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What measures, if any, has the government used to determine different levels of need between public housing and private rental housing tenants with regards to the reforms to social housing subsidies?

Answered Question 31362 (2026)
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Reply lodged

Asked by

Tamatha Paul

Member for Wellington Central · Green Party

Question

  • What measures, if any, has the government used to determine different levels of need between public housing and private rental housing tenants with regards to the reforms to social housing subsidies?

Answered by

Hon Chris Bishop

Member for Hutt South · National Party · Minister of Housing

Answer

Officials have looked at differences in household circumstances and financial situations between people in social housing and those in private rental housing (and receiving the Accommodation Supplement (AS) and/or Temporary Additional Support (TAS) (including people on and off the Social Housing Register). In general, people in private rentals whose financial circumstances are similar to those in social housing are paying higher net rents after receiving AS and TAS (and therefore have lower relative after-housing cost incomes).