2026 New Zealand general election: NZ Super, retirement income and aged care

The key distinction to look for when comparing the parties is that NZ Super, retirement savings and aged care are three different policy areas:

1. NZ Superannuation: Who qualifies, the age of eligibility, payment levels and whether the pension is means-tested.
2. Retirement income: KiwiSaver contributions, employer contributions, tax treatment, savings incentives and support for people who reach retirement with limited assets.
3. Aged care: Residential care, home support, dementia care, funding for rest homes, workforce pay and access to publicly funded services.

I'll distinguish between policies explicitly announced for the 2026 election, existing party commitments and positions that are not yet clear. This matters because a party's current policy should not be confused with a policy it implemented or supported in the past.

1. NZ Super: eligibility age and entitlement

This is one of the clearest differences between the parties.

Party	Position on NZ Super
National	Retain universal, non-means-tested Super, but gradually raise eligibility from 65 to 67, starting in 2044.
Labour	Keep eligibility at 65. Opposes means-testing Super.
Green	Keep eligibility at 65 and retain universal entitlement. Focus on ensuring payments cover living costs.
NZ First	Keep eligibility at 65. Opposes changes to existing entitlements. Wants eligibility restricted to NZ citizens from 2029.
ACT	Raise eligibility to 67 by 2035. Proposes an exemption for people with at least 20 years in physically demanding occupations.
The Opportunities Party (TOP)	Replace NZ Super with a Citizens' Income, with a supplementary payment initially maintaining the equivalent of current Super.
Te Pāti Māori	No clear, comprehensive 2026 Super policy identified in the published material reviewed. Has previously advocated earlier access for Māori, reflecting differences in life expectancy.

Sources: Grey Power's September party questionnaire and the September retirement policy comparison. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersWhere the parties stand on New Zealand SuperElection 2026: What’s in it for seniors so far?

What the differences mean

• National: The increase would be phased in from 2044, so it is a long-term change rather than an immediate increase for people approaching retirement.
• ACT: Its proposed change would happen much sooner, reaching age 67 by 2035. The physically demanding work exemption is an important qualification.
• Labour, Greens and NZ First: All three support retaining 65 as the eligibility age.
• TOP: Proposes changing the underlying structure rather than simply changing the age.

One important distinction: universal Super means people can qualify regardless of their personal wealth or other income. That is different from whether their payment is taxed.

2. KiwiSaver and retirement income

This is another substantial area of policy difference.

Party	Main retirement savings proposals
National	Make KiwiSaver compulsory from July 2028; progressively increase employee and employer contributions to 6% each by 2032. Continue employer contributions for working members over 65 from July 2027.
Labour	Increase employer contributions to 6% by 2032, even when employees pause their contributions. Increase the default employee contribution rate to 4%. Prevent employers from including KiwiSaver contributions in total remuneration packages.
ACT	Remove tax on KiwiSaver investment earnings, but remove the government's annual KiwiSaver contribution.
NZ First	Make KiwiSaver compulsory, with an automatic $1,000 contribution at birth. Its proposals also include higher contribution rates over time.
Greens	Retain universal NZ Super, with emphasis on adequate retirement income and reducing living costs. No equivalent compulsory KiwiSaver restructuring identified in the material reviewed.
TOP	Introduce compulsory KiwiSaver 2.0, with employee and employer contributions gradually increasing to 6% each. Integrate retirement income into its Citizens' Income system.
Te Pāti Māori	No sufficiently detailed, confirmed 2026 KiwiSaver package identified in the sources reviewed.

Sources: Election 2026: What’s in it for seniors so far?Where the parties stand on New Zealand SuperElection policy tracker: what the parties are promising

The fundamental policy distinction:

• National, Labour, NZ First and TOP all want stronger compulsory retirement saving, although they differ in the design.
• ACT wants to change the tax treatment of KiwiSaver investments while removing the government contribution.
• TOP's proposal is different because it would ultimately integrate retirement income with a broader universal income system.
• Labour's proposal places particular emphasis on employer contributions continuing even when an employee temporarily stops contributing.

