Changes made to New Zealand's Carer Support Subsidy have made the system "fairer" and "more equitable" for everyone, according to advocates.
The Government's increased the minimum daily subsidy rate family carers can access from Te Whatu Ora, from $64.50 in some regions to a minimum of $80 per day nationwide.
It's also widened the options for how the payment can be used to support the work of the main carer.
Chief executive of Carers NZ Laurie Hilsgen told 1News "the rigid rules meant people couldn't use someone in their same household to pay for some respite, it had to be someone 16 years or older, the rates of what you would get paid around the country were variable depending on your DHB and you didn't have a choice of what you could use that money for".
She said this is something the Carers Alliance has been working towards change for 15 years.
"We got close several times but then something else happened at the last minute so it was a policy that never quite got there so we are absolutely delighted that this change has come."
Until now, the rates have been inconsistent, not only between regions but between Government agencies.
Hilsgen said "the changes bring the daily rate and what you can do with it into line with what primary family carers are able to do with the subsidy in the disability world".
The changes announced will also now allow carers to claim multiple day’s worth of their annual allocation of the subsidy at once.
Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said “it will improve access to care options such as day programmes for respite for those in our community who cannot afford to privately ‘top-up’ the current daily allocation of carers’ support".
She said, overall, it'll have positive impacts for more than 14,000 existing carers.
Carers felt 'invisible'
The announcement follows the largest survey of New Zealand carers last year, which painted the 'worst wellbeing picture' that's been seen.
Kiwis fulfilling the a family carer role described "no longer [feeling] like a member of society", being "invisible" and "housebound".
Only a third of carers suggested they were satisfied with their lives and 70% reported high levels of depression or anxiety.
Verrall said the changes made this week will "more appropriately recognise carers’ important work and will improve the lives of those they care for."
That's especially important in the wake of the pandemic and the floods, Hilsgen said, particularly if NZ wants people to be able to keep making the choice to care.
"People do need breaks from their role and now they can have choice about how to have those breaks.
"Now you can use the $80 a day to buy items, you can buy self care treatments, you can buy devices, you can decide what a break means to you."
She said the unpaid work of carers has an annual economic value of $17.6 billion.
Despite welcoming the news, Hilsgen said the Carers Alliance still believes the subsidy rate remains too low.
NGOs that support family carers are this week launching a campaign seeking a dedicated Minister or Commissioner.
They want to see protections put in place for carers' mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.
"We have launched a petition calling for those changes... the petition has passed four thousand signatures so far."
The support subsidy changes come into effect on July 1.
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