# Question 45: 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. How would parties change income support and work obligations for people who cannot work because of illness?

Collected 26 October 2026

[NZ Election 2026 · Edition 6 study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6)

## ChatGPT

Answer ID: c22e033d-ed80-4601-a707-0866573721dd

# New Zealand 2026 election: income support when illness prevents you from working

If a long-term health condition limits your ability to work, the most important differences between parties are likely to be how much financial support you receive, whether you must undergo repeated medical assessments, and whether you can be penalised for not meeting work-related obligations when you are unwell.

New Zealand's general election is scheduled for 7 November 2026. The parties differ significantly in their approaches to welfare, disability rights and medical certification. Some have made specific commitments for disabled people, while others have set out broader approaches to welfare rather than detailed policies for people unable to work. [How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://team.thespinoff.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election)[Party policies, simplified: Disability funding](https://www.thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-funding/)

One important distinction: not everyone with a long-term illness receives the same benefit. The rules affecting you may depend on whether you receive the Supported Living Payment or Jobseeker Support with a health condition or disability. Those differences matter when comparing the parties.

## 1. How the main parties compare

The following comparison focuses on the issues most likely to affect someone who has ongoing medical appointments and cannot reliably meet ordinary work expectations.

Based on party policy pages and election coverage available as of 26 October 2026. These are proposals, not guaranteed outcomes.

![Will National Party Finish 2nd in New Zealand's 2026 Election?](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/LCDs4P76HEgfCayafHeSga8GCw12Vxs2fPc3toeyLUZ-wmb6UiGRZY6bhdT1xRejtICfUd6GX2BWmI76EkpoWuffTU4g32bP_qUJp29rsfn5_Zvj5THHSYTLHSoo_5_YQyZ3zKE1WIpB4bu7raRltFl5TZFCgCcE0quf_GohkFI?purpose=inline)

## National

Approach: maintain the current system, with an emphasis on consistency and fiscal sustainability.

- Has emphasised consistent disability support funding and the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2026–2030.
- Its welfare programme includes more work-focused support for people considered work-ready who have been on Jobseeker Support for over a year.
- Has announced lower Jobseeker payments from April 2028 for people who have received that benefit for two of the previous three years. This is particularly relevant if you receive Jobseeker Support with a health condition, rather than Supported Living Payment.
- Has not set out an equally detailed new commitment to end repeat medical reassessments for people with permanent conditions. [Party policies, simplified: Disability policy](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-policy/)[Party policies, simplified: Disability funding](https://www.thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-funding/)

Key question: Will your current level of support and medical exemption be protected over the long term?

![South Island Election Conference 2026](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/_spFKDBqOMVPoo8r35YLoGFwljs_-WWe4ur9fdZCfekzAxaUPGA75u8rI9uxOUTssI2hUZN1r4Zu1AeDrcNaxz3uHoFIyWjDpanT5s-KJ87QzxSu1uNjNL4MOHSuazRZuTy_TzC6aN4wxHHoyU_DhzMFuMCMjNBTtg2xRxOZL6c?purpose=inline)

## Labour

Approach: stronger disability rights and less repetitive administration.

- Promises to end annual benefit renewals for people with verified permanent disabilities.
- Wants to strengthen disability rights and develop a rights-based disability support framework with disabled people and carers.
- Supports moving disabled people into open employment, but this is not the same as promising that everyone unable to work will be exempt from every work-related requirement.
- Its published disability policy does not specify a new benefit rate for people unable to work. [Disability](https://www.labour.org.nz/disability)[Party policies, simplified: Disability policy](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-policy/)

Key question: How would Labour reduce repeat assessments and administrative demands for people whose condition is permanent?

![Green Party NZ (@NZGreens) on X](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/xwoeA3rTn5Pu0UL1uRc6X_g8ADsfUTe55rxQEjXC_rnFR_6TPTr_9eG0LsowNOdFRtax24qB8h-LRfUtZEf42T0CC5OclOZ5katbFJAYxs0cZRyqDBlGNgF_8AV_5WTCbYonGIqLGuK095lLGrkBVw3L8vdsA06tLHVNuCJquuc?purpose=inline)

## Green Party

Approach: more generous, accessible and less punitive income support.

- Proposes accessible and timely income support to meet disability-related living and medical costs, regardless of relationship status or the cause of disability.
- Supports abolishing benefit sanctions introduced by the current government.
- Proposes individualised benefit entitlements, so a partner's income would not determine eligibility in the same way as under current rules.
- Its wider welfare programme includes raising benefits to liveable levels and extending ACC coverage to illness and disability regardless of origin. [How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://team.thespinoff.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election)[Party policies, simplified: Disability funding](https://www.thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-funding/)

Key question: How much additional assistance would be available for your actual medical and disability-related expenses?

