Updated 10.47am: A raft of social policy changes come into effect today, with first home buyers, parents, and beneficiaries all likely to notice a change.

First home buyers are poised to capitalise on the government's leg up onto the property ladder.

The HomeStart scheme comes into effect today which offers an eligible couple buying an existing home $10,000, or $20,000 for a new home.

Real Estate Institute chief executive Colleen Milne says there are properties available in Auckland for around the $550,000 mark.

"Manurewa, Papakura, Henderson, Glenn Eden - There are large numbers of properties sitting in that price range."

Milne has noticed first home buyers across the country are becoming more active in looking for a house to buy.

"Whether that is because they are aware of the introduction of the new HomeStarts, there's definitely been an increased interest from that sector of the market."

Colleen Milne says supply is still a problem in Auckland, but there are a number of suburbs with houses for sale below the median price.

Paid Parental Leave

It's also the start of increases to paid parental leave.

Today paid parental leave increases from 14 weeks to 16, with another raise to 18 weeks in a year from now.

But 26 for babies group convenor Rebecca Matthews says that's not enough.

"That's why we came up with 26 weeks, because obviously the World Health Organisation is advising 6 months exclusive breastfeeding. So to be able to do that you really need to be off work."

She says other countries either have more than 16 weeks or are gradually increasing their paid parental leave.

However, Rebecca Matthews says any increase to time spent at home with a new baby will be welcomed by parents.

Welfare payments

Welfare payments are going up by 0.5%, while pensioners get more, with a raise of 2%.

Welfare payments only go up half a percent because they're tied to the cost of living.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that's just how it is.

"On the one hand, people would argue that it's good the CPI is low, but it does then affect people at this time of the year, they don't get as much as perhaps they would have liked."

Raewyn Fox, CEO of the Federation of Family Budgeting Services, says though the increases aren't huge, they'll have a real impact on families.

"So that's just going to mean that their essentials are taken care of, and they can make decisions about what else they can afford with that money."

Raewyn Fox says today is a good opportunity for people to access their finances and see if they can put some money into a savings scheme.