New Zealand 2026 election: disability support, independence and choice

For your situation, three policy questions are particularly important: will funding be sufficient and predictable, will you qualify for the support you need, and will you retain control over how that support is delivered? Accessible transport and the ability to remain in a rented home are also important parts of independent living.

New Zealand's general election is on Saturday, 7 November 2026. Several parties have published disability-related proposals, but the detail varies considerably. Some have comprehensive commitments; others have not published a dedicated disability policy, so their intentions are harder to assess. Blind Low Vision NZ - Election ResourceDisability Policies of NZ Political PartiesHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?Access 2026: accessibility action plan for the 2026 General Election

The comparison below focuses on the major parties and Opportunity (TOP), using published 2026 policies and independent disability-sector analysis available as of October 2026. It distinguishes announced policies from existing government arrangements and areas where a party's position remains unclear.

1. How the parties compare

The following is a comparison of the positions documented in current election coverage and disability-sector analysis. “Not specified” means the available material does not establish a clear commitment; it does not necessarily mean a party opposes the policy.

Party	Disability funding and eligibility	Individual choice and control
National	Emphasises financial stability, consistent assessments and funding for existing services.	Has announced some restored flexibility in spending, while retaining budget limits and approval requirements for some purchases.
Labour	Proposes a rights-based redesign of the disability support system; detailed future funding and eligibility settings need clarification.	Promises to repeal the current disability support legislation and develop replacement legislation with disabled people.
ACT	No detailed standalone 2026 disability funding or eligibility programme identified in the reviewed analysis.	Emphasises individualised funding, personal autonomy, less bureaucracy and spending accountability.
Green Party	Proposes more accessible income support that covers disability-related living and medical costs, with wider welfare reform.	Supports Enabling Good Lives, expanded individualised funding and fewer restrictive assessment barriers.
New Zealand First	No detailed disability-specific funding or eligibility reform identified.	No detailed current commitment on individualised funding or choice of support workers identified.
Te Pāti Māori	Emphasises Māori-led disability services, whānau wellbeing and structural income and housing reform; detailed funding rules are less developed publicly.	Centres self-determination and decision-making by tāngata whaikaha Māori, whānau, hapū and iwi.
Opportunity (TOP)	Proposes a citizen's income, a disability allowance and needs-based top-ups, alongside wider social-service reform.	Supports choosing your own navigator and connecting disability, health, education and ACC services, but has not detailed a full DSS funding redesign.

Sources: the September 2026 reporting by The Spinoff and the election comparison by Disability Responsiveness New Zealand, published through Deafblind Association New Zealand. Disability Policies of NZ Political PartiesHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?Blind Low Vision NZ - Election Resource

These are different approaches rather than a simple ranking. A party can support personal choice in principle while disagreeing about how much money should be available, who qualifies or how tightly funding should be controlled.

2. What the differences could mean for you

Funding: will support be adequate and reliable?

• National: Its record in government includes $1.1 billion allocated over five years for disability support services in Budget 2024, followed by $240 million over four years in Budget 2025 for residential care. These are historical funding commitments, not a guarantee of what you personally will receive or of future increases. Disability Policies of NZ Political PartiesHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?
• Labour: Its proposed legislative reset makes the future rules a central issue. Ask how it would fund support-worker hours, household assistance and personal care, and whether existing allocations would be protected during the transition. Disability Policies of NZ Political PartiesHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?
• Greens: Their approach links disability support with adequate income, healthcare and the removal of financial barriers. The practical question is how their commitments would be funded and implemented across the country. Disability Policies of NZ Political PartiesHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?
• ACT: Its emphasis on accountability and individualised funding raises a useful question: would people have enough funding to exercise meaningful choice, and what safeguards would prevent unmet needs?
• New Zealand First: Ask whether it would commit to specific increases in disability support funding and how it would respond to rising support costs.
• Te Pāti Māori: Its focus on Māori-led services and whānau wellbeing raises questions about funding directly to community providers and how individuals could access those services.
• Opportunity: Its proposed income reforms include a separate disability allowance and needs-based top-ups. Ask how these would be calculated and whether they would cover the extra costs associated with your impairment.

The distinction to watch is between announcing more money for a service, guaranteeing that eligible people can obtain support, and increasing the amount allocated to each individual. Those are not interchangeable promises.

Eligibility: who decides what support you qualify for?

For you, eligibility matters because you want to remain independent rather than have to wait until you need a more intensive level of care.

• National's current approach emphasises consistent assessments and allocation rules across regions.
• Labour proposes replacing the current disability support legislation with a rights-based framework developed with disabled people.
• The Greens support moving away from restrictive, deficit-based assessments and reducing administrative barriers.
• ACT emphasises simpler processes and accountability, but the reviewed material does not set out a detailed new disability eligibility framework.
• New Zealand First has not specified a comprehensive disability eligibility reform.
• Te Pāti Māori emphasises self-determination and Māori-led provision, with less published technical detail on individual eligibility rules.
• Opportunity's proposed income system would change how income support is delivered, but its wider income reforms should not be confused with a complete replacement for needs-assessed disability services.

Disability Policies of NZ Political PartiesHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?

One important distinction: a general income payment and a disability support allocation serve different purposes. An income payment helps meet ordinary living costs; disability support can pay for particular assistance needed to live independently. A party's income policy alone does not establish how it would assess personal care, household help or other support needs.