![POLICY TRACKER: TOP wants to fund cheaper doctor visits with junk-food tax | New Zealand Doctor](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/K1DpIS-dF4mtKrl0KIyfSnF_8RO2gnoDtATKXcH-ytfTo6cgmA_wwVhD8J5hW6OuytxDrAergQSGimCSsVKfunUK61RDtNU5GxwiaPB_cRB685VjK9FjkZErmrrvx_4zTP2h6GpckCQVzANm4LVdUE3kTNzzpmgwLxBt7L_7t70?purpose=inline)

## ACT

Approach: stricter verification, with ongoing support for people assessed as genuinely unable to work.

- Proposes requiring health and disability benefits to be certified by doctors from an MSD-approved pool, rather than making this optional.
- Plans phased reassessments for existing recipients.
- Says long-term arrangements should remain available for people with genuine, enduring disabilities.
- Its published fiscal plan proposes reducing disability funding by $653 million over 2028–2031. [How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://team.thespinoff.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election)[Party policies, simplified: Disability funding](https://www.thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-funding/)

Key question: Would independent certification and reassessment create extra appointments, paperwork or uncertainty for you?

![Te Pāti Māori (@Maori_Party) on X](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/C5Ox0A8wvQUsFP-VtrWHKeP6-Ic8fMiqzR6fwTgVCI89BKZ4qO15KWhfgO_hkPhb4uzHIlIf-m8iVIOtE_n3dpm6XeT-XUHl8WsSwbHDpd9cuMseVa0f8XdYoGqbDr3pWVTJaDg048Pdof6_HhRKAR523Vju5XF4tug9-I_6qlg?purpose=inline)

## Te Pāti Māori

Approach: substantially higher benefits and fewer punitive welfare obligations.

- Proposes doubling baseline benefit levels to meet the upper range of Welfare Expert Advisory Group recommendations.
- Proposes removing financial penalties, sanctions and work-test obligations.
- Wants benefits to be individualised rather than dependent on relationship status.
- Emphasises whānau-centred disability support and investment in Enabling Good Lives. [Party policies, simplified: Disability funding](https://www.thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-funding/)[Party policies, simplified: Disability policy](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-policy/)

Key question: How would the proposed benefit increases translate into your actual weekly payment and medical costs?

![New Zealand legislative election winner? Predictions & Od... 2026 | Polymarket](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/UmXClDd76aKEk_XyXfEEacFBHXO18HFMG1Im-weRm7tb64uGzBsRK3vWPXuiFN2zaWaNznb7eSDIJucKOhlXtwb6Lq-BYR6oxisKzHsWTxF5AsiLmtcNGDNtwCsXzgIuSp2vW4pa6pAda-tTriG23zKX1ZuknQ81HGh411pqRkM?purpose=inline)

## New Zealand First

Approach: less clearly defined for people unable to work because of illness.

- Supported the Disability Support Services Act 2026.
- Has not published a comparably detailed disability-specific income-support and medical-reassessment programme in the sources reviewed.
- Its position on removing work obligations or protecting people with permanent conditions from repeat assessments remains less clear. [Party policies, simplified: Disability policy](https://thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-policy/)[Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)

Key question: What specific protections would it offer people who cannot meet normal work expectations?

![](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/KZ1zP60v_ZeHHj3ij4DA2sVh6oX86DHN4x_RGhm63IEKbj8P_3phlgxON0_dzBqruxZt_piBvLSwWYOzxGtRjeiBIDJnBczyBauAihY7VhbFruy9Xq4tPeGbXtvfFHap7T9ZV_eOqtHyttigv_yv7jT6ibug6IoPJMJnJ8SLOeE?purpose=inline)

## The Opportunities Party (TOP)

Approach: replace much of the current benefit system with a Citizen's Income.

- Proposes a Citizen's Income of up to $370 per week for adults, replacing most current benefits, including Supported Living Payment.
- Proposes an additional universal disability allowance of around $6,000 per year, plus needs-based top-ups.
- Its disability statement also promises to make support more person-centred and reduce unnecessary repeated assessments through a proposed “Tell Us Once” approach.
- The final payment you would receive would depend on how the replacement scheme and disability top-ups were implemented. [How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://team.thespinoff.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election)[Opportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026](https://www.opportunity.org.nz/disability_statement)

Key question: Would the combined Citizen's Income and disability allowance leave you better off than your current benefit?

