Background

Disability Support Services (DSS) is responsible for providing essential disability support to around 50,000 disabled people and their whānau, as well as environmental supports, including equipment and modification services, for approximately 100,000 New Zealanders.

Following an Independent Review of DSS in 2024, the Disability Support Services Taskforce was established to implement the Independent Review's recommendations. The report of the Independent Review (including alternate formats) is available here.

The current priority of the Taskforce is to stabilise DSS by making it fairer, more transparent, easier to understand and more consistent for disabled people within current funding levels.

Engagement on the issues experienced by disabled people and whānau using MSD’s Disability Support Services took place between 29 October 2024 and 22 November 2024. In this consultation over 1,500 people told us their views on the future of DSS.

This document provides a summary of the findings from this consultation and do not represent the views of MSD. Throughout this document we have included verbatim quotes to illustrate respondents' views. Quotes have not been changed or corrected for spelling and grammar.

The findings from this, and from upcoming consultation in early 2025, will support and inform the development of options for Government to stabilise disability support services so they are fairer, more consistent, more transparent, and sustainable into the future.

Our next community consultation will take place from 10 February until 24 March 2025 and builds on the responses we received in our first round of consultation as summarised below.