# Question 32: I'm a sole parent with a preschool child, renting and working part time. Childcare costs and support rules affect how many hours I can take on. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. Which party policies could help with food, power and essentials for a sole-parent household, and who would qualify?

Collected 23 October 2026

[NZ Election 2026 · Edition 5 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/5)

## ChatGPT

Answer ID: 50c188a7-3c02-4f3d-8cff-1433fd0aac91

# 2026 New Zealand election: policies affecting food, power and essentials

For a sole parent who rents, works part-time and has a preschool child, three things are especially important when comparing party policies:

- Money available each week: benefits, tax credits and help with living costs.
- The cost of essentials: groceries, electricity, heating and household bills.
- The cost of working more hours: childcare subsidies and whether extra earnings reduce your existing support.

The important distinction is that some policies could put money directly into your household budget, while others aim to reduce prices for everyone. Eligibility also matters: a policy that benefits all shoppers may not save you as much as one specifically designed for lower-income families.

New Zealand's general election is on Saturday 7 November 2026, with advance voting from 26 October. The comparisons below use published election policies available as of 23 October 2026. Some are proposed changes, not current entitlements. [Policies for Party vote - NZ Election 2026](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/economy)[Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)

## 1. What each party is proposing

These are relevant examples, not a complete list of every party's policies. I've separated direct household support from longer-term plans that may affect prices.

### Food and everyday essentials

![Why fruit and veg prices are going up way faster than processed food | RNZ News](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/mFLA9LFdCt-b2091iTcCPm3ylqJZVz8jzytrYpK63pWQkXZxmN_hy5T_t26IX1lyOwvzP9_c5QxaLkIfMsyXokbPMe8XnbzTuBAVv5S4la3Jpq1tNA93UKyL385oJgeRfPqduQTbrXFeoDhgRielTY5Vy-jKlky8mzOp0VbKBgA?purpose=inline)

Labour — grocery competition and price-gouging rules

Labour proposes to increase competition in the grocery market by opening up wholesale supply, and to make it illegal for large companies to overcharge for essentials.

Who could benefit: all households buying groceries, including renters and sole parents. There is no stated low-income eligibility test for these general market reforms. Lower prices are an intended outcome, not a guaranteed saving for each shopper.

Source: [Labour's 2026 policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)

![Shop with dignity | Stories | GoGenerosity](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/yZVIBy0Im72hDC36W7PHDxXY95HCNTOIyBMXxQamKIUhaZaghrmf4rmigvke0VkE-yvVrlYxCzO2vBluIqeXDAvBF4Xc0Tp_7GSGx44tS9zPGwkEYXvro6LsHIX-NQdIfhTDNRHysx3iygSN7kUghM7QGun9_uiRftRlhaB16es?purpose=inline)

Green Party — stronger action on affordability

The Greens' wider economic approach includes an Income Guarantee proposal in its published policy material. The idea is to establish a minimum income after tax, rather than relying only on existing benefit and tax-credit arrangements.

Who could benefit: people whose income falls below the proposed guarantee, depending on the final policy rules. Check the latest manifesto for the current amount, eligibility, and interaction with existing benefits before treating it as a firm entitlement.

Source: [Green Party policy and manifesto](https://www.greens.org.nz/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [Greens welcome paid parental leave increase, urge Govt to go further](https://www.greens.org.nz/greens_welcome_paid_parental_leave_increase_urge_govt_to_go_further)[National's welfare policy is cruel](https://www.greens.org.nz/national_s_welfare_policy_is_cruel)

![Fresh vegetables on counter with family in background.](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/MpVfWvWmxEfNvNpl5KbrRqxhJG2wcdq6zoyuN9NkSi6jmcd_Ex-phJCPtqqyruILXTANlEr1hpf-rSDTpbiok9xMK-vrDyDOfrafV5jbgO6M-wdoh1rgHj0eXceAfi0slJLvNssm0Djkvaqu3CyskTghnEENMY9FzO6tQYYUrN4U71A-WzLyzApT-zDDAZmE?purpose=inline)

National — economic and fiscal approach

National emphasises controlling government spending, growing the economy and increasing competition and investment, including in energy.

