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I have a long-term health condition that limits my ability to work. I rely on income support and need regular medical appointments. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What party policies would help people on a fixed benefit afford food, housing and power?
For your circumstances, the most relevant question is less “which party is left or right?” and more which policies would leave someone who cannot work full-time with enough disposable income after rent, food, electricity and medical costs.
The 2026 election is on Saturday 7 November 2026. Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026 - Policy.nz
How the major parties compare on those costs
| Party | Fixed-benefit income | Housing | Food | Power | Medical costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | Proposes income support sufficient to meet disability-related living and medical costs, regardless of relationship status/cause. How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election? | The Spinoff | Wants more affordable accessible housing and stronger support for people on low incomes. | Proposes a publicly owned KiwiMart, stronger supermarket regulation, a $150m Fair Food Fund and higher food-grant/food-bank funding. Food For All - The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand | Proposes publicly owned Kiwipower, expanded Warmer Kiwi Homes and community/household solar. Green Party launches plan to cut power bills and take power back from the big energy companies - Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand | Its disability proposal explicitly includes disability-related medical costs; it also supports accessible healthcare. How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election? | The Spinoff |
| Labour | Its prominent 2026 policies don't appear to propose a large increase to the main benefit itself. | Plans to restart Kāinga Ora building under its Start Work Now programme. Labour's 2026 Election Policies | Would ban price gouging on essentials and restructure supermarket wholesale competition. Labour's 2026 Election Policies | SolarSaver would help households, including renters and communities, obtain solar without the upfront cost. Labour's 2026 Election Policies | Three free GP visits a year and removal of the $5 prescription charge, from July 2027. Labour's 2026 Election Policies |
| National | Its current approach is principally targeted welfare and fiscal restraint rather than a substantial expansion of benefit rates. It has no specific disability policy for this election. How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election? | The Spinoff | Current government policy increased maximum Accommodation Supplement rates by $10–$30/week in Budget 2026; other welfare changes have tightened eligibility/calculations. Hansard - New Zealand Parliament | Proposes separating New World and PAK'nSAVE to increase grocery competition. 2026 Election Policy | National Party | Home Energy Fund aimed at helping households become more energy-independent and reduce bills. 2026 Election Policy | National Party | Its 2026 emphasis is on getting more value from existing health funding rather than Labour's free-GP/prescription proposals. |
| ACT | Would tighten medical certification for health/disability benefits and reassess existing recipients, although it says enduring conditions could receive long-term arrangements. ACT New Zealand | Its welfare proposal could direct some long-term Jobseeker payments toward rent and essentials through mandatory electronic money management. ACT New Zealand | No major direct grocery subsidy; relies on competition and welfare targeting. | Wants more electricity generation, easier solar exports and greater competition rather than breaking up the major generators. ACT New Zealand | No equivalent to Labour's proposed free GP/prescription package. |
| NZ First | Says its tax approach is intended to reduce the burden on households and retirees on fixed incomes, but has not put forward a comparable major disability-benefit expansion. Election 2026: Will parties’ tax policies support public health and equity? | PHCC | Its policies focus more on increasing housing supply. | Would break up the supermarket duopoly. NZ First Campaign Policy Announcement: NZ First Will Break Up the Supermarket Duopoly, Bring Food Prices Down for Kiwis - New Zealand First | Would break up the major power companies so they cannot control both generation and retail pricing. Our Policy - NZ First | Has proposed changes to healthcare and medicines, but its current 2026 disability offering is comparatively limited. How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election? | The Spinoff |
| Te Pāti Māori | Emphasises higher incomes, cost-of-living relief and Māori-led disability support. Te Pāti Māori is the assertion of our mana motuhake and our liberation | More public/affordable housing and support for building on Māori whenua. Te Pāti Māori is the assertion of our mana motuhake and our liberation | Its 2026 Kai Sovereignty plan includes an Income Tax Kai Credit for people earning ≤$60,000, worth up to eight weeks of kai per year, plus community food investment. Te Pāti Māori Launches Kai Sovereignty Policy | Scoop News | $1bn Energy Sovereignty Fund for Māori/community-owned energy and stronger action against excessive pricing. We Want Cheaper Power And We Want Our People To Own It. - Te Pāti Māori | Māori-led, whānau-centred health/disability services. Te Pāti Māori is the assertion of our mana motuhake and our liberation |
| Opportunity (TOP) | Proposes a Citizen's Income of up to $370/week ($19,400/year) for adults, replacing existing benefits, plus a universal disability allowance of about $6,000/year and needs-based top-ups. How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election? | The Spinoff | Its broader tax/land policies are intended to affect housing affordability. | Wants stronger Commerce Commission powers against excessive market power. | Supports structural reform rather than a specific benefit for power bills. | Its disability allowance would be additional to the Citizen's Income. How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election? | The Spinoff |
What stands out specifically for someone unable to work
There are three quite different approaches worth distinguishing.
1. Increasing/expanding income support:
The Greens have the clearest explicit commitment among the larger parties to income support that covers disability-related living and medical costs. Te Pāti Māori also puts greater emphasis on higher incomes and direct cost-of-living relief. How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election? | The Spinoff
2. Reducing the costs you have to pay out of the benefit:
Labour's proposals are particularly relevant if regular appointments and prescriptions consume a significant part of your budget: three free GP visits and free prescriptions would directly reduce those expenses. Its grocery price and price-gouging proposals are intended to reduce household costs more generally. Labour's 2026 Election Policies
3. Changing the benefit system itself:
ACT is notably different. It proposes more scrutiny of health/disability benefit eligibility, including independent medical certification and reassessment, although it says people with genuine enduring conditions can receive long-term arrangements. For someone dependent on a health-related benefit, that's an important policy difference to examine carefully. ACT New Zealand
Opportunity is another substantial departure: rather than primarily modifying existing benefits, it proposes replacing them with a universal Citizen's Income plus a disability allowance and needs-based top-ups. How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election? | The Spinoff
A useful way to assess the policies for yourself
Given what you've described, I'd put these five questions to each party:
- How much would I actually receive each week if I cannot work because of my health condition?
- Would that amount change depending on whether I live alone, with a partner, or with family?
- What would happen to Accommodation Supplement or other housing assistance?
- How much would I save on GP visits, prescriptions, transport to appointments and other health-related costs?
- What happens if my condition stays the same for 5–10 years — do I have secure support, or must I repeatedly prove that I'm still eligible?
That last question is particularly important because the current government has introduced mandatory reviews affecting some Supported Living Payment recipients, and there have been documented cases of payments being wrongly suspended because of processing problems. PM and Upston said no benefits were cut after law change - they were wrong
I would not tell you which party to vote for. But based strictly on the policies above, you can see that the parties are offering quite different answers to your underlying problem: raise the income floor, reduce essential expenses, reform housing/food/power markets, or tighten the welfare system while relying more on employment and competition.
If you want, I can next make this much more concrete by comparing what each party proposes for a single person on Supported Living Payment renting privately, including benefit income, rent assistance, food, electricity, GP visits and prescriptions.
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