About us | Mō mātou
MSD is the lead agency for providing public employment services to New Zealanders, supporting people to obtain and maintain employment. We are also the lead agency for managing and delivering New Zealand’s welfare system on behalf of the Government, contributing to positive outcomes for people today and into the future. Helping people, whānau, families and communities to be safe, strong and independent is at the centre of what we do.
We develop and implement policy, measure the progress of social outcomes for New Zealanders and support the Government to set priorities across the social sector.
We deliver social services and assistance to young people, working-age people, disabled people, older people, whānau, families and communities.
As an agency of the Crown, we meet our obligations under the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. We are committed to supporting and enabling Māori, whānau, hapū, iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations.
Our work is not done alone. We work closely with many organisations and community groups who have the right connections and expertise to make a lasting difference in people’s lives. We also take a leadership role in co-ordinating actions across social sector agencies in some circumstances.
Together we aim to make a positive impact on the lives of New Zealanders.
What we do
We are responsible for administering Vote Social Development. The vast majority of what we spend goes directly to clients and those providing services to them.
MSD helps New Zealanders by fulfilling a broad range of responsibilities and functions, including:
- providing employment services and support
- providing income support, including superannuation
- designing, funding and delivering community services with others
- providing public housing assistance and services
- administering student allowances and student loans
- advising on child wellbeing and poverty reduction
- being the primary provider of social policy advice to the Government
- hosting Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People
- monitoring three Crown entities and providing advice to the responsible Minister
- ensuring the legislation we administer is effective and fit for purpose
- working with other agencies and the wider social sector to support government priorities and improve the social outcomes of all New Zealanders
- supporting the National Emergency Management Agency and Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups to respond to emergencies, including delivering welfare services to those affected.
We are responsible to a number of Ministers, including the:
- Minister and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
- Minister for Disability Issues
- Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
- Minister and Associate Minister of Housing
- Minister for Seniors
- Minister for Youth
- Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence.
Our budgeted spending is approved by Parliament following the Budget announcement each year. The annual Vote Social Development Estimates of Appropriations details the funding allocated, policy initiatives approved, Ministers’ spending intentions and how performance will be assessed. These may be amended in the Vote Social Development Supplementary Estimates of Appropriations during the year.
MSD also receives funding from some government agencies to provide accreditation services through Te Kāhui Kāhu and agreed corporate services. Full details of spending in 2023/24 can be found in the financial statements, commencing on page 146.
MSD has a complex range of responsibilities. In addition to our core functions, MSD is responsible for a range of specialist business units and administrative relationships with other agencies, including those described in Figure 1.
Figure 1: MSD’s other distinctive functions and administrative relationships
Other business units within MSD with distinctive functions
- Office for Seniors
- Ministry of Youth Development
- Historic Claims
- Te Kāhui Kāhu - Social Services Accreditation
- Child Wellbeing and Poverty Reduction Group
Administrative relationships MSD has with other agencies
- Supporting and advising on appointments to a board and three statutory tribunals:
- South Auckland Social Wellbeing Board
- Social Security Appeal Authority
- Social Workers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal
- Student Allowance Appeal Authority.
- Monitoring three Crown entities and providing advice to the responsible Minister:
- Children and Young People's Commission
- Peke Waihanga (New Zealand Artificial Limb Service)
- Social Workers Registration Board.
- Providing an agreed range of services to other agencies, for example, finance, IT, HR, actuarial, information management and privacy:
- Social Wellbeing Agency (Social Investment Agency from 1 July 2024)
- Children and Young People's Commission
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Development
- Oranga Tamariki.
- Hosting Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People. Whaikaha is a departmental agency hosted by MSD. As part of this arrangement MSD provides corporate services to Whaikaha.