Who could benefit: households generally if these measures lead to sustainable price or income improvements. This is not a targeted grocery payment, and there is no guaranteed weekly food allowance attached to this approach.

Source: [National Party policies](https://www.national.org.nz/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [Speech Christopher Luxon](https://www.national.org.nz/news/20251123-hon-christopher-luxon-speech-marking-two-years-in-government)

### Power, heating and energy costs

![Hybrid Solar System Orewa
 – AA Solar](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/6Zi06Z4hboaFnZ4mUBDYOKxw-No3ZYTGqvtuAE0qm5wHVRTjRYf9ZVwpMns9MiS1GtvghMNyHyWYoGCCTA7iqYv3JZjlrQBDKmo-1zfcWIPCpq-Zn08akrDyEhXyWwxiGDD82-90vNHfvVUBSDHrqiEqOop2XiCBEmfy13Y8vhg?purpose=inline)

Green Party — public power company and warmer homes

The Greens propose establishing Kiwipower, expanding home-insulation and heating assistance, offering zero-interest loans for solar and batteries, and enabling renters to access plug-in solar.

Who could benefit: households using electricity, including some renters and lower-income households. Expanded targeted home upgrades could be particularly relevant to eligible low-income households, but loan eligibility, landlord permission and installation costs still matter. Not every renter would automatically receive a payment or cheaper bill.

Source: [Green Party energy policy](https://www.greens.org.nz/green_party_launches_plan_to_cut_power_bills_and_take_power_back_from_the_big_energy_companies?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [Green Party launches plan to cut power bills and take power back from the big energy companies](https://www.greens.org.nz/green_party_launches_plan_to_cut_power_bills_and_take_power_back_from_the_big_energy_companies)

![Far North residents urged to beware of fake power installers - NZ Herald](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/lgM5hynYMZew7-5WnGoV-as0KTXN0R67D2XyBpC872u9VFT7EqtW224W9b_Mfbkru_W1DzGJV3UPwnMA6I-6UfiDp0nhzFhcTqKokad4Zg1T3wUlpVN7q4TzSkxaXuOni_hyA2hYjJKR32lQNCR1uh990Yd6ayOWoQ42HDXQuKc?purpose=inline)

Labour — SolarSaver

Labour proposes supporting households to adopt solar power without having to pay all the upfront costs themselves, using assistance and financing schemes.

Who could benefit: homeowners, and potentially renters or households served by community batteries, depending on the scheme's final design. This is mainly an energy-cost investment, not immediate cash for food or rent.

Source: [Labour's 2026 policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)[The politics of power: Comparing energy policies ahead of Election 2026](https://minterellison.co.nz/insights/the-politics-of-power-comparing-energy-policies-ahead-of-election-2026)

![Wellington, New Zealand. Power pylons, wind turbines and hilly farmland. View towards Mākara from the Skyline Northern Walkway.](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/_NPy1FYsrQIvYT5vEtNvVCHTIx-jh3GJP-oXI3T-Q_mgkxyuEo3u3czSMYHesHVfnOwh6GfkzVfnMAW8KlijJVjy3p1TuTNH23FiFsC_P8QAJGjXTKw5g-eFJpYM1hpehDaLKn8KtGNrXMqZBi7y_p8Ug5o8Ga7R0fONqXEIAURfzrc6OsqJoPuVOJmhBdbp?purpose=inline)

National, ACT and NZ First — more energy supply and market reform

Their energy-policy approaches include increasing investment and electricity generation, while NZ First has proposed breaking up the large electricity generator-retailers. The parties differ in how they would achieve affordability.

Who could benefit: electricity customers generally, if the reforms increase supply or competition and reduce costs. These are market-wide measures, not direct assistance restricted to sole parents.