3. Aged care, rest homes and support for older people

This is an area where the parties' proposals are less uniform. It is also important to distinguish residential care from support that enables someone to remain living independently at home.

National

National's October 2026 seniors' policy includes:

• More affordable pensioner housing.
• Ring-fencing at least 20% of future Housing Flexible Fund places for seniors' housing.
• Expanding granny-flat rules to make it easier for families to accommodate older relatives.
• A free 0800 Seniors helpline to help older people navigate government services.
• Stronger protection against elder abuse and financial exploitation.
• Continued employer KiwiSaver contributions for working people over 65.

National has also emphasised its wider health system performance and additional healthcare capacity.

Its published seniors' package is more detailed on housing, financial security and navigating services than on a specific overhaul of aged-care funding. Fixing the Basics and Building the Future: National’s plan for retirementHow parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders

Labour

Labour's emphasis includes:

• Three free GP visits annually for everyone through its proposed Medicard.
• Increased support for general practice and community healthcare.
• Improving primary-care nurse pay so working outside hospitals is not financially disadvantageous.
• Keeping Super at 65.
• Retirement village reforms requiring departing residents to receive their money back more promptly.

Labour's retirement village proposal is particularly relevant to people who have paid an occupation-right deposit. Its proposed legislation would require 10% repayment within five working days and the balance within three months. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersElection Survey 2026 - National Council of Women of New ZealandVote for health: From Labour to ACT, how will (or won’t) our politicians fix pay parity?

Green Party

The Greens have put forward a broader ageing-population strategy, including:

• A dedicated long-term strategy for older New Zealanders.
• A state-owned, not-for-profit retirement village system.
• Better access to community-based healthcare.
• Full implementation of the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan over five years.
• Support for family carers.
• Equal pay for nurses working in aged care, iwi providers, primary care and public hospitals.
• Greater emphasis on enabling people to age in their own homes.

The proposed state-owned retirement village model is a significant difference from relying primarily on commercial retirement village providers. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersElection 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisVote for health: From Labour to ACT, how will (or won’t) our politicians fix pay parity?

New Zealand First

NZ First has identified aged-care reform as a priority.

Its stated areas of focus include:

• Better coordination between primary, community and aged-care services.
• More support for older people to remain living in their own homes.
• A Seniors Housing Plan.
• Protecting existing Super entitlements.
• Improving the position of older New Zealanders in the health system.

However, its publicly available aged-care proposals are less detailed than its Super and retirement savings commitments. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersWhere the parties stand on New Zealand Super

ACT

ACT supports raising the Super eligibility age to 67 and has a more limited set of clearly documented 2026 aged-care-specific commitments in the sources reviewed.

It did not provide a response to Grey Power's older-person policy questionnaire. Its absence from that response should not be interpreted as opposition to any particular aged-care proposal. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersElection 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis

The Opportunities Party (TOP)

TOP emphasises:

• More community-based healthcare.
• Greater support for family carers.
• A long-term, cross-party health funding plan.
• Better preventive healthcare.
• Supporting older people to remain at home for longer.
• Its Citizens' Income model for retirement income.

TOP's approach puts considerable emphasis on reducing the need for institutional care by strengthening community services. How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersElection 2026: What’s in it for seniors so far?

Te Pāti Māori

The available material does not establish a comprehensive 2026 aged-care policy package.

However, its health policy includes a commitment to sustainable funding for primary care, aged care and iwi providers, so that nurses are paid equally across the different types of providers.

That is particularly relevant to the availability of culturally appropriate aged-care services and the workforce supporting older Māori. Vote for health: From Labour to ACT, how will (or won’t) our politicians fix pay parity?

4. Retirement villages and residential care: an important additional issue

There are some particularly relevant differences for people who own homes, have retirement village deposits or may eventually need residential care.

