Building confidence in the welfare system

Our welfare system is one of the most generous in the world and, under National, that safety net will always be there to help New Zealanders in need. For most people, this is a temporary support while they get back on their feet.

However, a small number see welfare as a free ride on the taxpayer, and there are those who are facing a future of life-time welfare dependency.

National will invest in helping those at risk of long-term dependency find work. There will also be a stronger, more proactive stance against those who abuse and defraud the welfare system.

Jobseekers whose recreational drug use gets in the way of a job will face having their benefit cancelled. For those with genuine addiction problems, we will help them get support to deal with their drug or alcohol addiction.

Beneficiaries on the run from the Police will have their benefit cancelled if they continue to evade Police with arrest warrants. And National will make it easier to catch fraudsters sooner by data matching with other government agencies.

For more information, click here.