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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. How would parties change income support and work obligations for people who cannot work because of illness?
2026 New Zealand election: income support and work obligations for people with illness
For someone living with a long-term health condition that limits their ability to work, there are several important differences between the parties' approaches to welfare.
The main questions to examine are:
- Financial security: Would your benefit increase, and would disability-related costs be better covered?
- Work obligations: Would you still have to attend work-preparation activities, assessments or employment programmes if you cannot work?
- Medical assessments: Who decides whether you are medically unable to work, and how often must you prove it?
- Ongoing eligibility: Would you have to renew medical certificates or reapply for support regularly?
- Healthcare costs: Would GP appointments, prescriptions and other treatment become more affordable?
I'll focus on the 2026 election positions of National, Labour, the Greens, ACT, New Zealand First, Te Pāti Māori and the Opportunities Party (TOP), rather than assuming that all disabled or chronically ill people have the same needs.
First, an important distinction in the current system
New Zealand has different benefit arrangements depending on how much your health condition affects your ability to work.
- Supported Living Payment: Generally for people with a significant, ongoing health condition or disability that severely restricts their ability to work.
- Jobseeker Support with a health condition: For people temporarily unable to work, or whose condition limits their working capacity.
- Disability Allowance: Helps with ongoing additional costs arising from a disability or health condition, subject to eligibility requirements.
One important detail: even people assessed as unable to work can currently have work-preparation obligations under Jobseeker Support. These are different from having to seek employment. Jobseeker Support obligations
1. What each party is proposing
The following comparison uses policies published or reported by 30 October 2026. It distinguishes specific commitments from areas where parties have not provided detailed proposals.
National Party
More emphasis on existing welfare rules
National's published welfare policies focus mainly on Jobseeker Support and people considered work-ready.
Its proposals include:
- More intensive employment support for 30,000 work-ready people who have been receiving Jobseeker Support for over a year.
- Random drug testing for Jobseeker beneficiaries, with possible sanctions for repeated failures.
- Reducing payments from April 2028 for certain people who have received Jobseeker Support for two of the previous three years.
- Increasing the non-entitlement period for repeated voluntary unemployment from 13 to 26 weeks.
What this could mean for you: National has not announced a specific increase in long-term sickness or disability benefits as part of these proposals. Its employment measures are described as targeting work-ready people, but the drug-testing policy's application to people with medical exemptions has not been clearly explained.
Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisParty policies, simplified: Disability funding
Labour Party
Specific commitment on permanent disabilities
Labour has announced several disability-related commitments:
- End annual benefit reviews for people with permanent, verifiable disabilities.
- Repeal the current Disability Support Services legislation and replace it with rights-based legislation developed with disabled people.
- Reinstate pay equity legislation for care and support workers.
- Provide three free GP visits annually for everyone through a proposed Medicard.
- Remove the $5 prescription charge from July 2027.
What this could mean for you: If your condition is permanent and medically verified, ending annual benefit reviews could reduce the administrative burden of repeatedly proving your circumstances.
The free GP visits and prescriptions could also help with regular medical appointments and treatment costs.
However, Labour has not announced a comprehensive increase to the Supported Living Payment or a general removal of work-preparation obligations for people with illness.
Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisLabour's 2026 Election Policies
Green Party
Broad income-support reform
The Greens have proposed:
- Increasing main benefit payments to liveable levels.
- Providing timely income support for disability-related living and medical costs.
- Making disability-related support independent of relationship status.
- Removing benefit sanctions introduced by the current government.
- Removing AI from decisions about suspending, cancelling or sanctioning welfare payments.
- Establishing a guaranteed minimum income.
- Extending ACC-style income support and treatment coverage to illnesses, injuries and disabilities regardless of their origin.
What this could mean for you: The Greens' proposals address several issues that can affect people with chronic illness: insufficient benefit income, medical expenses, partner income testing and the risk of losing financial support through sanctions.
The proposal to extend ACC coverage is particularly relevant because ordinary illness and disability are not generally covered by ACC in the same way as accidental injuries.