Issue	Party proposals
Retirement village repayments	Labour proposes repayment within three months, including existing residents and contracts.
Retirement village repayments	National proposes a nine-month repayment framework, with 10% of net termination proceeds paid within four weeks. Its proposed rules would apply to new agreements rather than existing ones.
Not-for-profit retirement villages	Greens propose a state-owned model.
Affordable seniors' housing	National proposes additional government-funded affordable pensioner housing.
Ageing at home	Greens, TOP and NZ First emphasise community support and ageing in place.

Source: Election 2026: What’s in it for seniors so far?Fixing the Basics and Building the Future: National’s plan for retirementHow parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders

An important issue: who pays for rest-home care?

New Zealand's aged-care funding system is also under review.

An Aged Care Ministerial Advisory Group report released in August 2026 recommended significant changes, including:

• More consistent funding arrangements for residential and home-based care.
• Better support for people who want to remain at home.
• A proposed five-year lifetime cap on residential-care contributions.
• More consistent assessment of care needs.
• Better workforce remuneration and training.
• Improved funding for dementia care.

These are recommendations to the Government, not adopted election promises from all the parties. The report proposes a more graduated approach to individual contributions based on income, assets and care needs. Aged Care Ministerial Advisory Group: Frequently asked questions September 2026A place to grow old: Securing the future of aged care

This is worth watching because the cost of residential care and the treatment of people's assets can have a major effect on retirement savings and family inheritances.

5. Side-by-side summary

Here is a condensed comparison of the main policy directions.

Party	Super age	Retirement savings	Aged-care emphasis
National	67 from 2044	Compulsory KiwiSaver, 6% employer and employee	Seniors' housing, protections and access to services
Labour	65	Higher employer contributions and 4% default	Primary healthcare, GP access, village repayments
Greens	65	Adequacy of retirement income	Not-for-profit villages, dementia care, ageing at home
NZ First	65	Compulsory KiwiSaver, birth contribution	Aged-care reform, seniors' housing
ACT	67 by 2035	Tax-free KiwiSaver earnings, remove government contribution	Fewer detailed aged-care commitments identified
TOP	Citizens' Income model	Compulsory 6% + 6% KiwiSaver	Community care, family carers, ageing at home
Te Pāti Māori	No confirmed comprehensive 2026 position	Insufficient detail identified	Equal pay and sustainable funding for aged-care providers

This table summarises the published positions identified as at 30 October 2026, not necessarily every policy a party may announce before election day. Where the parties stand on New Zealand SuperElection 2026: What’s in it for seniors so far?How parties stand on issues affecting older New ZealandersElection 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisRetirement, Aged Care and KiwiSaver Policy

6. Where to check the original policies

These are useful independent resources for checking the proposals and any subsequent announcements:

• Grey Power – How parties stand on issues affecting older New Zealanders. Particularly useful because it asked parties directly about older people's needs.
• Lifetime Income – Election 2026: What's in it for seniors?. Covers Super, KiwiSaver, tax and retirement villages.
• The Conversation – 2026 Election Policy Tracker. Allows comparison across party policies.
• Ministry of Health – Aged Care Ministerial Advisory Group recommendations. Important background on the future of residential and home-based care.

7. Three questions worth examining before voting

In comparing these policies, I would pay particular attention to three questions:

1. Security of retirement income: Will someone who is currently 55–64 still be able to rely on receiving NZ Super at 65?
2. Protection of assets: If someone owns their home and subsequently needs residential aged care, how much of their lifetime savings and home equity might they have to use?
3. Quality and availability of care: Will there be enough properly funded rest-home beds, dementia-care facilities, home support workers and nurses to meet the needs of an ageing population?

The third question is particularly important because a promise to protect NZ Super does not necessarily mean a party has a comprehensive plan for funding and delivering aged care.

My suggestion: Look at the Super and aged-care policies together rather than treating them as separate election issues. The age at which someone receives Super, how much they can save, and how residential care is funded can all affect the same household's financial security in retirement.