Aotearoa’s first national baseline for measuring poverty among older people released

For the first time, New Zealand has a national baseline for measuring poverty among older people – and the results reveal levels of hardship the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) says the country should no longer accept.

The inaugural Older Persons Poverty Monitor 2026, released today, finds:
● 168,000 older people reported delaying a doctor or dentist visit because of cost;
● 147,000 people aged over 65 live in accommodation they do not own;
● 102,000 older people are living below 50 percent of mean income after housing costs; and
● 25,000 older people are living in material hardship.

NZCCSS Chief Executive Alicia Sudden says the Monitor marks a turning point in how New Zealand understands poverty in later life. “For the first time, we can see and track the scale of poverty among older New Zealanders. What we measure is what we can change — and these first results should make us deeply concerned.”

Elizabeth Walker, CEO-Tāhuhu, Te Whare Ruruhau o Meri says “For the kaumātua Māori we walk alongside, poverty is not only about income. It shows up in delayed healthcare, poorer quality kai and missing meals, housing stress, reduced mobility, fewer social activities, limited access to services, and disconnection from whānau, marae and community life.

“We see how these pressures compound and affect the whole wellbeing of a person. When kaumātua are forced to choose between food, power, rent, transport, prescriptions, health care or staying socially connected, their mana and dignity are undermined. This Monitor matters because it gives national visibility to what Māori and community providers already see every day: poverty in later life is not just an economic issue. It is a hauora issue, a whānau issue, a community issue and a justice issue. If we are serious about ageing with dignity in Aotearoa, then the wellbeing of kaumātua Māori must be central to the response.”

Read the full media release and access the Older Persons Poverty Monitor here

(https://nzccss.org.nz/press-release/older-persons-poverty-monitor-press-release/ _