Injury statistics for work-related claims give information about claims accepted by ACC for work-related injuries.
Key facts
In 2025:
- a total of 201,000 work-related claims were made (down 11,500 from 2024)
- the incidence rate for work-related injury claims was 78 claims per 1,000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs)
- 91 percent of claimants made only one work-related injury claim
- males had an incidence rate of work-related injury claims of 97 claims per 1,000 FTEs (68 percent of total claims)
- females had a lower incidence rate of work-related injury claims than males, with 56 claims per 1,000 FTEs (32 percent of total claims).
Note: This release contains provisional statistics for work-related claims for injuries in the 2025 calendar year. It also includes updated statistics for work-related claims for injuries in the 2024 and 2023 calendar years.
Age group
The oldest workers (aged 75 years and over) had the highest incidence rate of work-related injury claims of any age group, at 116 claims per 1,000 FTEs (1 percent of total claims). The youngest workers (15 to 24-year-olds) had the second highest rate of work-related injury claims, with 101 claims per 1,000 FTEs (15 percent of total claims).
Occupation and industry
Trades workers had the highest number of work-related injury claims by occupation in 2025, with 31,800 claims (16 percent of total claims). Clerks had the lowest number of claims by occupation in 2025, with 5,700 claims (3 percent of total claims).
The industries with the highest incidence rates (claims per 1,000 FTEs) of work-related injury claims in 2025 were:
- 132 for agriculture, forestry, and fishing (9 percent of total claims)
- 123 for arts and recreation services (3 percent of total claims)
- 113 for manufacturing (13 percent of total claims)
- 106 for construction (15 percent of total claims).
Region
The regions with the highest incidence rates (claims per 1,000 FTEs) of work-related injury claims in 2025 were:
- 117 for Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay (6 percent of total claims)
- 111 for Otago/Southland (10 percent of total claims)
- 107 for Northland (4 percent of total claims).
The regions with the lowest incidence rates (claims per 1,000 FTEs) of work-related injury claims in 2025 were:
- 52 for Wellington (7 percent of total claims)
- 64 for Auckland (28 percent of total claims).
Sites and types of injury
The abdomen (including pelvis, kidney, lower back/spine) was the most common part of the body for which work-related injury claims were made in 2025, with 38,200 claims. Claims for work-related injuries to wrists and hands were the second most common, with 37,300 claims.
Soft tissue injuries were the most common type of work-related injury claim in 2025, with 134,200 claims made. Soft tissue injuries include ligament, tendon, and muscle injuries in all parts of the body and do not include bone injuries or organ injuries.
Industrial deafness was the most common work-related gradual onset condition claimed for in 2025, with 3,700 claims.
The data for claims relating to work-related fatalities are included in the data release but not highlighted in this information release because claims for fatal work-related injuries take up to two years to become final. Fatal accidents are referred to the Coroners Court to determine the cause of death. The cause of death is official only when the coroner publishes their finding, which can take up to two years.
More data
Use Aotearoa Data Explorer to view and download injury claims data.
How to use Aotearoa Data Explorer contains video tutorials and a user guide.
Definitions and metadata
Work-related injury claims 2025 – methodology – DataInfo+ provides information on the general methodology used to produce injury statistics – work-related claims.
Work-related injury concepts and definitions – DataInfo+ provides definition of terms and concepts used in injury statistics – work-related claims.
Technical enquiries
Social and community statistics team
[email protected]
04 931 4600
ISSN 1179-125X
Next release
Injury statistics – work-related claims: 2026 will be released in September 2027.
