2026 New Zealand election: secure rentals and housing support

For a sole parent renting and working part-time, there are two particularly important policy questions to examine:

1. Housing security: Would you have greater protection from rent increases, unjustified eviction, short-notice termination or insecure tenancies?
2. Housing affordability: Would you receive more help with rent, have access to affordable public or community housing, or keep more of your income after housing costs?

There is also a third issue that deserves attention in your circumstances: whether housing assistance and childcare support allow you to increase your working hours without losing so much assistance that your family is financially worse off.

I'll distinguish between announced party policies, existing government rules and proposals that still need detail. A party's general housing philosophy is not necessarily a funded election commitment.

1. What the main parties are proposing

The following reflects policies and announcements available as at 2 November 2026. The focus is on renting and support for low-income households, rather than first-home buyers.

Labour

Announced 2026 commitments

Labour has proposed:

• More secure tenancies: Ban no-cause evictions, requiring landlords to give a valid reason to end a tenancy.
• Longer notice: 63 days if the landlord or their family wants to move in, and 90 days for a sale, renovation or change of use.
• Rent increases: Retain a limit of one increase every 12 months, with better enforcement.
• Better rental standards: A landlord duty of care for serious hazards, proper curtains or blinds, and clearer rules for property managers.
• More public housing: Restart Kāinga Ora's building programme and support community housing providers.
• Rent-to-buy: Eligible working tenants in Kāinga Ora and participating community housing properties could receive a $100 weekly credit towards a future deposit.

An important income-support position: Labour says it would retain the 25% income-related rent contribution for social housing tenants rather than adopt the Government's planned 30%. It has also opposed using increases to the Accommodation Supplement as a substitute for affordable social housing. Making Renting Better for KiwisElection policy tracker: what the parties are promisingHow should housing policy change?

What this could mean for you: The tenancy protections are relevant even if you never intend to buy a house. However, the rent-to-buy scheme is not a general rental subsidy and would not automatically help someone renting privately.

National

National's approach has focused on increasing housing supply, changing the way social housing is allocated, and encouraging movement from social housing into private rentals where possible.

Its announced policies and existing government changes include:

• Continuing its approach to tenancy law, which restored landlords' ability to end periodic tenancies without giving a reason, subject to statutory notice requirements.
• Targeting social housing more tightly towards people with the greatest and most persistent housing needs.
• Exploring more defined social housing tenancy durations, with exemptions for people whose needs are ongoing.
• Raising income-related rents in social housing from 25% to 30% of household income, phased in from April 2027.
• Increasing maximum Accommodation Supplement rates by $10–$30 a week, depending on circumstances.
• Increasing access to First Home Loans by raising the income cap to $300,000.

The Government estimates that the social housing rent change will affect around 84,000 households, increasing rents by an average of approximately $31 a week. These are government changes and proposals, not merely campaign speculation. Delivering fairer social housingDelivering fairer social housingElection 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis

What this could mean for you: If you are a private renter, the proposed increase in Accommodation Supplement maximums could matter more directly than the social housing rent changes. But the changes to social housing eligibility and tenancy arrangements are also relevant if you might need a Kāinga Ora home in future.

Green Party

Announced housing programme

The Greens' A Home for Everybody programme proposes:

• Rent increases capped at 2% annually.
• Linking the rent for a new tenancy to the rent charged to the previous tenant.
• Ending no-cause evictions.
• Requiring long-term or permanent tenancy agreements.
• Introducing an independently enforced Rental Warrant of Fitness.
• Strengthening Healthy Homes requirements.
• Building tens of thousands of public homes.
• Increasing support for community housing and services for people experiencing homelessness.

The Greens also propose changes to tax settings for landlords and property investors, arguing that housing should be treated primarily as a place to live rather than an investment asset. Greens announce plan to end homelessness & fix housing crisisThe property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line up

What this could mean for you: The rent cap and longer-term tenancy proposals directly address two issues that can affect a parent with a young child: unpredictable housing costs and the possibility of having to move unexpectedly.

ACT

ACT's housing approach puts considerable emphasis on private-sector development, property rights and reducing the costs of providing rental housing.

Its October 2026 announcement proposes:

• Allowing landlords to offset future rental-property losses against other taxable income.
• Reducing barriers to housing development and encouraging more rental housing investment.
• Continuing its approach of relying on housing supply and market competition rather than introducing rent controls.

ACT argues that reducing costs for landlords will encourage investment and ultimately benefit renters. That is the party's stated rationale, rather than a guarantee that individual tenants will receive lower rents. ACT New ZealandElection 2026: Political Parties Policy Analysis

What this could mean for you: ACT's proposals do not offer a specific new weekly rent payment or a proposed rent cap. Their intended benefit to renters is through greater housing supply and investment.

Te Pāti Māori

Te Pāti Māori's housing programme includes:

• Universal rent control, initially involving a rent freeze followed by limits on increases.
• Repealing no-cause evictions.
• Increasing funding for Sustaining Tenancies, which helps tenants at risk of losing their homes.
• Building more public and affordable housing.
• Supporting housing on Māori ancestral land.
• Taking action against land banking and vacant properties.

The party has also proposed allocating 50% of new social housing to Māori. PolicyThe property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line upHow should housing policy change?

