Updates to modernise four ACC regulations
Important changes to four ACC regulations came into effect on Thursday 27 November 2025, delivering an improved and fairer experience for kiritaki (clients).
These changes ensure the Accident Compensation scheme reflects current medical and scientific evidence, inflation and the real costs to kiritaki (clients). They’re also intended to improve access to treatment, rehabilitation and dispute resolution.
The four key changes are as follows:
- Twelve additions to ACC’s Schedule 2 list of occupational diseases – providing a more direct route to accessing ACC cover for a workplace illness
- Simplifying reimbursement for review legal costs and increasing the maximum amount payable
- The age scale used in assessing hearing loss for ACC cover is updated to align with international standards
- Travel and accommodation rates are increased for kiritaki travelling to receive treatment and rehabilitation services
Brian Hesketh, ACC Head of Policy, Evidence and Insights, says the changes align with the Government’s priority of delivering better public services and will provide improved experiences for kiritaki.
“Some of our regulations have not been reviewed for a long time and others have not kept up to date with inflation or epidemiological evidence,” Brian says.
“Changes such as the increase in our travel and accommodation rates will make it easier for kiritaki to access ACC cover and receive the right support at the right time, as they recover from injury.”
Twelve occupational diseases added to Schedule 2
A significant change brings 12 new additions to ACC’s list of occupational diseases within Schedule 2 of the Act, which provides a more direct route to accessing ACC cover where there is a link to workplace exposure.
The list in Schedule 2 had not been updated since 2008. Updating the schedule ensures it better reflects modern epidemiological evidence and the exposures faced by New Zealand’s workforce.
Changes to review costs and reimbursements
Another important update is to the Review Costs Regulations, which set the maximum amounts that kiritaki can be reimbursed for expenses related to their review, such as representation and obtaining medical evidence.
The changes increase the previous cost caps to enable clients to receive more meaningful financial support when reviewing an ACC decision. The changes also remove some of the complexity which had previously made it more challenging for kiritaki and their representatives to navigate the review process effectively.
The number of cost categories have been reduced from 14 to three, simplifying the structure and making it more user-friendly. The maximum amounts payable in each category have also increased to better support kiritaki and increase access to justice within the scheme.
Hearing Assessment Regulations aligned to updated international standards
Changes have been made to our Hearing Assessment Regulations, which are used to establish an evidence-based standard to help determine whether a claimant is eligible for cover for work-related, gradual-process hearing loss.
The standard includes an age scale that attributes a portion of hearing loss to the normal ageing process, rather than an injury-related cause.
This scale has been updated to align with the current international standard, while several other areas have also been updated – such as the testing standards for pure-tone air and bone conduction audiometry.
These updates ensure our hearing loss assessment process reflects current international standards and scientific evidence.
Travel and accommodation rates raised for kiritaki
There have also been some updates to the Ancillary Services Regulations, which determine how much ACC is liable to pay for the costs of travel and accommodation where those are required for a kiritaki’s treatment and rehabilitation. These rates apply for eligible kiritaki, their escorts and support people.
The previous rates hadn’t been updated in over 20 years and didn’t reflect the actual costs of travelling for treatment and rehabilitation. This could have a negative impact on access to necessary care, particularly for those living in rural areas who are far from major hospitals or specialist centres.
The commercial accommodation rate increases from $57.55 to $140 per night. A new $35 per night rate option has also been introduced for staying with family or friends. These rates continue to be paid per night, regardless of how many people require accommodation.
In addition, the rate for non-emergency transport by private motor vehicle and non-emergency other transport (such as taxi or non-scheduled passenger service) has risen from $0.29 to $0.34 per kilometre.
The new rates align with the Ministry of Health’s National Travel Assistance Scheme and will better support our kiritaki, particularly those in rural or remote areas.
By reducing financial barriers and recognising the value of staying with loved ones while receiving care, these changes aim to improve access to timely treatment and rehabilitation.
