Whānau in Aotearoa should have clear and consistent information while shopping to ensure that they are able to purchase the items that most suit them and their budget. The prominent display of unit pricing should be easy to use so that whānau can easily compare products while they...
Working for Families Tax Credits (WfFTC) need to truly work for whānau in Aotearoa. No tamariki should have to go without essentials because of inconsistent and confusing support systems and rules. In Aotearoa, 16.3 per cent1 of children are living in material hardship. A fit-for-purpose Working for...
No whānau in Aotearoa should have to endure extended hardship because of displacement or loss of work due to a health condition or disability. The Tripartite Working Group, which is comprised of Business New Zealand, the Government, and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions,...
Whānau should not face a position where lending that was always going to be unaffordable causes or compounds hardship. The onus must be on lenders to not disregard that collection on due repayments is likely to cause harm. We strongly recommend in this submission that lenders...
Everyone in Aotearoa should have easy access to helpful information when engaging with public services. FinCap strongly supports the need for plain language in official documents and websites. FinCap recommends that decision-makers also support work on inclusion and accessibility to essential services for all whānau in...
A functional cash system must be maintained as a safety net to stop absolute exclusion from full social participation but there should also be work to realise a right to essential services and lower chances that whānau are vulnerable to having no choice but using...
Financial mentors have seen their caseloads grow and become more complex since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey completed by FinCap found that financial mentors are facing increased pressure due to COVID-19, housing issues and mental health. FinCap is calling for ongoing,...
Clear rights to responsible conduct from lenders are important as lending can cause significant and disproportionate harm to whānau. Buy-Now Pay-Later (BNPL) services are loans that can trigger or compound substantial hardship. Aotearoa is fortunate in that Section 137A of the Credit Contract and Consumer...
Water services are essential services that whānau need for health, wellbeing and social participation. No one should face losing access to essential water services because of an inability to pay or because of barriers around engaging with organisations providing water. We support robust consumer protections and...
Energy hardship can see whānau stuck going without what they need for health, wellbeing and social participation. Recognising and addressing the harm caused to communities due to avoidable hardship should be a top priority for decision makers. The ways of measuring the impacts of initiatives...