## 2. What the differences mean for your medical appointments and work obligations

### If you cannot work at all

The most relevant distinction is between parties that want to remove work-test obligations and parties that retain a system based on assessing work capacity.

- Te Pāti Māori explicitly proposes removing work-test obligations and sanctions.
- The Greens propose abolishing the current government's benefit sanctions, although that is not a blanket promise to remove every assessment or administrative requirement.
- Labour explicitly promises to end annual renewals for people with verified permanent disabilities.
- ACT proposes independent medical certification and phased reassessments, while promising continued support for people with enduring disabilities.
- National emphasises work-focused support for people assessed as work-ready; how that would affect someone with a medical exemption depends on their benefit and assessment.
- TOP proposes replacing the existing benefit structure, so the practical effect on your income would depend on the final replacement rules. [Disability](https://www.labour.org.nz/disability)[Party policies, simplified: Disability funding](https://www.thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-funding/)[Opportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026](https://www.opportunity.org.nz/disability_statement)

### If attending appointments is already difficult

Repeat assessments, travel and paperwork can create a significant burden when your health is unstable.

Labour's permanent-disability renewal pledge is especially relevant if your condition has been formally verified as permanent. ACT's proposed independent certification could mean a different assessment process, while TOP's proposed “Tell Us Once” system aims to reduce repeated information requests across agencies. These are different approaches, and they should not be treated as equivalent promises. [Disability](https://www.labour.org.nz/disability)[Party policies, simplified: Disability funding](https://www.thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-funding/)[Opportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026](https://www.opportunity.org.nz/disability_statement)

## 3. Which policies matter most for financial security?

Beyond work obligations, three questions are particularly important if you rely on a benefit to cover everyday living costs and regular medical care.

| Issue | Parties with the clearest relevant proposals |
| --- | --- |
| Higher baseline benefit payments | Te Pāti Māori; the Greens support higher, liveable benefit rates |
| Medical and disability expenses | Greens explicitly propose support for disability-related living and medical costs |
| Fewer repeat renewals for permanent conditions | Labour has a specific commitment for verified permanent disabilities |
| Removing benefit sanctions | Te Pāti Māori and the Greens |
| Alternative income-support system | TOP's Citizen's Income and disability allowance |

These are not direct comparisons of dollar amounts. The proposals have different eligibility rules, funding arrangements and implementation details. [Disability](https://www.labour.org.nz/disability)[Party policies, simplified: Disability funding](https://www.thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-funding/)[How do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?](https://team.thespinoff.nz/politics/30-09-2026/how-do-the-different-parties-fare-on-disability-issues-this-election)

One issue worth watching is whether you receive Jobseeker Support with a health condition or disability rather than Supported Living Payment. The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services has highlighted that people who are medically unable to work can end up on the lower-paying Jobseeker benefit, sometimes remaining subject to interventions intended for jobseekers. It has recommended increasing that payment to the Supported Living Payment rate. This is an advocacy group's recommendation, not a commitment made by every party. [Poverty Policy Election 2026](https://nzccss.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Poverty-Policy-Election-2026.pdf)

## 4. A practical checklist before you vote

When reviewing a party's final policy announcements, I would focus on these five questions:

- Income: Will my weekly payment increase, decrease or stay the same?
- Medical evidence: Will my existing specialist or GP evidence be accepted, or will I need further assessments?
- Work obligations: Can I be sanctioned if my health prevents me from attending an appointment, participating in a programme or meeting a deadline?
- Medical costs: Will support cover prescriptions, transport to appointments, specialist visits and other disability-related expenses?
- Long-term security: If my condition does not improve, will my support continue without unnecessary reassessments?

You can also check the current rules directly through [Work and Income's Supported Living Payment obligations page](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/on-a-benefit/obligations/obligations-for-getting-supported-living-payment?utm_source=chatgpt.com). Current rules already distinguish between people who can prepare for work and those who cannot, although other obligations can still apply. [Supported Living Payment obligations](https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/on-a-benefit/obligations/obligations-for-getting-supported-living-payment)

## My overall reading

Based on the published proposals, Te Pāti Māori and the Greens have the clearest commitments to removing punitive welfare rules; Labour has a particularly concrete promise on ending annual renewals for people with verified permanent disabilities; ACT places more emphasis on independent medical verification; and National places more emphasis on the existing system and work-focused support for people assessed as work-ready. TOP offers a more fundamental alternative to the current benefit system. New Zealand First's position on these particular issues is less clearly specified. [Disability](https://www.labour.org.nz/disability)[Party policies, simplified: Disability funding](https://www.thedlist.co.nz/newsfeed/party-policies-simplified-disability-funding/)[Disability Policies of NZ Political Parties](https://deafblindassociation.nz/disability-policies-of-nz-political-parties/)

No party's proposal guarantees a particular outcome for an individual claimant, and the final effect depends on the benefit you receive and the rules ultimately enacted.

