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Pātiki and Waharua Kōpito patterns

Eligibility Criteria

If you meet these criteria, you may be able to get help to make your home warmer, drier, and safer.
Find out more

Why we need healthier homes

Cold, damp, crowded homes can increase the risk of respiratory issues and other preventable health conditions, such as rheumatic fever and skin infections. There is strong evidence, nationally and internationally, of improved health outcomes resulting from warmer and drier homes.

Improving housing is also an equity issue, with Māori and Pacific families being over-represented in low-income households in areas of poorer quality and crowded housing.

About Healthy Homes Initiatives

The aim of the Healthy Homes Initiative is to increase the number of children and their whānau/families living in warm, dry, and healthy homes and consequently to enhance their health and wellbeing, reducing the number of housing-related hospitalisations.

The initiative contracts providers who work with eligible whānau and families; other government agencies; and local partners to provide education and access to interventions to create warm, dry and healthy homes for:

  • pregnant people
  • low-income families with children aged between 0 and 5 who’ve been hospitalised with a specified housing-related condition
  • families that are receiving a benefit
  • Individuals at risk of Rheumatic Fever or have Rheumatic Fever

Interventions given to these families include help with:

  • accessing insulation
  • curtains
  • beds and bedding
  • minor repairs
  • floor coverings
  • ventilation
  • heating sources
  • Full and Correct Entitlement assessments through Work and Income
  • support with power bills
  • finding alternative accommodation as needed.

How Healthy Homes Initiatives works

The HHIs identify eligible families, working with them to carry out a comprehensive housing assessment and complete an individualised action plan to create a warmer, drier, healthier home.

The HHIs then help families to get the interventions they need to create a better living environment, especially for their children.

Interventions given to these families include help with:

  • accessing insulation
  • curtains
  • beds and bedding
  • minor repairs
  • floor coverings
  • ventilation
  • heating sources
  • full and correct entitlement assessments through Work and Income
  • support with power bills
  • finding alternative accommodation as needed.

Healthy Homes Initiative background

The Healthy Homes Initiative (HHI) was established between December 2013 and March 2015 and cover 11 district health boards (DHBs) with a high incidence of rheumatic fever. Initially, the HHI targeted low-income families with children at risk of rheumatic fever who were living in crowded households.

In 2016, the breadth of the programme was expanded nationwide. In 2021 the Government announced additional funding to expand the reach and impact of the programme. This includes expanding the programme to the whole country from 1 July 2022.

Healthy Homes Initiative: Five year outcomes evaluation

Healthy Homes Initiative: Five year outcomes evaluation

Findings from the Healthy Homes Initiative: Five-year outcomes evaluation, published on 29 November 2024, show five years after the HHI intervention the number of hospitalisations reduced by 18.6%, with a 5% reduction in school absence for illness amongst participants and the benefits of the HHI exceed the cost to Health NZ after one year with a five year return on investment of 507%.

The latest report highlights that the Healthy Homes Initiative has had a significant impact for over 200,000 referred whānau members including children, resulting in fewer hospital visits and trips to the GP.

The Five-year outcomes evaluation was co-funded by Health NZ, Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities (Kāinga Ora) and the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

Healthy Homes Initiative: Five year outcomes evaluation (PDF 28MB)

Healthy Homes Initiative: Three year outcomes evaluation

Healthy Homes Initiative: Three year outcomes evaluation

Findings from the Healthy Homes Initiative: Three year outcomes evaluation, published on 3 October 2022, show the number of hospitalisations for referred tamariki and their wider whānau was reduced by 19.8 percent after the intervention, and that when people were hospitalised, these hospitalisations were shorter and less severe.

The evaluation report also highlights that the Healthy Homes Initiative is making a tangible contribution to better health and social outcomes for referred whānau.

Healthy Homes Initiative: Three year outcomes evaluation (PDF 31MB)

Reach and impact of the Healthy Homes Initiatives

Reach and impact of the Healthy Homes Initiatives

To date:

  • Over 44,800 tamariki have been seen by HHI providers.
  • Over 200,000 whānau members have been seen by HHI providers.
  • 76% of referrals to the HHI have been either Māori or Pacific people.
  • Over 152,877 items and products have been received (i.e. education, beds, bedding, curtains, heating, insulation, support to find alternative accommodation).

Who we work with

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora has worked closely with a number of key government agencies such as Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, Ministry of Social Development (MSD), the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA) and, more recently, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to enhance the service for families.

For example, some families are eligible for the Rheumatic Fever Fast Track onto the social housing waitlist, and families living in Kāinga Ora properties are able to access key capital interventions such as insulation (usually within 90 days).

Health NZ works with these providers around the motu:

Northern | Te Tai Tokerau

Te Tai Tokerau

Health NZ Te Tai Tokerau – Manawa Ora

Auckland/ Waitematā

Habitat for Humanity Northern Noho Ᾱhuru – Healthy Homes

Counties Manukau

 

National Hauora Coalition

Midland | Te Manawa Taki

Waikato

National Hauora Coalition

Lakes

 

 

Sustainability Options – Te Kapua Whakapipi

Bay of Plenty

Sustainability Options

Tairāwhiti

Turanga Health

Taranaki

WISE Charitable Trust

Central | Te Ikaroa

Whanganui

WISE Charitable Trust

Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley

Well Homes - Tu Kotahi Māori Asthma Trust

Hawke's Bay

Health NZ – Te Matau a Maui - Child Healthy Housing

MidCentral

Health NZ– Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua, Kāinga Whakatipu

Wairarapa

Whaiora – Kāinga Tū Tangata Ora

South Island | Te Waipounamu

Nelson Marlborough

Te Piki Oranga

Canterbury

Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust – Tamaiti Healthy Homes

Southern and South Canterbury

Aukaha

Te Tai o Poutini West Coast

Te Hā o Kawatiri Incorporated