Statement on changes impacting disabled ākonga and the wider disabled community (20th May 2026)

The National Disabled Students’ Association is aware of — and condemns — recent changes and proposals to how disabled people in Aotearoa access funding, support, and accessible housing.

Over the last two weeks, we’re seeing three major changes underway which impact both disabled ākonga (learners) and our wider disabled community, reducing our ability to make decisions for ourselves and what we need, eliminating access to individual lottery grants for disabled people, and removing the target from Kāinga Ora to make at least 15% of their homes accessible. 

These decisions have wider implications for how Aotearoa meets its goals and obligations under Enabling Good Lives (EGL), the New Zealand Disability Strategy (NZDS), and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

We will release further information, particularly on the Disability Support Services Bill and how to make your own submission, as it becomes available.

Removal of individual funding through lotteries grants

Previously, disabled people have been able to apply for ring-fenced funding through specialist committees, which could be used to help us access needed tools such as assistance dogs, communication equipment, wheelchairs, mobility vehicles, scooters, and other mobility equipment. From May 15th 2026, the fund is now closed, and no further applications will be accepted. The changes to the lottery distribution committees will be effective from 1st July 2026.

This funding will now be allocated to services that provide support for disabled people. We believe this will reduce disabled people’s access to these much-needed tools, and we will be left with less ability to make decisions about ourselves and what we need.

Read more about these changes through this article by Olivia Shivas of the D*List 

Introduction of the Disability Support Services Bill

The NDSA believes this Bill has been proposed without adequate consultation with disabled people, and directly harms disabled people by creating a framework that could see us lose access in the future to Disability Support Services (DSS). 

We feel this Bill puts the responsibility of care for disabled people on our family and whānau, preventing our ability to seek additional support, and further stigmatising disabled people who need support. It also establishes income-based and asset-based criteria — forcing disabled people into poverty in order to access supports. 

This Bill is in response to the carers of disabled people asserting their rights, and being seen as employees under the Crown in a Supreme Court case. If this Bill comes into force, it will mean that carers cannot be seen as employees under the Crown, and it will cancel any legal cases currently underway.

It will also prevent people from going to the Health and Disability Commissioner or the Human Rights Commission for issues carers experience in relation to being seen as employees. Removing the right of people to access external justice is unacceptable, and the NDSA condemns this decision.

There is currently limited accessible information or alternate formats available about the proposed Bill. Some information is available from Disability Support Services. We will attempt to provide more information as it becomes available.

Access the full proposed Bill here [New Zealand Legilsation] 

Article from Huhana Hickey about the proposed Bill [Substack]

Article from Dr. Bex on the proposed Bill [Substack]

Scrapping the goal by Kāinga Ora to make at least 15% of new houses accessible

In 2019, Kāinga Ora committed to making at least 15% of their new builds meet universal design standards. These standards have requirements such as wider doorways, and help to make houses easy to modify for different needs. This commitment was made in the Kāinga Ora 2019–2022 Accessibility Policy.

As of August 2025, 2,223 people were on the waitlist for public accessible housing [1News], and just 2% of homes for sale are estimated to be accessible [Stuff]. It’s clear that there aren’t enough accessible homes available, and ākonga are particularly affected by being unable to access housing that meets their needs due to experiencing low incomes.

Universal design benefits everyone — not only allowing disabled people to live safely and comfortably in their own homes, but also future-proofing homes for when disability arises, and allowing disabled people to visit their friends and loved ones at their own homes.

The goal to make at least 15% of homes meet universal design standards was a low bar; it was one step to meet the needs of the wider disabled population. Additionally, universal design doesn’t always mean ‘out-of-the-box’ accessibility; where houses may still require modifications such as conversion of bathrooms to make them accessible. To take away this commitment of providing the bare minimum to disabled people is a clear step in the wrong direction, and affects how Aotearoa meets our obligations under EGL, the NZDS, and the UNCRPD. 

Article from Huhana Hickey on the decision to scrap the commitment to at least 15% accessible builds [Substack].