National takes aim at solo parents on DPB

John Key has said some solo parents on welfare are 'breeding for a business.' Photo / Dean Purcell

Solo parents on the domestic purposes benefit will have to work or undertake training when their children reach school age if National wins power.

Party leader John Key today unveiled National's policy on social welfare benefits.

He said National would not introduce a work-for-the-dole or a community wage scheme.

"Instead we will be going one better and will focus on long-term unemployed by requiring them to get paid work and get off the benefit," he said.

The announcement was part of a raft of policies aimed at Mr Key's goal of getting beneficiaries into work to address what he has described as an "emerging underclass".

He has criticised Labour for its DPB policy, saying in 2002 that it had led to the situation "where people have been, for want of a better term, breeding for a business" - a statement Labour has since used against him.

Today, Mr Key announced that National would make many on the DPB spend at least 15 hours a week in part-time work, training or actively job-seeking - similar to obligations faced by those on the unemployment benefit.

"Paid work is the route to independence and well-being for most people and is the best way to reduce child poverty," he said.

At present, domestic purposes beneficiaries have to prepare a future employment "goal", but there are no work or training obligations.

Mr Key was expected to say many of those on the DPB whose children are at school "can and should" work to help to reduce family poverty, and argue that making work or training an obligation of getting a benefit is effective at reducing benefit numbers.

The policy will apply to those whose youngest child is aged 6 or over and will affect more than 38,400 single parents - about 40 per cent of the 96,000 on the DPB.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said National's policy was too tough on single parents.

"I see they've got the hoary old beat up on single parents," she told TV One's Breakfast programme.

"I've got one view on that - whatever we do with single parents we have got to be guided by what is in the best interest of the children and it's not always in the best interest of every child that mum is at work all day.

"It has to be worked through with individual families."

Helen Clark said the Government's Working for Families programme was a success and the number of people on the Domestic Purposes Benefit (DPB) was dropping.