Administrative and scheme delivery changes
Strategic direction
In mid-late 2025, work was undertaken to prepare ACC’s shift in strategic direction from Huakina Te Rā (ACC’s Enterprise Strategy 2023-2026) to Our Strategy 2026-2029.
The three strategic priorities are:
- care that leads to lasting recovery
- timely return to work and independence
- efficient organisation, sustainable scheme.
Over the next three years, ACC is focusing on embedding these strategic priorities across the work programme. This will enable the Scheme to support timely rehabilitation and recovery, while also ensuring the Scheme is financially sustainable for future generations.
Changes to strengthen the Accredited Employer Programme (AEP)
On 1 April 2025, a range of changes came into effect to strengthen AEP. The changes aim to support better health and safety outcomes, modernise the assessment tools, improve the way employers handle claims, and help ACC learn more from workers about their experience. It also improves visibility of performance across AEP, leading to more proactive and robust responses by ACC. The new performance monitoring includes a range of measures and targets in relation to the management of claims and injuries, and health and safety practices.
Policy developments and legislative amendments
In November 2025, a package of regulatory amendments came into effect for four of ACC’s regulations:
Accident Compensation (Occupational Diseases) Order 2025
- twelve additions to ACC’s Schedule 2 list of occupational diseases – providing a more direct route to accessing ACC cover for a workplace illness
Accident Compensation (Review Costs and Appeals) Amendment Regulations 2025
- simplifying reimbursement for review legal costs and increasing the maximum amount payable
Accident Compensation (Occupational Hearing Assessment Procedures) Amendment Regulations 2025
- the age scale used in assessing hearing loss for ACC cover is updated to align with international standards
Accident Compensation (Ancillary Services) Amendment Regulations 2025
- travel and accommodation rates are increased for clients travelling to receive treatment and rehabilitation services.
These changes ensure the Scheme reflects current medical and scientific evidence, inflation, and the real costs to clients. They are also intended to improve access to treatment, rehabilitation and dispute resolution.