Source: [2026 energy policy comparison](https://minterellison.co.nz/insights/the-politics-of-power-comparing-energy-policies-ahead-of-election-2026?utm_source=chatgpt.com). [The politics of power: Comparing energy policies ahead of Election 2026](https://minterellison.co.nz/insights/the-politics-of-power-comparing-energy-policies-ahead-of-election-2026)

### Getting to work and managing family expenses

Labour also proposes a public-transport fare cap: a maximum of $20 a week in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and $10 elsewhere, from 1 July 2027. It could help if you use public transport to get to work or childcare, but it would not reduce childcare fees directly. [Labour's 2026 Election Policies](https://www.labour.org.nz/policy)

The key question across these policies is whether a benefit is automatic, means-tested, dependent on your work hours, or dependent on a scheme being established after the election. Those differences can matter more than the headline announcement.

## 2. Current support you may qualify for as a sole parent

These existing entitlements may be more immediately relevant to your weekly budget than election promises.

| Current support | Who may qualify and why it matters |
| --- | --- |
| Sole Parent Support | Generally for single parents aged 20 or older with a dependent child under 14 who meet residency requirements and lack adequate financial support. It can be paid alongside part-time work, subject to income deductions and obligations. [Sole Parent Support](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/sole-parent-support.html?hc_location=ufi) |
| Childcare Subsidy | For eligible lower- or middle-income families with a child under 5 attending an approved early childhood service. If you work, study or train, up to 50 hours weekly may be covered, depending on eligibility and circumstances. [Childcare Subsidy](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/childcare-subsidy.html?source=post_page---------------------------) |
| Working for Families | Tax credits for eligible caregivers, including the Family Tax Credit and potentially the In-work Tax Credit. Amounts and eligibility depend on family income, work circumstances and other rules. [Working for Families](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/working-for-families.html)[Can you get Working for Families?](https://www.ird.govt.nz/working-for-families/can-you-get-it) |
| Accommodation Supplement | Help with rent for eligible households who meet the income, asset and accommodation-cost rules. Sole parents can qualify; the amount depends partly on their location and rent. [Accommodation Supplement](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/accommodation-supplement) |
| Minimum Family Tax Credit | For eligible working families with low incomes. A sole parent must generally work at least 20 hours a week in paid employment and meet the applicable income rules. [Minimum family tax credit](https://www.ird.govt.nz/working-for-families/types/minimum-family-tax-credit) |
| Urgent food assistance | Work and Income may be able to help with immediate essential costs. Eligibility and the type of assistance depend on your circumstances; ask about food assistance if you are struggling to afford groceries. |

Official links: [Sole Parent Support](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/sole-parent-support.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Childcare Subsidy](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/childcare-subsidy.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [Working for Families](https://www.ird.govt.nz/working-for-families?utm_source=chatgpt.com), and [Accommodation Supplement](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/accommodation-supplement?utm_source=chatgpt.com).

### Why your childcare and working hours deserve particular attention

Work and Income's current Sole Parent Support rules generally allow earnings of up to $160 a week before the benefit is reduced. If you pay for childcare while working, the threshold may be as high as $180 a week, depending on your costs. Above the applicable threshold, deductions increase as earnings rise. [Sole parent support - deduction tables](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/on-a-benefit/tell-us/income/deduction-tables/sole-parent-support)

That means a party's general promise to encourage people into work may not address your main concern: whether taking on additional hours will leave you better off after childcare fees, tax and reductions in assistance.

When comparing party proposals, look specifically for:

- Changes to childcare subsidies, including income thresholds and the number of subsidised hours.
- Changes to benefit abatement rates and the treatment of childcare expenses.
- Changes to Working for Families payments and minimum-income guarantees.
- Help for renters facing high energy bills, rather than schemes that mainly assist homeowners.

## 3. How to compare the policies against your own circumstances

The independent election guide [Policy.nz](https://policy.nz/2026/party-vote/policies/economy?utm_source=chatgpt.com) lets you compare the parties' published positions. For your situation, I would compare the detailed policies on incomes and employment, housing, the economy and energy alongside the childcare rules.

A useful way to assess each proposal is to ask:

1. How much could it change my weekly budget? Distinguish a direct payment from a possible future reduction in market prices.
2. Would I qualify as a part-time worker renting with one preschool child? Look for income thresholds, work-hour minimums, residency requirements and asset limits.
3. When would it start? A measure beginning in 2028 will not solve an immediate shortfall in 2026.
4. What happens if I work more? Check whether the policy improves the financial return from additional hours after childcare and lost assistance.