3. Accessible transport: a key difference

Green Party

The Greens have promised to restore the 75% Total Mobility taxi subsidy, following its reduction to 65%, and to improve the availability of accessible vehicles. They have also advocated reversing the reduction in Total Mobility support. How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?Greens Offer Votes To National Party For Immediate Relief In Fossil Fuel Crisis

Labour

Labour proposes a weekly public-transport fare cap of $20 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and $10 elsewhere, from 1 July 2027. This would reduce eligible bus, train and some ferry costs, but a lower fare does not by itself guarantee an accessible route or a door-to-door option. Labour's Cost of Living PlanLabour's 2026 Election Policies

Other parties

National, ACT, New Zealand First, Te Pāti Māori and Opportunity have not been identified in the reviewed comparisons as having an equally specific, comparable 2026 commitment on Total Mobility. Some support accessibility or transport improvements more broadly, but ask for explicit funding and delivery commitments. Disability Policies of NZ Political PartiesHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?

For someone who relies on accessible transport, ask parties about more than subsidy percentages:

• Will the Total Mobility subsidy and the number of accessible taxis be maintained or expanded?
• Will funding keep pace with taxi fares and the cost of providing accessible vehicles?
• Will public transport be accessible in practice, including reliable ramps, lifts, stops and connections?
• Will you still be able to reach medical appointments, shops, work and social activities when buses or trains are not a viable option?

Existing government information describes Total Mobility as a subsidised door-to-door service for eligible people, with regional arrangements affecting what is available. Transport and vehiclesTransport and vehicles

4. Renting and remaining independent at home

Accessible housing matters even when you do not own your home. A shortage of suitable rentals, difficulty getting modifications approved, or a lack of help with daily tasks can threaten independence regardless of your disability funding allocation.

Party	Relevant policy direction
National	A refreshed Disability Strategy for 2026–2030, but no specific accessible-rental or enforceable universal-design commitment identified in the reviewed election platform.
Labour	Rights-based disability reform and accessible income support; its specific 2026 accessible-rental commitments are less developed in the reviewed material.
Greens	Supports universal-design standards for new public and private housing, more accessible community housing and stronger renter protections.
ACT	Focuses on increasing housing supply through market-led development; no specific accessible-housing requirement identified.
New Zealand First	Focuses on general housing supply and helping older people remain at home; no explicit universal-design requirement identified.
Te Pāti Māori	Supports Māori-led and community-based housing, including accessible homes that accommodate whānau needs.
Opportunity	Supports accessible public housing and changes to housing design requirements; its wider reforms address structural housing barriers.

Disability Policies of NZ Political PartiesHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?

For your circumstances, the most useful questions are whether a party would:

• Increase the supply of accessible, affordable rental homes.
• Require new homes to meet meaningful accessibility standards.
• Make it easier for renters to obtain reasonable accessibility modifications.
• Ensure support-worker services are available at home, rather than requiring people to move into residential care to get adequate assistance.

These are policy areas where a broad commitment to “more housing” is not necessarily the same as a commitment to accessible housing.

5. Individualised funding: what to look for

Individualised Funding (IF) already exists in New Zealand. It allows eligible people to purchase approved disability supports, including personal care and household assistance, with greater control over who provides support and when. Eligibility depends on assessment and the support allocated to the person. Individualised FundingIndividualised Funding

The important distinction between parties is not simply whether they support “choice”. It is how much real choice you can exercise within your funding allocation.

Consider these questions when reading a party's policy:

• Who controls the budget? Can you choose and manage your own support workers, or must you use approved providers?
• What can funding cover? Are household assistance, personal care, respite and other disability-related needs addressed clearly?
• What happens when needs change? Can funding be reassessed promptly if your mobility deteriorates or your current support arrangements stop working?
• Can you challenge a decision? Are there transparent eligibility criteria, independent reviews and appeal rights?
• Will the funding be enough? Flexibility is of limited value if the allocation cannot cover the support you need.

National's current approach retains allocated budgets and some approval requirements while easing certain restrictions. Labour proposes a different legislative framework developed with disabled people. The Greens explicitly support expanding individualised funding and reducing restrictive assessment barriers. ACT emphasises personal choice and spending accountability. The other parties have less detailed published information on the mechanics of individualised funding. Disability Policies of NZ Political PartiesHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?

6. Questions to put to every party before you vote

The Disabled Persons Assembly, CCS Disability Action and Your Way Kia Roha have asked the main parties questions about disability rights, eligibility, predictable funding, income support and enforceable accessibility standards. Their election scorecard is particularly relevant because it seeks direct answers from the parties rather than relying only on general policy descriptions. The page available when checked said responses were still being collated. Disability Scorecard for 2026 General Election » Disabled Persons Assembly NZ

You could use these five questions to compare party responses consistently:

Your election checklist

0 of 5

Will you guarantee predictable, needs-based funding that is sufficient for people to live independently in their own homes?

Will you protect individualised funding and give disabled people meaningful control over their support workers, schedules and approved purchases?

Will you make eligibility criteria transparent, prevent arbitrary reductions and provide a fair, independent appeals process?

Will you maintain or increase Total Mobility subsidies and improve the availability of accessible transport?

Will you increase accessible rental housing and establish enforceable accessibility standards?

Copy questions for party candidates

7. Where to verify the latest commitments

These sources are useful for checking policy details and updates before election day.

• The Spinoff — disability policy comparison for the 2026 election
• Deafblind Association NZ — party disability policy report
• Disabled Persons Assembly NZ — disability election scorecard
• Disability Support Services — Individualised Funding
• Policy.nz — 2026 party policy comparison

Bottom line

The key differences are between parties emphasising financial stability and consistent administration, parties proposing rights-based changes to disability legislation, and parties advocating wider income, housing or self-determination reforms. Their commitments on accessible transport are also different in specificity.

For your decision, separate the question of whether you support a party's general philosophy from the practical question of whether its published policies would preserve the support, transport access and accessible housing you need to remain independent. Where details are missing, ask for a specific commitment, eligibility rule, funding amount or implementation date rather than assuming the policy will cover your needs.