Universe
The target population for the HES is the usually resident population of New Zealand aged 15 years and over living in private dwellings. This population does not include:
• overseas visitors who expect to be resident in New Zealand for less than 12 months
• people living in non-private dwellings (eg hotels, motels, boarding houses, hostels, and homes for the elderly)
• patients in hospitals, or residents of psychiatric and penal institutions
• members of the permanent armed forces in group-living facilities (eg barracks)
• members of the non-New Zealand armed forces
• non-New Zealand diplomats and their families
• people living on offshore islands (excluding Waiheke Island)
The survey is a sample survey that uses statistical weights to calculate income and expenditure estimates for the total New Zealand population. For HES 2018/19, we used the weights based on the Census 2013 population.
The sample size for HES 2018/19 was increased to 28,500 dwellings to measure household income, housing costs, child poverty and material well-being. This was done to provide a more accurate picture of child poverty in New Zealand. A subsample of 5,500 dwellings was contacted to collect detailed household expenditure asked every three years.
For survey purposes, a 'household' comprises a group of people who share a private dwelling and normally spend four or more nights a week in the household. They must share consumption of food or contribute some portion of income towards the provision of essentials for living as a group.
en-NZ