11. GEORGINA BEYER (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
What steps has the Government taken to ensure that Work and Income services are meeting the needs of New Zealanders?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
As a result of a 72 percent drop in the number of people receiving the unemployment benefit under Labour—from 161,000 in 1999 to 44,500 now—this Government is rolling out a new service approach throughout the country. It is reshaping services to provide comprehensive employment help to all Work and Income clients regardless of their benefit type. As a Government, we are committed to a modern, responsive social support system that actively encourages into work those people who are able to work, while ensuring that those who cannot work receive appropriate financial and social support.
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
The Government is currently working on reforming the social support system to replace the seven main benefits with a simplified benefit system. The purpose of these changes is to ensure that we have a modern, responsive system focused on what people can do, not what benefit type they are on, so that our benefit system is aligned to our work-focused new service approach.