No party's published headline policy alone establishes exactly how much better off your household would be. That requires the detailed eligibility rules and, ideally, a household-specific calculation.

## 4. One detail that would help narrow this down

Are you currently receiving Sole Parent Support, or are you supporting yourself through part-time wages and Working for Families without a main benefit?

That distinction matters because it changes which income rules and policy proposals are most relevant to your household.

## Gemini

Answer ID: 95f05701-d168-4e7a-b538-486781f5854d

For a sole parent working part-time, renting, and raising a preschooler, the major political parties approach the cost of living, food, power, and household essentials through different mechanisms—primarily targeting tax relief, benefit/working-for-families adjustments, market regulation (such as power and supermarkets), or expanded public services. 

Because party platforms feature distinct philosophies, how each policy affects your household—and whether you would qualify—depends on the specific approach taken.

---

### 1. National Party / Current Government Settings
* **Focus:** Economic restraint, shifting work incentives, and targeted family/parent support rather than broad-brush price controls.
* **Key Policies:**
  * **Family & Parental Support:** Proposals include expanded parental leave flexibility and targeted support to help sole parents transition into or maintain part-time/full-time work. 
  * **Cost-of-Living Approach:** Focuses on controlling government spending to curb inflation rather than blanket subsidies or removing GST from food. 
* **Who Qualifies:** Sole parents engaging with employment support frameworks, and families meeting criteria for existing Working for Families tax credits and accommodation payments.

### 2. New Zealand Labour Party
* **Focus:** Strengthening public services, targeted healthcare/transport access, and alternative revenue systems.
* **Key Policies:**
  * **Healthcare & Essentials:** Proposes targeted revenue measures (such as a capital gains tax on investment property, excluding the family home) to ring-fence funding for public health and free GP visits (via initiatives like a Medicard). 
  * **Cost of Living:** Opposes broad consumption taxes changes like GST removal, instead prioritizing investment into public services, community food support networks, and easing the cost of getting around.
* **Who Qualifies:** Low-to-middle-income earners, renters, and families utilizing public health and community-level food security programs.

### 3. Green Party
* **Focus:** Direct income support, poverty reduction, and free or heavily subsidized foundational services.
* **Key Policies:**
  * **Essentials & Services:** Proposes major investments including free public transport, universal free dental care, and expanded Early Childhood Education (ECE). For a sole parent with a preschooler, free ECE and transport directly lower household overhead.
  * **Market Regulation:** Advocates for tighter regulatory controls on concentrated markets like supermarkets, banks, and energy companies to lower grocery and power bills.
  * **Taxation Shift:** Funds these through a wealth tax on net assets over $10 million (excluding the family home) alongside income-tax adjustments that benefit lower-income brackets.
* **Who Qualifies:** Broadly targets low- and middle-income families, renters, and parents with children in early childhood education.

### 4. New Zealand First (NZ First)
* **Focus:** Relief for fixed-income and low-income families via specific tax thresholds and infrastructure management.
* **Key Policies:**
  * **Tax Reform:** Proposes establishing a tax-free threshold on the first $14,000 of income to directly assist lower-income workers. 
  * **Food and Rates:** Has historically voiced support or explored targeted relief like removing GST from basic foods or local council rates to assist household essentials.
* **Who Qualifies:** Part-time workers earning under or around the proposed tax-free thresholds.

### 5. Te Pāti Māori
* **Focus:** Radical economic restructuring to alleviate poverty for whānau and children.
* **Key Policies:**
  * **Tax & Food:** Proposes a $30,000 tax-free income threshold and the complete removal of GST from all food. 
  * **Services:** Advocates for sweeping investments in community-led whānau services, housing, and free public transport for low-income and community card holders.
* **Who Qualifies:** Low-income earners and whānau meeting low-income thresholds who would benefit immediately from a food-GST exemption and tax-free threshold.

