Almost 170,000 children are now living in material hardship nationwide.
Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad says it is "absolutely unacceptable" that new official figures show one in seven children are living in material hardship.
The latest Statistics New Zealand child poverty statistics reveal 14.3% of children (around 169,300) were living in material hardship in the year ended June 2025.
That is an increase of 47,500 children since 2022.
“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,” Achmad told 1News.
“This is a solvable problem, and we need to see urgent action.”
What is material hardship?
Material hardship measures whether a household goes without seven or more essential items from a list of 18 basics.
Those include access to fresh and nutritious food, being able to visit the doctor, having warm clothing, paying power bills, and having a bed of your own.
“Children in New Zealand are being locked out of the very basics of life,” Achmad said.
“Things like access to fresh and nutritious food, being able to go to the doctor, being warm in winter. These are things that no child should want for.”
She said in real terms the increase since 2022 equated to “filling up Eden Park three times over”.
“That’s got to change.”
Not on track to meet targets
Under the Child Poverty Reduction Act, the Government has a target to reduce 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.”
She said childhood was a short period of time with lifelong consequences.
“Children can’t wait for our economy to get better. We need to see action for children right now.”
Pressure on households
The data also shows household incomes have increased... but so too have costs.
“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.
“For our mokopuna Māori, Pacific children and children with disabilities, the rates of material hardship are much higher.”
Achmad said she was particularly concerned about gaps in long-term data for children with disabilities, warning it could make tracking progress harder in future years.
Government response
Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston declined an interview but said in a statement the results were expected and showed “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 pointed to measures including increasing the in-work tax credit, lifting Working for Families thresholds, providing tax relief, reducing inflation and introducing FamilyBoost to make childcare more affordable.
Labour’s child poverty spokesperson Jan Tinetti said unemployment and housing pressures were contributing to hardship.
But Achmad said reducing child poverty should transcend party politics.
“My message to all across our Parliament in New Zealand is to make reducing child poverty a priority,” she said.
“That was the spirit of the Child Poverty Reduction Act in 2018. Now I want to see all parties working together to prioritise children.”
She said reducing child poverty should be treated as a project of national significance.
“We can solve this problem of poverty for children in New Zealand, but we must work together.”
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