Currently around one in four New Zealanders have a disability and this percentage is rising because of the ageing of the population. In recent months, the government has made significant changes to how support is provided to the disability sector, aiming to streamline services and reduce costs. As part of this restructure, some ‘purchasing rules’ were issued, outlining that funding must now be used for things that directly support a disabled person and allow them to be more independent.

We asked respondents if they were running New Zealand and had $100, how much of this money they would spend to support six ‘vulnerable groups’ in the population.

• Three of these six groups were given most of the $100.

• One of these was people with disabilities; in fact, it was one of the ‘top two’.

We also asked opinions about the impact of the government’s ‘purchasing rules’ on the lives of both disabled people and the people who care for them, including their mental, and physical wellbeing, ability to be independent, and general quality of life.

Overall, roughly three times as many people felt that both groups would be ‘very negatively’ impacted in some way by the new ‘purchasing rules’ (61%) as thought they would not really be impacted (17%).

• Carers were as likely to be very negatively impacted as were people with disabilities.

• However, about one-third of respondents chose to give a response in-between these two extremes, saying people with disabilities and/or their carers would just be moderately impacted.

For example, in relation to the impact on quality of life, twice as many people felt that both groups would be ‘very negatively’ impacted by the new purchasing rules, as thought they would not be impacted.

This survey of 1,008 respondents aged 18 years and over was conducted online, from 26-30 September, 2024. The maximum margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent (at the 95 percent confidence level). The sample has been weighted by gender and age to ensure the results are representative of the population 18 years plus based on these demographic criteria. The survey was not undertaken on behalf of any organisation, but as part of Rangahau Aotearoa Research New Zealand’s social poll of New Zealanders’ opinions about topical issues.

The topic

In recent months, the government has made significant changes to how support is provided to the disability sector, aiming to streamline services and reduce costs.

As part of this restructure, responsibility for disability support services has shifted from Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People, to the Ministry of Social Development. As well as this restructure, the government reviewed the funding that is available for disabled people and their carers.

As a result of this review, some ‘purchasing rules’ were issued, outlining what funding can and cannot be used for. In summary, funding must now be used for things that directly support a disabled person and allow them to be more independent.

For example, the funding may be used to pay for:

• Approved things that help disabled people live their lives (such as noise-cancelling headphones and weighted blankets).

• The wages of someone providing temporary care while the full-time carer of a disabled person takes a break. In contrast, funding must not be used to pay for:

• Travel-related costs for disabled people, whānau or support worker/s such as accommodation and food.

• Gifts and thank-you’s for voluntary support provided.

• Things that are not a necessary part of supporting a disabled person while their full-time carer is taking a break (e.g., self-care services, such as massages for carers).

Some people are concerned that these new ‘purchasing rules’ will have a negative impact on disabled people and their carers.

The survey

A nationally-representative sample of n=1,008 New Zealanders, 18 years of age and over were interviewed online between 26-30 September 2024.

We asked two questions, first:

“One of the hallmarks of a democratic society is that governments support and take care of those groups in their populations that can be described as ‘vulnerable’. However, governments need to make choices, because available funding is often limited.

With this in mind, if you were running New Zealand and had $100, how much of this money would you spend to support and take care of the following groups in the population?”

• People who have a disability 
• People who are homeless 
• People who can’t get a job 
• People who are elderly 
• People with young families 
• People with mental health issues.

The second question focused on disabled people and the people who care for them. Half the respondents were asked to think about the potential negative impact on disabled people of the changes to the government’s ‘purchasing rules’, while the other half were asked about the impact on the people who care for disabled people.

“In your personal opinion, to what extent do you believe each of the following aspects of disabled people’s/disabled people’s carers lives will be negatively impacted as a result of the government’s ‘purchasing rules’? Use a scale from 1-5, where 1 is not impacted at all and 5 is severely impacted.”

• Their physical wellbeing 
• Their mental wellbeing 
• Their general quality of life 
• Their ability to be more independent 
• Carer’s ability to support disabled people* 
• Disabled people’s ability to be part of society*.

*Only asked of half the respondents.

High-level findings – there is public concern that the recent changes will impact people with disabilities, as well as their carers

First of all, we put respondents into a hypothetical situation where they could give up to $100 between six ‘vulnerable’ groups in society. We then focused on disabled people and their carers, asking if the recent ‘purchasing rules’ would have a negative impact on them.

The high-level findings are as follows:

• Three of these six groups were given most of the $100. One of these was people with disabilities; in fact, it was one of the ‘top two’. 
• Focusing on people with disabilities, roughly three times as many people felt that people with disabilities and/or their carers would be very negatively impacted by the new ‘purchasing rules’, as thought they would not really be impacted. 
• Carers were as likely to be very negatively impacted as were people with disabilities. 
• However, about one-third of respondents chose to give a response in-between these two extremes, saying people with disabilities and/or their carers would just be moderately impacted.

Comment 

“People with disabilities are clearly a group in our society that many of us care about, along with other ‘vulnerable’ groups. 

With this in mind, it is concerning that many respondents felt the ‘purchasing rules’ will have a negative impact on people with disabilities, as well as those who care for them. The key areas of concern are around their mental health, quality of life and their ability to be independent. 

Therefore, it’s unfortunate that a policy aiming to ‘make lives better’ is seen by many as potentially having an adverse impact on one of the most vulnerable groups in our society.” 

Rangahau Aotearoa | Research New Zealand Managing Partner, Emanuel Kalafatelis.

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