NZ ECE funding diff
What changed in 2020
2020 was dominated by COVID-19 response. ECE services were closed during Alert Level 3 and 4 lockdowns, and the government maintained funding continuity for licensed services during closures to avoid mass redundancies. The funded rate uplifts in Budget 2020 were modest, but the wage subsidy and ECE-continuity payments were critical to keeping the sector solvent through the year.
Changes this year
- Policy
Funding continuity through COVID-19 lockdowns
The Ministry of Education maintained ECE funding payments through Alert Level 3 and 4 lockdowns, with the requirement that services continue to pay teachers. Combined with the broader COVID-19 wage subsidy, this kept licensed services solvent through extended forced closures.
About this page: a neutral catalogue of NZ ECE funding and policy changes by year. Built from official Crown / Treasury / Ministry sources cited above. We do not represent any political party — corrections and additions welcome via contact. Last reviewed 2026-05-28. See also: our methodology · data sources + licences.