The numbers do not include people who are eligible for the New Zealand pension, but choose not to apply for it because they already know they won’t get it. The highest amount of overseas pension money in 2025 came from the United Kingdom, with $328,500,000 recorded, followed by Australia, with $152,900,000. Auckland man Jim Wolfson says the government policy that allows his overseas pension to be deducted from his New Zealand one is the world's "unfairest law". Stein-Abel has been campaigning against pension deductions for years and recently became a pensioner herself. “I care for a New Zealander with my overseas pension,” she said.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 01, 2026 16:14 UTC