Child poverty is worsening, Salvation Army report finds

By CathNews New Zealand

February 13th, 2026

The Salvation Army in Christchurch (Michael Klajban/Wikimedia Commons)

Worsening child poverty, rising family violence and ongoing cost of living pressures are among the findings of the Salvation Army’s latest State of the Nation report. Source: Radio New Zealand.

The 2026 report noted that 156,000 children were living in material hardship in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2024, the latest year for which figures were available – up from 120,000 in 2022. The percentage of children in material hardship is close to that in 2018, at 13.4 per cent (13.3 per cent in 2018).

Salvation Army social policy and parliamentary unit director Dr Bonnie Robinson said the worsening situation can be seen on the front line at food banks.

“Families are coming in, and some of those families have got jobs, sometimes several jobs. It’s just not enough,” she said. “They’re one crisis, or one extra need, one doctor’s visit, one bit of school uniform, away from not being able to afford to feed themselves.”

Report co-author Paul Barber said an increase in food insecurity came as access to Government support was being tightened.

Food grant limits had not been changed since 2008, he said. The Ministry of Social Development cannot grant someone more than $200 in food grants over a 26-week period, unless they determine there are exceptional circumstances. Most applications for what is available are approved, MSD stated.

Social Development Minister Louise Upston said $15 million of Government funding was announced in Budget 2025 “to support community food providers while the economy continues to recover”.

“In addition to the Food Security Communities Programme, MSD also supports other initiatives such as the Kickstart Breakfast and provides Special Needs Grants for food.”

Ms Upston did not comment on further funding ahead of this year’s Budget.

The report showed that tamariki Māori and Pacific children continue to experience disproportionately high rates of hardship. It also revealed that family violence was at its highest level since 2018, despite an overall drop in violent crime.

Mr Barber said that was a sign of families under pressure.

“A lot of the violence is concentrated on a few people who experience multiple victimisations,” he said, adding that authorities needed to work with those families to understand what help was necessary to address the “multiple pressures” they faced.

FULL STORY

‘It’s just not enough’: Salvation Army warns families are starving (By Penny Smith/Radio New Zealand)

State of the Nation 2026: Kiwi Families Under Growing Economic Pressure (Salvation Army NZ)