This order, which comes into force on 1 April 2021, increases a range of benefits, allowances, asset limits, and superannuation entitlements, etc, that are payable on and after 1 April 2021. The increases reflect both mandatory adjustments and discretionary increases.

Where a net average weekly earnings adjustment is required, it reflects the increase of 3.10% in the net average wage from the December 2019 quarter to the December 2020 quarter.

Annual net average wage weekly earnings adjustments are required under section 452A of the Social Security Act 2018 for the following benefits:

• jobseeker support:

• sole parent support:

• supported living payment:

• youth payment and young parent payment:

• former widow’s benefit:

• former domestic purposes benefit.

These increases are set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1.

Where an annual consumers price index (CPI) increase is required, it reflects the increase of 1.15% in the New Zealand Consumers Price Index from the December 2019 quarter to the December 2020 quarter, calculated for all quarters using the New Zealand Consumers Price Index (All Groups), excluding cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Annual CPI increases are required under section 453 of the Social Security Act 2018 for the following benefits: orphan’s benefit, unsupported child’s benefit, and the hospital rate.

These increases are set out in Part 2 of Schedule 1.

Annual CPI increases are also required, under section 15 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001, for superannuation entitlements. Those increases may sometimes be more than the CPI increase in order to meet the further requirements (in sections 15(3)(a) and (b) and 16 of that Act) that the increases maintain a specified relationship to the net average wage and also maintain the proportional relationship of specified rates. The total of the increases required by both sections 15 and 16 of the Act is set out in Part 3 of Schedule 1.

The discretionary increases made under section 452 of the Social Security Act 2018 are in respect of—

• the abatement rates and income limits for the youth payment and young parent payment:

• the rates of child disability allowance and disability allowance:

• various asset and income limits that may be applied to certain assistance:

• the disability allowance income limits:

• the hospital rate payable to a superannuitant set out in clause 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001:

• the rate payable to a superannuitant set out in clause 1(a) of Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001.

These increases are set out in Schedule 2.

This order is a confirmable instrument, and an annual confirmable instrument, under section 47B of the Legislation Act 2012. It is revoked, or taken to have been invalid for past operation, at the close of 30 June 2022 unless earlier confirmed by an Act of Parliament. That stated time is the applicable deadline under section 47C(1)(a) of the Legislation Act 2012.