Jacinda Ardern Instagram – Tomorrow marks the beginning of a long list of cost of living changes – and right now that’s exactly what we need. The combination of covid and it’s impact on supply chains, and the war hitting fuel prices means many families are doing it really tough. There’s no quick fix, but there are definitely things we can do to help. And so, from tomorrow, on top of things like the 25cents per litre we’ve taken off fuel (and half price public transport) the following changes kick in: *Main benefit rates increase by between $20 and $42 per adult, per week compared to 1 July 2021 *The Minimum Wage increases to $21.20 per hour *New Zealand Superannuation rates increase by $52 per fortnight for single superannuitants living alone, and by $80 per fortnight for a couple. *Student Allowance and Living Costs increase by $25 per adult, per week *Childcare Assistance income thresholds indexed to average wage growth *Working for Families tax credit increases *Orphans Benefit and Unsupported Childs Benefit increases by between 12 and 26 percent per week. There’s always more to do, but we hope these changes will ease some of the pressure.