Wanganui beneficiaries are being warned to let Work and Income know of any overseas travel plans after hundreds had payments stopped last year for jetting off without telling officials.
Figures for the Ministry of Social Development's central region, including Wanganui, show 1137 people had benefits cut for travelling without telling Work and Income. That was down on the previous year's 1218.
Benefits related to jobseeker support were those most often cut.
Wanganui Budget Advisory Service co-ordinator Sandy Fage recommended anyone on a benefit to contact Work and Income and see their case manager long before they booked tickets for overseas.
However, she didn't recall any clients coming to the service for advice about the issue.
She said plenty of information about beneficiary travel was on Work and Income's website.
Nationwide, 31,714 New Zealanders had their benefits cut for undisclosed overseas travel last year, compared to 35,565 the previous year.
Ministry of Social Development service delivery deputy chief executive Carl Crafar said welfare reforms came into effect in July 2013 to put stronger obligations on beneficiaries. They included changes to the rules around when people could be paid a benefit while overseas.