Welfare Working Group Report – helping people into work

Almost one-in-ten working-age New Zealanders – or 354,000 people – are on a benefit. More disturbingly, over 140,000 people have spent ten of the past twenty years on welfare.

We set up the Welfare Working Group because New Zealand needs to do better – socially and financially. The working group’s final report includes 43 recommendations to address long-term benefit dependency. See the report here: http://ips.ac.nz/WelfareWorkingGroup/Index.html

National is committed to providing more support for beneficiaries to get back to work, increase their income, and gain better opportunities. We will carefully consider the report and form new policy. We won’t make changes to the benefit system without a lot of work, and we’ll be seeking public input throughout this process.

We will not cut main benefits. We are not interested in short-term, punitive measures. There are better ways to achieve long-term change.