Nearly 170,000 children across New Zealand are currently facing material hardship. Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad describes it as “absolutely unacceptable.”
Material hardship tracks households lacking seven or more of 18 essential items, such as nutritious food, doctor visits, warm clothing, power bill payments, and a personal bed.
The latest child poverty stats from Statistics New Zealand show that 14.3% of children—about 169,300—lived in material hardship during the year ending June 2025.
This marks an increase of 47,500 children since 2022.
“Children in New Zealand are being locked out of the very basics of life,” Achmad said.
“It’s absolutely unacceptable that we are seeing progress on reducing child poverty stall, and in some regards, actually, more children are now in material hardship.”
The Child Poverty Reduction Act sets a government target of cutting material hardship to 6% by 2028.
Achmad said the latest data shows New Zealand is not on track.
“I’m very concerned that the data shows we are not on track to meet the child poverty reduction targets. That’s unacceptable, because this is a solvable problem, and children, they can’t wait any longer.”
“Children can’t wait for our economy to get better. We need to see action for children right now.”
The data reveals that household incomes have risen, yet costs have climbed as well.
“The high rates of housing have eaten away at any gains in household income,” Achmad said.
“And we see that playing out in children’s lives with these high rates of material hardship.”
She added that poverty was not experienced equally. Material hardship rates are significantly higher for Māori mokopuna, Pacific children, and those with disabilities.
Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston stated that the results were anticipated, showing “no statistically significant changes in the three primary child poverty measures compared to 2023/24.”
“Our government is taking action to reduce child poverty by fixing the basics and building the future. Reducing child material hardship is a particular focus of mine as minister, and it is a priority in our government’s child and youth strategy,” Upston said.
She highlighted actions like boosting the in-work tax credit, raising Working for Families thresholds, offering tax relief, curbing inflation, and launching FamilyBoost for cheaper childcare.
For Labour’s child poverty spokesperson Jan Tinetti, unemployment and housing pressures were contributing to hardship.
Meanwhile, Achmad calls on all New Zealand Parliament members to prioritise reducing child poverty.
“That was the spirit of the Child Poverty Reduction Act in 2018. Now I want to see all parties working together to prioritise children.”
“We can solve this problem of poverty for children in New Zealand, but we must work together.”