community-based services for disabled people to support disabled people to participate in and contribute to their wider community – $11.0 million over 4 years.

• Creating better options for disabled people and their whānau by extending Enabling Good Lives through the Ministry for Disabled People – $100 million over 4 years.

•  Ensuring the new Ministry for Disabled People can continue existing services and develop and deliver the future services that disabled New Zealanders need – $735 million over 5 years.

Both Disability Allowances

For the year been (2021/2022), the Government estimates it spent $411 million on the combined total for both the Child Disability and Disability Allowance (the Government had planned to spend $415 million). 

This means that the Government under spent by $4 million.

For the year 2022/2023, they are planning on spending $417.8 million as the combined total of both disability allowances, which is $2.8 million more than last year.

I think that it’s important to note that in the Budget Child Poverty Report 2022 section (Page 47 of this document) the rates of disabled children and young people who are living in poverty have had the smallest overall reduction of poverty measures. We know that from international data, that raising the child disability allowance does make a meaningful difference in the lives of disabled children. The fact that there has been no meaningful increase to the disability allowances is extremely disappointing.

Child Disability Allowance

For the year been (2021/2022), the Government estimates it spent $115 million on the Child Disability Allowance (the Government had planned to spend $115 million).  So, the Government spent the same amount as planned.

For 2022/2023, the Government plans to spend $122.6 million on the Child Disability Allowance. This is $7.6 million more than they spent last year. This increase in spending does not increase the disability allowance rates, so there has been no change in entitlements.

Disability Allowance

For the year been (2021/2022), the Government estimates it spent $296.7 million on the Disability Allowance (the Government had planned to spend $296.7 million).  So, the Government spent the same amount as they planned.

For 2022/2023, the Government plans to spend $295.3 million on the Disability Allowance. This is $723,000 less than they spent last year.

Click here to view this information in graph and table form.

Promoting Positive Outcomes for Disabled People

For the year been (2021/2022), the Government estimates it spent $9.1 million on the Positive Outcomes for Disabled People (the Government had planned to spend $9.1 million).  So, the Government spent the same amount that they planned to.

For 2022/2023, the Government plans to spend $9.7 million on Positive Outcomes for Disabled People. This is $646,000 more than they spent last year.

Click here to view Promoting Positive Outcomes for Disabled People in graph and table form.

Supported Living Payment

For the year been (2021/2022), the Government estimates it spent $2045.1 million on the Supported Living Payment (the Government had planned to spend $2067.4million).  So, the Government spent $22.4 million less than they planned to.

For 2022/2023, the Government plans to spend $2219 million on the Supported Living Payment. This is $151.6 million more than they spent last year.

Click here to view Supported Living Payment in graph and table form.

Residential-based Support Services

Click here to view Residential Based Support Services in graph and table form.

Connecting and Strengthening Disability Communities

Click here to view Connecting and Strengthening Disability Communities in graph and table form.

Community participation and vocational services

For the year been (2021/2022), the Government estimates it spent $98.6 million on community participation and vocational services (the Government had planned to spend $96.8 million).  So, the Government spent the same amount as planned

For 2022/2023, the Government plans to spend $99.4 million on community participation and vocational services. This is $705,000 more than they spent last year.

Click here to view Community Participation in graph and table form.

Growing Disability and Accessibility Leadership and Advice for Disabled People

This policy initiative was introduced in 2021/2022. The Government to spent $1.065 million in 2021/22, and then for the following four years, $1.701 million, $1.499 million, $1.499 million, and $1.499 million respectively.

Click here to view this information in graph and table form.

Supporting Equitable Pay for Care and Support Workers

For the year been (2021/2022) the Government estimates it spent $16 million on Supporting Equitable Pay for Care and Support Workers (which is the same amount they had planned on spending). For 2022/2023, the Government plans on spending $16 million, so there has been no change in funding for Supporting Equitable Pay for Care and Support Workers.

Click here to view Supporting Equitable Pay for Care and Support Workers in graph and table form.

Learning Support and Education Budget 2022/2023

This information has been taken from the Education Vote 2022/2023.

Learning Support

For the year 2021/2022 the Government estimates that it spent $1055 million on Ministry of Education’s Learning Support (which is less than the amount that they had planned to spend). This includes supports like the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS), the Early Intervention Service, Resource Teachers, and more.

For 2022/23 the Government plans to spend $1052 million on Learning Support. This is $2.7 million less than they planned to spend last year.

Click here to view Learning Support in graph and table form.

Special Needs Interventions

Special Needs Interventions has also seen a $2.4 million drop in planned spending for 2022/23 compared with the 2021/22 budget. We can also see that they underspent in the year 2021/2022.

Special Needs Intervention funding is where the majority of the $2.7M cut has come from.

Click here to view Special Needs Interventions in graph and table form.

Early Intervention Services

Early Intervention Support Services are stable and are projected to have no change in funding for the next four years.

Click here to view Early Intervention Services in graph and table form.

Wait times for the Early Invention Service

In the year been, the Government estimates that children waited 100.38 calendar days on average to access the Early Intervention Service. This is 10.38 calendar days longer than their target of 90 days, and an increase in wait times compared with last year. I suspect the increase in wait times is largely due to the Omicron outbreak.

Ministry of Health’s National Disability Support Services

For the year been (2020/2021), the Government estimates it spent $1659 million on the Ministry of Health’s National Disability Support Services (the Government had planned to spend $1659 million). So, the Government spent the same about they planned to.

For 2021/22, the Government plans to spend $1830 million on Ministry of Health National Disability Support Services. This is $170.5 million more than they spent last year. This is 7.5% of the total spending for the Health Vote.

Click here to view this information in graph and table form.