One detail would help me make this comparison much more relevant to your circumstances: Which income support do you currently receive?

## Gemini

Answer ID: 4447385b-6328-4609-8b39-1942fdb6615d

When considering your vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election, understanding where different political parties stand on income support and work obligations for people unable to work due to illness or health conditions is crucial. New Zealand’s political landscape features distinct philosophies ranging from stricter welfare conditionality and work incentives to rights-based approaches and structural income guarantees. 

The approaches of the major political groupings and parties highlight how they plan to manage income support and obligations:

### 1. Right-Leaning and Centre-Right Parties (e.g., ACT, National)
* **Work Obligations & Sanctions:** These parties generally emphasize reducing long-term benefit dependency and encouraging workforce participation. They tend to favour tighter welfare obligations, rigorous work-test requirements, and stronger oversight or consequences for beneficiaries who do not meet activity or medical exemption criteria. 
* **Income Support:** They typically do not support large-scale baseline increases to main benefits. Instead, their focus tends to be on fiscal management, targeted assistance, administrative consistency, and encouraging pathways back into employment where health permits.

### 2. Centre-Left Parties (e.g., Labour)
* **Work Obligations & Support:** Labour’s approach is generally grounded in a rights-based framework (such as alignment with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the *Enabling Good Lives* principles). While work-testing and medical deferrals remain part of the system, their policy focus leans toward protecting core support structures, avoiding punitive overhauls, and funding public health access (such as policies targeting free GP visits and prescriptions) to reduce the indirect costs of illness.
* **Income Support:** Historically, Labour has adjusted main benefit levels following expert advisory recommendations, though comprehensive structural overhauls of disability and sickness income support remain limited. 

### 3. Progressive and Left Parties (e.g., The Green Party, Te Pāti Māori)
* **Work Obligations & Sanctions:** The Green Party and Te Pāti Māori advocate for the removal of punitive sanctions and strict work-test obligations for those dealing with illness or disability. They frame long-term illness and poverty as structural issues rather than individual failings, arguing that the welfare system should not penalize people who are medically unable to work.
* **Income Support:** These parties push for significant increases to main benefit levels. The Greens specifically support moving toward a Guaranteed Minimum Income and reforming or removing partnered means-testing so that disabled or ill individuals are not financially penalized by a partner's income. Te Pāti Māori similarly supports broad income-guarantee style structural reforms.

### 4. Alternative/Third Parties (e.g., The Opportunity Party - TOP)
* **Income Support & Welfare Structure:** TOP proposes a significant structural overhaul by replacing traditional welfare payments (including disability and sickness income support) with a universal, means-tested **Citizen's Income**, designed to streamline financial support and reduce administrative complexity for low-income and health-compromised New Zealanders.

---

### Key Considerations for Your Vote
* **Adequacy vs. Incentive:** Ask yourself whether you align more with parties that want to raise benefit levels and eliminate sanctions (Greens, Te Pāti Māori) or those that prioritize work incentives and tighter obligations (ACT, National).
* **Bureaucracy and Support Systems:** Consider which parties focus on reducing the administrative hurdles of navigating Ministry of Social Development (MSD) medical exemptions, Disability Allowances, and health-related support systems.

Are there particular aspects of income support—such as benefit levels, medical review processes, or partnered means testing—that matter most to you when deciding how to vote?

## Google AI Mode

Answer ID: 9ab551ec-7563-42fd-9fca-2a87ac120f81

When considering your vote in the _2026 New Zealand general election_ , different political parties propose distinct approaches to the welfare system, income support, and work obligations for people managing long-term illnesses or disabilities.

The primary approaches from major political groupings outline contrasting directions for the system:

 * * **National (and current governing alignment):** Focuses on strict mutual obligations, active work-reconnection measures, and tightening requirements for those on Jobseeker Support with health conditions or disabilities. The emphasis is on moving people into sustainable work where capable, alongside increased focus on work-check requirements, though policies also aim to streamline medical certificates and target specific support or sanctions to incentivize transitions off benefits.