What this could mean for you: Its rent-control and tenancy-protection proposals are relevant to private renters, while the social housing allocation proposal has a specific Māori focus.

New Zealand First

NZ First has emphasised:

• Prioritising New Zealand citizens for social housing.
• Housing development and infrastructure being coordinated, including roads and wastewater before developments proceed.
• Increasing housing supply through development.

The available election material provides less detail about specific rent caps, private tenancy protections or increases to weekly rental assistance. Election policy tracker: what the parties are promisingPolicy

The Opportunity Party (TOP)

TOP is also worth including in your comparison. Its housing proposals include a focus on increasing housing supply and addressing the incentives that affect land and property use. Its detailed proposals are available through the election policy tracker, although I would distinguish these from specific commitments to increase rental assistance or strengthen tenancy protections. Election policy tracker: what the parties are promisingHow should housing policy change?

2. Comparison at a glance

This table brings the differences together for someone who is renting rather than buying.

Party	Security against eviction	Rent increase proposals	Public/social housing
Labour	Ban no-cause evictions	Once every 12 months	Expand building
National	Retains current no-cause termination rules	No new rent cap	More tightly targeted
Greens	End no-cause evictions	2% annual cap	Tens of thousands more homes
ACT	Retains its market-oriented approach	No proposed rent cap	Emphasis on private supply
Te Pāti Māori	Repeal no-cause evictions	Universal rent control	Expand public housing
NZ First	No comparable detailed commitment identified	No specific cap identified	Prioritise citizens
TOP	No comparable detailed commitment identified	No specific cap identified	Focus on housing supply

Election policy tracker: what the parties are promisingHow should housing policy change?The property policies: How election 2026 housing promises line upACT New Zealand

One important distinction: a promise to build more houses is not the same as a promise to make your current rent more affordable. Similarly, a rent cap protects against certain increases but does not necessarily reduce the rent you are already paying.

3. What help with housing costs can you access now?

It is worth looking at existing assistance separately from election promises. You don't have to wait for the election to check your entitlements.

Accommodation Supplement

The Accommodation Supplement is a weekly, non-taxable payment towards rent, board or home ownership costs.

It can be available to private renters, including sole parents who work part-time.

Eligibility and payment amounts depend on:

• Your income and assets.
• Your rent.
• Your family circumstances.
• The area where you live.

For a sole parent with one child, the current maximum weekly payment ranges from $80 to $235 depending on the area classification. You do not necessarily receive the maximum. Accommodation Supplement

Income-related rent

If you qualify for Kāinga Ora or approved community housing, your rent may be income-related rather than simply the market rent.

The current minimum contribution is generally 25% of assessable household income. The Government has announced that this will rise to 30% from April 2027, with a phased introduction.

Labour proposes retaining the 25% contribution. Delivering fairer social housingACT New Zealand

Temporary Additional Support

If your essential costs exceed your income and other assistance, you may qualify for Temporary Additional Support.

This is a discretionary, time-limited payment assessed against your circumstances. The Government has announced changes to its maximum payment as part of Budget 2026, so it is worth checking the latest eligibility and rates rather than assuming current settings will continue.

Where to check

• Work and Income – Accommodation Supplement.
• Work and Income – check your entitlements.
• Kāinga Ora – public housing information.

4. The issue that may matter most: increasing your working hours

For your circumstances, I would pay particular attention to how housing assistance interacts with employment income.

Imagine you are offered another shift or an opportunity to work an extra day. Your household budget could be affected by several things at once:

• Your wages increase.
• Your Accommodation Supplement may reduce as income rises.
• Your Working for Families payments may change.
• Childcare costs may increase.
• Your eligibility for other assistance may change.

A policy that increases the maximum Accommodation Supplement is not necessarily the same as a policy that makes it easier to increase your working hours.

When assessing parties, some useful questions are:

1. Would I be able to keep my rental home if my income changed?
2. Would I have protection against sudden rent increases?
3. Would I have enough notice to find another home if my landlord wanted me to leave?
4. Would I receive more housing assistance as a low-income working parent?
5. Would extra working hours leave my household better off after childcare and reduced assistance?
6. Would I have a realistic pathway into secure public or community housing if private rent became unaffordable?

5. Where to compare the parties yourself

These independent resources can help you check the policies and their details:

• Policy.nz – 2026 election housing comparison: compare housing, renting and social housing policies.
• The Conversation – 2026 party policy tracker: broader comparison across election issues.
• RNZ – 2026 housing policy guide: reporting on housing announcements from the parties.
• Vote NZ: enrolment and voting information.

6. My suggested framework for your decision

I would keep three separate measures in mind when comparing the parties:

What matters	What to look for
Stability for your child	Longer tenancies, eviction protections and predictable rent
More money available each week	Accommodation Supplement, income support and rent affordability
Ability to work more	How housing assistance, childcare costs and income-tested support interact

One final point: don't overlook social housing eligibility. If your private rental costs are taking up too much of your income, it may be worth checking whether you qualify for the public housing register, even if you are currently working part-time.

The central question for your vote is not just which party promises cheaper housing. It is which proposed combination of rental protections, housing assistance and income support would give your household greater financial stability.

You deserve to be able to consider extra work without constantly worrying that the cost of childcare, rent and lost assistance will leave you worse off.

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