NZ ECE funding diff
What changed in 2026
Budget 2026 delivered 28 May 2026 by Hon Nicola Willis.
Budget 2026 (delivered Thursday 28 May 2026 by Finance Minister Nicola Willis) returned ECE to the funding table after the 0.5% increase in Budget 2025 was widely criticised. The headline measure is a 1.5% cost adjustment to the ECE subsidy rates, raising annual ECE spend by approximately $42 million from July 2026. The Early Childhood Council called it "the first meaningful cost adjustment in years" but noted the sector had asked for 5% to make up for an estimated 11%+ real-terms decline in funding since 2019. No changes were announced to FamilyBoost, 20 Hours ECE, the Childcare Subsidy, ratios, or the Network Management Plan. The Healthy School Lunches and ECE Food programmes were funded to continue through 2027 at $212 million combined.
Changes this year
- Funding rate +1.5% (≈$42m/yr)
1.5% increase to ECE subsidy rates
A 1.5% cost adjustment was applied to the per-child ECE funding rates paid by the Ministry of Education to licensed services. The increase raises annual ECE spend by approximately $42 million and takes effect from 1 July 2026, the start of the new funding period.
Effective from 1 Jul 2026 Source: Ministry of Education — Budget 2026 - Programme $212m to 2027
ECE Food + Healthy School Lunches programmes extended through 2027
Funding of $212 million was allocated to continue the Healthy School Lunches and Early Childhood Education Food programmes into 2027. The ECE Food programme provides funded morning tea and lunch at participating low-EQI early-learning services.
Effective from 1 Jan 2027 Source: RNZ — Budget 2026 education coverage - Parent subsidy
No changes to FamilyBoost, 20 Hours ECE or Childcare Subsidy
Budget 2026 did not change the FamilyBoost rebate rate (25%), the weekly cap ($75), the household-income phase-out band ($140k-$180k), the 20 Hours ECE scope (3-5 year olds, universal), or the Childcare Subsidy income thresholds. The settings shipped with Budget 2024 carry through unchanged.
Source: IRD — FamilyBoost
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.