Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Julie Anne Genter, Associate Minister of Health, announced on 7 July 2019 that changes to Funded Family Care will happen in 2020.

These changes have resulted from a long and sustained campaign by disabled people, their families and organisations including ADL.

The Changes
• Pay rates for family carers will increase from minimum wage to between $20.50 and $25.50 per hour.
• Parents can be paid for caring for children under 18 with high or very high support needs.
• Partners will be eligible to apply as family carers.
• The Government will repeal Part 4A of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act. This restores people’s right to take discrimination complaints about the Funded Family Carers system.
• The employment relationship is being reconsidered, with options that do not place unreasonable expectations on disabled people, their family or whānau.
The assessment process will not change at this stage.

Next Steps
These law changes are planned to be introduced during 2020, and will go through a Select Committee process, which will include public consultation. Watch out for this opportunity to tell the Government what you think!

The media release on the upcoming changes to Funded Family Care is on the New Zealand Government’s website: Government Restore Fairness for Family Carers

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