Disability Taskforce extended as Budget funding boosts system

The Disability Support Services Taskforce will be extended for a year to continue its progress in stabilising the disability support system and shaping it for the future.

Minister for Disability Issues Louise Upston says the Taskforce has been extended to 30 June 2026, with its work further enhanced by a billion-dollar funding boost announced in last month’s Budget.

“This Government is committed to the ongoing support of the disability community and delivering better outcomes for disabled people, their families and carers,” Louise Upston says.

“We’ve demonstrated this in Budget 2025, where the DSS Budget received $1 billion in additional funding over four years – that’s about $250 million a year of new money.

“This includes $60 million a year in residential care funding increases and about $190 million a year for increases across all DSS services for cost pressures, including care in the community.

“We are making good progress in delivering for disabled people, and the Taskforce will continue to play a key role.

“In August 2024, the Independent Review made recommendations to manage increasing cost pressures faced by DSS.

“The Taskforce was established to lead the implementation of these recommendations. That important work is progressing well, and I am now looking to the Taskforce to lead more work to further strengthen the system.

“The Taskforce has already made significant progress to stabilise DSS, including:

• reviewing pricing and contracting arrangements for residential care, which are being implemented following Budget 2025

• improving systems and processes for assessing performance and forecasting expenditure

• reviewing needs assessment and allocation, and flexible funding settings so they better meet the needs of disabled people, their whānau and carers.

“My expectation is that DSS will continue to involve the disability community in discussions about how disability support services are delivered. I’ll have more to say on the next phase of work in the coming months,” Louise Upston says.