People receiving the emergency housing special needs grant in Aotearoa New Zealand

In 2016, the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) of New Zealand introduced the Emergency Housing Special Needs Grant (EHSNG) to address urgent accommodation needs. This study utilised the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) to analyse the demographics and government service utilisation of EHSNG recipients, including all household members, unlike previous reports that focused only on the main applicant. Findings revealed that the EHSNG cohort is younger and has lower incomes than the general population, based on the 2018 Census. There is a notable overrepresentation of Māori and Pacific peoples in this group. EHSNG recipients also exhibited higher usage of government services, including increased physical and mental health needs and greater involvement with justice services. More importantly, many recipients submitted repeated EHSNG applications, exceeding the intended one-time use of the grant. Younger age groups (5 to 17 years), households with multiple adults and children, and Māori made more applications than their counterparts. These findings contribute to mixed international evidence regarding emergency housing usage patterns and underscore the urgent need for tailored, wraparound support for children and youth to transition from emergency housing to stable accommodation.