There is currently no measure of poverty for older people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Without such a measure we cannot track the impacts of policy changes in this space. As for our Child Poverty statistics, implementation of a set of measures that can track progress across the years is critical to ensure that we can be working towards meaningful change for our most vulnerable older people.
With the support of funding from the Louisa and Patrick Emmett Murphy Foundation and the Helen Stewart Royle Charitable Trust, the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) has developed an early framework for an Older Persons Poverty Monitor which would provide an annual update on the poverty status of this demographic.
During August 2025, we engaged with members across the sector and the public for their feedback on this framework.
The end date for this engagement was August 31, 2025.
You can find the full content of this engagement document here: