Notice is given of the making of the following instrument by the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Housing, and the Minister for Social Development and Employment.

A copy of the instrument is available for free at: https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/about-msd/legislation/notice-of-change.html.

This instrument, which comes into force on 2 March 2026, amends the Ministerial Direction on Eligibility for Social Housing and the Ministerial Direction on Continued Eligibility for Social Housing, given on 14 April 2014 and 11 June 2014 respectively under section 102(2) of the Public and Community Housing Management Act 1992.

The amendments give effect to the Social Assistance Legislation (Accommodation Supplement and Income-related Rent) Amendment Act 2025, which also comes into force on 2 March 2026, to ensure that the treatment of payments from boarders and renters and the new process for calculating accommodation income are appropriately captured in the Ministerial directions. This is achieved by:

• inserting and amending relevant definitions to ensure they operate as intended;
• excluding both accommodation income and 38% of any amount received by a person for board and lodging from the definition of ‘income’, to ensure that board and rent received is treated consistently with contributions from additional residents; and
• including weekly accommodation income in Step 2 of the Calculation of Affordability Formula, to ensure that the Affordability Formula is consistent with how accommodation income will be treated when calculating the rate of accommodation supplement from 2 March 2026.

The instrument is secondary legislation for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2019 and is administered by the Ministry of Social Development.

Dated this 2nd day of December 2025.

Hon NICOLA WILLIS, Minister of Finance, Hon CHRIS BISHOP, Minister of Housing and Hon LOUISE UPSTON, Minister for Social Development and Employment.