Patch 2025.02
February 2025 update
This month, wages, benefits and support payments rise, Community Services Card access expands, ACC levy rates change, and three areas open for conditional game hunting.
- Minimum hourly pay goes up — Minimum hourly pay rises to $23.50 for adults and $18.80 for starting-out workers and trainees. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Benefits and allowances increase — A range of benefits, allowances, asset limits and superannuation entitlements increase. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- ACC earners’ levy rates change — ACC sets earners’ levy amounts for the tax year beginning 1 April 2025. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Family violence legal protections strengthened — The law strengthens legal protections for victims of family violence, with the start date set later. Starts Date to be set
- More people qualify for Community Services Cards — Income limits for getting a Community Services Card increase, helping some people qualify. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Student allowances and limits increase — Student grant rates and income thresholds increase, with changes to reductions for some single students under 24. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Several support payments increase — Funeral grants, temporary help, childcare subsidies and some caregiver payments increase, along with some income limits. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Caregivers get higher board payments — Minimum weekly payments rise for people and organisations caring for children or young people placed with them. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Care home allowances increase — Annual clothing allowances and weekly personal allowances increase for people receiving residential care or disability support. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- More time for some FamilyBoost claims — Some parents with late tax returns get until 31 March 2025 to apply for earlier FamilyBoost refunds. Starts 26 Feb 2025
- Three new areas added for game hunting — Three Northland, Wellington, and Central South Island areas are added to places where certain wildlife may be hunted under conditions. Starts 3 May 2025
- New test for large rental developments — A new test applies when overseas investors seek consent for large rental developments. Starts 25 Feb 2025
- Trade-mark registration rules change — The rules for matching international and New Zealand trade-mark registrations change. Starts 27 Mar 2025
- Motor vehicle ACC levy rules change — Rules for ACC levies linked to motor vehicles change. Starts 1 Jul 2025
- ACC experience-rating rules change — Rules for ACC experience rating change. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- ACC Work Account levy rules change — Rules for ACC Work Account levies change. Starts 1 Apr 2025
- Five countries added to tax-reporting list — Armenia, Jordan, Rwanda, Senegal, and Tunisia become reportable jurisdictions for financial-account information. Starts 31 Mar 2025
- Russia sanctions list and period change — New people and entities are covered, and the sanctions regime is extended to 17 March 2028. Starts 21 Feb 2025
- Summerset Rotorua project area expands — More land is added to the geographical description of the Summerset Rotorua fast-track project. Starts 13 Feb 2025
- Game hunting licences and fees change — New licence classes, conditions and fees apply for the 2025–26 game-hunting season. Starts 13 Mar 2025
- Ō-Rākau settlement provisions take effect — The Act gives effect to certain provisions of the Ō-Rākau deed relating to the Ō-Rākau site. Starts 25 Feb 2025
- Two infrastructure companies change names — Government records update the names and financial powers of two infrastructure companies. Starts 21 Feb 2025
- Taranaki Maunga settlement takes effect — The Act gives effect to Taranaki Maunga collective redress arrangements. Starts 2 Feb 2025