 * **ACT New Zealand:** Proposes stricter reforms for welfare architecture. This includes shifting medical certification for health and disability benefits to independent, Ministry of Social Development-approved designated doctors using objective criteria (while regular GPs provide background history). ACT also proposes phased reassessments targeting post-pandemic mental health grants while protecting enduring conditions, alongside mandatory managed assistance (such as restricted electronic payment cards blocking cash withdrawals or gambling/alcohol spending) for certain beneficiaries over time.

 * **Labour Party:** Generally focuses on cost-of-living relief and strengthening public health access—such as lowering the cost of primary healthcare (e.g., free or subsidized GP visits and prescriptions)—which indirectly assists those with ongoing medical needs. Their welfare stance leans toward supporting incomes through broader economic relief and avoiding harsh punitive sanctions that can increase stress for those with health barriers.

 * **Green Party:** Proposes significant structural overhauls to the welfare system to prioritize liveable incomes. Their policies include abolishing benefit sanctions entirely, individualising benefit entitlements so a partner's income does not reduce support, and providing timely, accessible income support specifically tailored to cover disability-related living and medical costs regardless of the origin of the disability.

 *

Would you like more specific details on how a particular party's policies might affect **medical certificate requirements** or **abatement rates/income thresholds** if you attempt part-time work?

## AI Overviews

Answer ID: 625bd03d-ccf4-499f-8675-8a9d336fd454

For the **2026 New Zealand general election** , political parties have drawn distinct ideological lines regarding income support, medical requirements, and work obligations for individuals facing long-term illness. The major parties offer competing models: the current governing coalition emphasizes employment-focused interventions and stricter certification, while opposition parties focus on expanding universal healthcare benefits and lifting base payments to establish income security.

Comparison of Party Platforms

Political Party| Proposed Income Support & Welfare Adjustments| Proposed Work Obligations & Medical Requirements| Key Healthcare Policies for Support Recipients
---|---|---|---
**National Party**| Focuses on keeping the welfare system "firm, fair, and affordable". Proposes lowering payment rates for individuals on certain benefits for two out of the past three years.| Expects those who can work to do so. Shifts funding toward earlier work-focused support and introduces random drug testing for Jobseeker recipients.| Focuses on increasing the available list of government-subsidized medicines and expanding the clinical scope of pharmacists and physician associates.
**ACT New Zealand**| Proposes mandating electronic payment cards for long-term benefit recipients to restrict spending strictly to essentials (rent, groceries, power, utilities, and healthcare).| Aims to tighten medical certification. Requires a designated pool of independent Ministry of Social Development (MSD)-approved doctors to issue health and disability benefits rather than relying solely on a claimant's regular GP.| Emphasizes structural changes to the health system to ensure that welfare is structured as a temporary safety net rather than a permanent arrangement.
**Labour Party**| Opposes coalition cuts to social services. Aims to build universal income security without means-testing for essential daily cost-of-living reliefs.| Focuses on job creation via an investment-led "NZ Future Fund", prioritizing supportive pathways into employment over punitive benefit sanctions or reduced baseline rates.| Proposes the introduction of a new **"Medicard" providing three free GP visits per year** for every New Zealander, alongside fully free prescriptions and an Emergency Department recovery plan.
**Green Party**| Proposes a **$10,000 tax-free income threshold** alongside broad wealth taxes to significantly increase baseline funding for income support, student allowances, and carer support.| Strongly opposes punitive work obligations and sanctions for sick or disabled youth. Argues that reducing income compounds mental and physical health challenges.| Advocates for **completely free GP visits and universal free dental care**. Proposes a massive $3 billion annual funding injection specifically targeting primary, community, and hospital healthcare infrastructure.

* * *

Key Trade-offs to Consider

 * **The Governing Coalition Approach (National/ACT):** Emphasizes independent medical cross-examinations and work readiness to minimize long-term state dependency. The tradeoff is that stricter compliance frameworks and restricted payment cards may increase administrative hurdles and financial pressure on individuals managing unpredictable, fluctuating chronic illnesses.

 * **The Opposition Approach (Labour/Greens):** Focuses on lowering the cost of accessing care by eliminating prescription fees and subsidizing doctor appointments. The tradeoff relies heavily on structural tax changes—such as capital gains or wealth taxes—to fund these services, which critics argue could impact broader economic investment.

If you would like to look closer at a specific policy, let me know:

 * Which specific benefit you currently receive (e.g., **Supported Living Payment** or **Jobseeker Support - Health Condition/Disability**)

 * Whether you want more details on the proposed **designated doctor assessment rules**

 * If you want to explore the specific **regional travel subsidies** proposed for medical appointments Income Security | NZ Super, Disability Benefits and SupportACT announces policy to make benefits a hand-up, not a wayOur Policies - New Zealand Labour Party 2026