3 December 2025
M.R.M
[FYI request #32773 email] Tēnā koe M.R.M
Official Information Act request
Thank you for your email of 7 November 2025, requesting information about
•
Please advise me under the OIA, what is the current “base rate” for Area 1,
Area 2, Area 4 and Area 4 relative to the formula used by the Ministry of
social Development work and income offices to calculate accommodation
supplement entitlement.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Please find my decision on your request set out below.
The four areas used for the calculation of Accommodation Supplement (AS) do not
impact the base rate. However, the AS Areas do impact the maximum amount of
AS payable to a person. As such the Ministry does not hold the data for the base
rate broken down by area, as this is not how it is calculated.
The base rate, defined
in regulation 17 of the Social Security Regulations 2018, is
used as an indicator of a person’s income and used to determine the minimum
amount a client must pay towards their accommodation costs themselves before
being eligible to receive the AS (also known as the entry threshold).
The base rate is the relevant adult benefit rate for beneficiaries or the relevant
rate of New Zealand Superannuation/Veteran’s Pension for superannuitants, and,
if applicable, the maximum annual rate of Family Tax Credit with respect to the
eldest dependent child who is under 16 years old (divided by 52). For working
households, the non-beneficiary base rate uses the appropriate rate of Jobseeker
Support rate. The entry threshold is either 25 percent (for renters or boarders) or
30 percent (for homeowners) of the base rate.
The formula used to calculate AS is set out in the Social Security Act 2018 and
Social Security Regulations 2018. General information about the formula used to
calculate the amount of AS a person will receive is available here:
•
www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/income-support/extra-
help/accommodation-supplement/calculating-rate-general-formula-
01.html
The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wellington
– Telephone 04-916 3300 – Facsimile 04-918 0099
To be able to best assist you with your query, you may find the current Benefit
rates summary useful as of 1 April 2025, which summarises our main benefits and
their entry thresholds. I am also providing you with links from “Map” from our
Work and Income website that includes the operational policy guidelines that our
staff follow. Map contains our main benefit rates, Family Tax Credit rates, entry
thresholds and maximum rates, which you may find useful.
•
www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/documents/deskfile/benefit-rate-
summaries/benefitratesummary-2025-04-01.pdf
•
www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/deskfile/main-benefits-rates/index.html
•
www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/deskfile/extra-help-information/family-
tax-credit-tables/family-tax-credit-rates-current.html
•
www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/deskfile/extra-help-
information/accommodation-supplement-tables/entry-thresholds-and-
maximum-rates.html
I will be publishing this decision letter, with your personal details deleted, on the
Ministry’s website in due course.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email]. If you are not satisfied with my decision on your request, you have the right to
seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to
make a complaint is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui
pp.
Anna Graham
General Manager Ministerial and Executive Services
