Living Standards Research

The Living Standards research is an ongoing research programme that aims to develop a comprehensive description of the living standards of New Zealanders using non-income measures of material wellbeing and hardship. Policy makers, researchers, community groups, government agencies and citizens more generally have a strong interest in reliable and up to date information about the relative material wellbeing of different groups within the New Zealand community. The findings from the Living Standards research make a significant contribution to that knowledge base, to assist with the development of sound policy and to inform public discussion. The Living Stanadards research complements the monitoring work based on household incomes published in the Ministry's Household Incomes Reports.