About half of families living in the country's most deprived areas do not know about the Working for Families tax credit, research has found.
The Auckland University study, entitled Growing Up in New Zealand, is following 7000 babies and their families from before birth until they turn 20.
Research director Susan Morton says almost half of the poorest families in the study did not know about the tax package and many were also unaware of paid parental leave.
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says the Government will examine how it can better inform people about the payments.
However, the ministry says many people do not realise they are actually getting the entitlements because they confuse them with other payments they receive.