---

### Summary Checklist for Your Household
As a **part-time working renter with a preschooler**, look closely at how each party’s package interacts with your situation:
* **Food Costs:** Parties proposing GST removal on food (like NZ First or Te Pāti Māori) offer immediate checkout-price relief, whereas others favor income-tax adjustments or targeted community food security grants.
* **Power & Essentials:** Left-of-center parties (Greens, Labour) lean toward heavy market intervention/regulation on energy and supermarket duopolies, while right-of-center parties (National, ACT) emphasize overall macroeconomic management and individual tax/work incentives.
* **Preschooler & Childcare:** Parties proposing expanded or free ECE (such as the Greens) directly reduce your largest weekly hurdle outside of rent, freeing up hours for part-time work without heavy childcare penalties.

Are there specific household costs—such as power bills, grocery expenses, or finding more flexible childcare hours—that you are weighing most heavily when deciding your vote?

## Google AI Mode

Answer ID: 50c208ce-0e63-49f0-bdc8-76422e1b37ea

Navigating the cost of living as a sole parent working part-time with a preschooler involves balancing childcare availability, abatement rates (how much assistance is reduced as you earn more), and direct expenses like food and power.

Different political parties approach these pressures through distinct economic levers—ranging from tax-free thresholds and GST removals to direct income/family support and market interventions.

An overview of major approaches proposed across the political spectrum for the 2026 general election highlights how different policies target essentials and who typically qualifies:

1\. Tax Relief and Low-Income Thresholds

 * * **Green Party:** Proposes introducing a tax-free income threshold (e.g., the first

$

10

,

000

earned is tax-free) paired with high-income/wealth adjustments.
 * _Who qualifies:_ Everyone who earns an income, with low-to-middle income earners (including part-time workers) benefiting proportionally more from the bottom tax-free bracket.

 * **Te Pāti Māori:** Proposes restructuring tax brackets significantly and implementing a wealth tax on high net-worth individuals to reduce the tax burden on low- and middle-income families.
 * _Who qualifies:_ Low- and middle-income workers, providing larger disposable income margins for household essentials. [RNZ]

 * **ACT / National:** Tend to focus on broader income tax-scale adjustments, inflation-pegged tax threshold shifts, or family-targeted support (such as expansions to Working for Families or parental provisions) rather than sweeping universal basic incomes.
 * _Who qualifies:_ Families and individuals paying income tax within the adjusted thresholds or meeting specific Working for Families criteria.

 *

2\. Reducing Food Costs (GST and Market Competition)

 * * **Green Party / Some minor parties:** Propose removing GST entirely from basic food items (kai/groceries).
 * _Who qualifies:_ Universal; any shopper buying groceries at the checkout saves the 15% GST component on qualifying staple foods. [Policy.nz]

 * **Labour / Market Regulation Proposals:** Focus on cracking down on supermarket duopolies, introducing consumer protection against price gouging, or creating bodies to monitor and streamline supermarket competition to lower checkout prices.
 * _Who qualifies:_ All New Zealand consumers.

 *

3\. Power and Utilities Relief

 * * **Left/Progressive blocs (e.g., Greens, Labour-aligned policies):** Often advocate for restructuring the electricity market, introducing targeted winter energy payment expansions, or direct power bill rebates/subsidies for low-income households.
 * _Who qualifies:_ Typically targeted at beneficiaries, low-income households, or community link cardholders, which may include part-time earning sole parents depending on the precise income cutoff.

 * **Centre/Right blocs (e.g., National, ACT):** Generally favor boosting overall economic growth and increasing energy supply/competition through regulatory reform rather than direct price controls or universal subsidies, arguing that market-driven supply lowers costs more sustainably.

 *

4\. Childcare and Working Part-Time Abatements

 * * How many hours you can work part-time without losing critical support depends heavily on **Working for Families** thresholds and benefit abatement rates.

 * Parties on the left generally favor increasing Working for Families abatements thresholds, raising baseline benefit/working assistance levels, and expanding free or subsidized early childhood education (ECE) hours.

 * Parties on the right typically focus on incentivizing full or increased workforce participation through graduated tax incentives, making childcare support more targeted to work-tests, or rewarding transitions off supplementary assistance.

 *

You can compare specific electorate and party positions in detail using the non-partisan [Policy.nz 2026 Election Tool](https://policy.nz/).

