Ministry of Health Update

Changes to Vehicle Purchase and Modification Services

The Ministry of Health has recently approved significant changes to the funding guidelines for vehicle purchase and modification services. 

What are the main changes?

Vehicle modifications

• Modifications to family vehicles - families with disabled children (aged 15 years and under) will be able to receive funding support to modify their vehicles so that they can get out and about as a family more safely and easily.
• The requirement for income and asset testing for modifications (such as a vehicle hoist) has been removed.
• The upper limit for vehicle modifications has been increased from $969.00 (inc. GST) to $11,900 (inc. GST) in the Enable New Zealand area.
• Funding for purchase of a vehicle is considered separately from funding for modifications; upper limits of $11,900 (inc. GST) apply to both vehicle purchase and/or vehicle modifications.

Vehicle Purchase

• The maximum level of funding for purchase of a vehicle is $11,900 (inc. GST). Additional funding is available if the person needs modifications to the vehicle.
• Funding is available on a once-only basis.

When will these new services be available?

These guidelines will be developed into a formal manual over the next few months, however they have been published at this stage by the MoH so that disabled people can start to benefit from these changes as soon as possible. 

The new services are available from 12 May 2008.