The published proposals do not yet specify every detail of how medical assessments and work-preparation obligations would operate for all benefit recipients.
Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisParty policies, simplified: Disability fundingHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?
ACT Party
More independent medical assessment
ACT proposes a more formal medical assessment system.
Its policies include:
- Requiring health and disability benefits to be medically certified by independent doctors approved by the Ministry of Social Development.
- Applying clear medical eligibility criteria.
- Phasing in reassessments of existing beneficiaries, beginning with mental-health-related conditions.
- Maintaining long-term support for people with genuine, enduring disabilities who cannot work.
- Saving a projected $653 million through its proposed changes to disability funding between 2028 and 2031.
Your usual GP or specialist could still provide medical records and supporting clinical information, but would not necessarily make the final certification decision.
What this could mean for you: ACT says its system would distinguish people who genuinely cannot work from those who could work with assistance.
For someone with a long-term condition, the important questions would be how the independent assessment works, whether your existing medical evidence is accepted, how frequently you might be reassessed, and what happens if your condition fluctuates.
ACT has not proposed simply removing all work obligations for everyone with a health condition.
Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisParty policies, simplified: Disability fundingHow do the different parties fare on disability issues this election?
New Zealand First
New Zealand First has published comparatively little specific policy on long-term sickness benefits.
Its published priorities include:
- A long-term health strategy called Make NZ Healthy.
- Greater emphasis on prevention and chronic illness.
- Support for general practices and reducing administrative burdens on GPs.
- A commitment to increase the minimum wage at least in line with inflation.
However, it has not set out a clear new policy for:
- Increasing Supported Living Payment rates.
- Removing work-preparation obligations for people who cannot work.
- Ending regular medical reassessments.
- Increasing disability-related income support.
What this could mean for you: There is insufficient published information to establish how New Zealand First would change the welfare experience of someone who cannot work because of illness.
Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisParty policies, simplified: Disability funding
Te Pāti Māori
Major proposed changes to benefit entitlements
Te Pāti Māori has proposed substantial changes to income support.
Its policies include:
- Doubling baseline benefit levels.
- Removing financial penalties and benefit sanctions.
- Removing work-test obligations.
- Making benefit entitlements independent of relationship status.
- Increasing the amount people can earn before their benefit is reduced.
- Cancelling income-support-related debt owed to the Crown.
- Making grants and additional assistance non-repayable.
- Establishing Māori-led disability services and decision-making.
What this could mean for you: The removal of work-test obligations is particularly relevant if your health condition means you cannot work or participate reliably in employment-related activities.
Doubling baseline benefit levels could also materially change financial circumstances, although the final payment amounts and implementation arrangements would need to be established.
The relationship-status proposal is relevant to people whose benefits are affected by a partner's income.
Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisParty policies, simplified: Disability funding
The Opportunities Party (TOP)
Universal income approach
TOP proposes replacing most existing benefits with a Citizens' Income.
Its central proposal is:
- Up to $370 per week for almost all adults.
- A separate Disability Allowance for disabled people.
- Additional needs-based support for people with disabilities, housing needs and other circumstances.
- Retaining disability-specific funding for things such as assistive technology and transport.
TOP's October 2026 disability statement also proposes making it easier to work without losing income support and reducing repeated assessments through a proposed Tell Us Once system.
What this could mean for you: Rather than relying entirely on a traditional sickness or disability benefit, you would receive a basic income and potentially additional disability support.
However, the precise amount of the disability top-up, eligibility criteria and treatment of existing Supported Living Payment recipients would need to be clarified.
Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisOpportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026Opportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026
2. Side-by-side comparison
This table focuses on the issues most likely to affect someone who cannot work because of a long-term medical condition.
| Party | Benefit increases | Work obligations and sanctions | Medical reassessments |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | No specific disability-benefit increase announced | Retains targeted work-focused welfare approach | No comprehensive new disability reassessment policy announced |
| Labour | No general increase announced | No comprehensive removal announced | End annual reviews for verified permanent disabilities |
| Greens | Increase benefits to liveable levels | Remove benefit sanctions | No complete new assessment framework specified |
| ACT | No general increase announced | Retains distinction between people able and unable to work | Independent medical certification and phased reassessments |
| NZ First | No specific proposal announced | No clear proposal announced | No clear proposal announced |
| Te Pāti Māori | Double baseline benefits | Remove sanctions and work-test obligations | No detailed new framework specified |
| TOP | Citizens' Income up to $370 weekly, plus disability support | Less punitive approach to income support and working | Proposed Tell Us Once system to reduce repeated assessments |
Sources: CCS Disability Action's 2026 party analysis, The D*List's policy comparison and individual party announcements. Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisParty policies, simplified: Disability fundingOpportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026
3. An especially important issue: medical appointments and treatment costs
Because you rely on regular medical appointments, I would look beyond the headline benefit rates.
There are three separate issues:
A. GP and specialist appointments
- Labour proposes three free GP visits per year for everyone.
- ACT proposes additional GP funding and incentives for practices to offer more appointments.
- Te Pāti Māori proposes free primary healthcare and dental care.
- The Greens propose better support for disability-related medical expenses.
These proposals are not equivalent. For example, three free GP visits do not necessarily cover regular specialist consultations, diagnostic tests or other treatment.
Labour's 2026 Election PoliciesElection 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis
B. Disability-related expenses
These can include:
- Prescription medication.
- Physiotherapy and other treatment.
- Transport to appointments.
- Medical equipment.
- Additional household and personal care expenses.
The Greens have made an explicit commitment to meet disability-related living and medical costs. TOP proposes a separate Disability Allowance, while Te Pāti Māori proposes broader financial assistance.
Party policies, simplified: Disability fundingOpportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026
C. Having to repeatedly prove that you are ill
This is potentially just as important as the amount of money you receive.
If you have a permanent or long-term condition, repeated medical certification can create extra appointments, paperwork and uncertainty.
Labour's proposal to end annual reviews for people with verified permanent disabilities and TOP's proposed Tell Us Once system address aspects of this problem.
ACT, by contrast, proposes a new independent certification process and reassessments.
Election 2026: Political Parties Policy AnalysisOpportunity Disability Position Statement - October 2026
4. What should you look for in the parties' policies?
I would pay particular attention to these five questions when considering the election:
- Will I have financial security if I cannot work at all? Look for commitments to benefit increases and additional disability allowances.
- Will I be exempt from employment obligations if my medical condition prevents me from working? Distinguish job-search obligations from work-preparation requirements.
- Will I have to undergo repeated medical assessments? Look for permanent-condition exemptions and recognition of existing specialist evidence.
- Will my partner's income affect my entitlement? This is an important difference between current benefit arrangements and the proposed individualised approaches.
- Will I be able to afford the healthcare I need? Consider GP appointments, prescriptions, specialist care, transport and disability-related costs.
One other important point: the Disabled Persons Assembly, CCS Disability Action and Your Way Kia Roha have sought responses from seven parties on disability-related issues. Their election scorecard is intended to compare party commitments on issues including partner income testing, Disability Allowance increases and disabled people's rights. Disability Scorecard for 2026 General Election » Disabled Persons Assembly NZ
5. Where to read the actual policies
These are useful primary and independent sources:
- Labour – 2026 election policies
- Green Party – policies
- ACT – policies
- National – policies
- Te Pāti Māori – policies
- New Zealand First – policies
- TOP – disability position statement
- CCS Disability Action – independent policy analysis
6. One distinction I'd particularly encourage you to investigate
There is a significant difference between being unable to work temporarily, being able to work only a few hours, and having a permanent condition that prevents employment altogether.
The parties' proposals could affect these groups quite differently.
For example, a person who cannot work at all may be particularly concerned about medical reassessments and benefit security, whereas someone who can work occasionally may be more concerned about income reductions when earning money.
I'd like to clarify one thing so I can make the comparison more relevant to your circumstances:
Are you currently receiving the Supported Living Payment, or Jobseeker Support with a medical exemption?
That distinction will help me explain which proposed changes could actually affect your payments, medical certification and obligations, rather than just comparing general disability policies.
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