If you would like to narrow this down further, let me know:

 * Whether your part-time income primarily comes from a **main benefit (like the Sole Parent Support)** or strictly **independent wages**
 * If you are mostly interested in **direct cash/tax boosts** versus **free public services (like childcare/GP visits)**

I can help outline how specific party platforms map directly onto your financial structure.

## AI Overviews

Answer ID: 536a1dd8-1532-422b-bb8a-4dc488321a1d

For the **2026 New Zealand general election** , major political parties have put forward distinct policy platforms tailored to the **cost of living** , which is the leading concern for voters.

As a working, renting sole parent with a preschool child, your eligibility for support is closely tied to your income and working hours. The current system requires a **part-time work test of 20 hours per week** once your youngest child turns three.

Here is how the competing party policies propose to assist with your everyday essentials, food, power, and childcare:

📊 Quick Comparison of 2026 Party Proposals

Party| Essentials & Cost of Living Support| Childcare & Family Payments| Who Qualifies?
---|---|---|---
**National**| • No new taxes
• Up to **$120/week** childcare support| • **$1,500 KiwiSaver Baby Boost**
• **30 weeks** Paid Parental Leave| • Working families and parents of newborns.
**Labour**| • **3 free GP visits** & free prescriptions
• Public transport capped at **$20/week**
• Crackdown on supermarket pricing| • Focus on maintaining a qualified early childhood workforce.| • Broadly available to all NZ residents; target workforce incentives.
**Green Party**| • First **$10,000 earned is tax-free**
• Expanded welfare and benefit support| • Early childhood fees capped at **$10/day** , moving to **35 hours free** by 2029| • All income earners; families using licensed childcare centers.
**Te Pāti Māori**| • First **$30,000 earned is tax-free**
• **Kai credits** for lower-income households| • Capital investments into **Te Kōhanga Reo**.| • Low-and-middle-income earners making under **$60,000** for kai credits.
**NZ First**| • Market regulatory changes to lower grocery/power costs| • **Kiwi Kids Grant** : **$5,000/year tax-free** for a child's first 3 years| • Parents with dependent children under the age of 3.
**The Opportunity Party (TOP)**| • **Citizens' income** (Universal basic income baseline)| • Increased Playcentre funding and standardized staff ratios.| • All NZ residents earning **less than $350,000** per year.

* * *

🍎 Food and Grocery Costs

 * **Te Pāti Māori:** Offers a direct **kai credit** explicitly designed for individuals earning **under $60,000 a year**. They also propose making the first $30,000 of income completely tax-free, which keeps more money in your pay packet for food.

 * **Labour:** Focuses on regulatory action through a "Fair Go Law" and crackdowns on supermarket price gouging to artificially lower shelf prices.

 * **NZ First & Greens:** Both propose stricter regulatory measures and competition rules aimed at major supermarket duopolies to drive down grocery expenses.

⚡ Power, Utilities, and Rent

 * **Green Party:** Focuses heavily on renters by proposing strict **rent controls** and a Rental Warrant of Fitness to stabilize housing security. They also support expanding community-led renewable energy to lower power grids.

 * **Labour:** Proposing a **SolarSaver** program and government-backed loans for solar infrastructure to reduce long-term household energy bills.

 * **National:** Campaigning on **"no new taxes"** to prevent extra operational costs from flowing down to household utilities and rents.

🧸 Childcare Costs and Work Rules

Because you work part-time, childcare costs dictate your take-home pay. The parties differ significantly on childcare funding:

 * **National:** Proposes providing up to **$120 a week in targeted childcare support** to reduce out-of-pocket costs for working parents.

 * **Green Party:** Aims to dramatically lower fees by **capping early childhood fees at $10 a day** , with a long-term goal of making the first **35 hours entirely free** by 2029.

 * **NZ First:** If your preschool child is under 3, you would qualify for their **Kiwi Kids Grant** , which provides **$5,000 a year tax-free**.

* * *

If you would like to explore how these platforms compare further, let me know:

 * The **exact age** of your preschool child (to check if they qualify for under-3 or 3+ specific grants).

 * Your current weekly **working hours** or income range.

 * Whether you currently receive the **Accommodation Supplement** or **Sole Parent Support**.