Sole parents lead fall in benefits here

GISBORNE has 105 fewer people relying on benefits, new government figures show.

As of December 2016 there were 5501 people claiming a main benefit from the Ministry of Social Development —105 less than the same time the previous year and mostly due to a fall in the number of people claiming sole parent support.

The number claiming job seeker support rose from 2094 to 2131 but the number claiming sole parent support fell from 1474 to 1378.

Social Development Minister and East Coast MP Anne Tolley said nationally the number of people receiving a benefit continued to decline year-on-year, with sole parents driving the biggest reduction in numbers.

“The number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen by 4339, or 1.4 percent, in the past 12 months. This puts the proportion of the population (10.3 percent) receiving a main benefit at the lowest it has been in a December quarter since before the global financial crisis.

“Sole parents continue to show a willingness to move into independence, with 3410 (5 percent) fewer people now receiving sole parent support compared to the same time last year. All regions saw a fall in this benefit type compared to December 2015, with the strongest reductions in Bay of Plenty and Auckland, down 9 percent and 6.4 percent respectively.

“By investing in intensive support and training, as well as providing ongoing help with study and childcare, we’ve made it easier for sole parents to find and stay in work. We know that children who grow up in benefit-dependent homes are less likely to achieve NCEA level 2, more likely to be notified to Child, Youth and Family, and more likely to end up on a benefit themselves.

“Supporting parents into employment or study not only increases their incomes, but also sets a strong example for their children and helps break the cycle of inter-generational welfare dependence. It’s great to see more families now living independently — we know that it’s good for parents and much better for their children.”