Making law easier to navigate
BenefitMe was a public-interest technology experiment exploring whether statutory rules, when encoded precisely, could reduce complexity for individuals and for organisations like the Citizens Advice Bureau.
The prototype focused on translating parts of the NZ Social Security Act into digital logic that could be checked for accuracy and updated transparently.
The experiment highlighted both potential and practical constraints:
- Benefit rules change frequently and require continuous maintenance
- High-accuracy legal traceability is essential to protect users
These challenges are the reason this version is now archived rather than updated.
Open-source access
Code and documentation remain available for research and reuse:
- OpenFisca GitHub repository(Opens in a new tab/window)
- Drupal frontend CMS code: please contact Salsa Digital(Opens in a new tab/window)
Source of truth
For current entitlement information, please refer to:
- Work and Income New Zealand(Opens in a new tab/window)
- Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)(Opens in a new tab/window)
FAQs
Can I use this to check my entitlements?
No. This is an archived demonstration only and refers to 2023/2024 Social Security Act regulations. It does not reflect the latest rules or approved guidance.
Why does the site remain online?
It documents a significant civic-tech experiment in New Zealand. Government, advisers and researchers continue to learn from this approach.
Does this replace official advice?
No. Guided support must be sought from Work and Income or CAB.
Does the site collect personal data?
No personal information is captured or stored.