5739 (2024). Ricardo Menéndez March to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

5739 (2024). Ricardo Menéndez March to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does the Government's target of "50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support Benefit" include people exiting the benefit due to a change in partnership status, and if so, why?

Hon Louise Upston: The Government chose a 50,000 reduction in the number of people on the Jobseeker benefit because this is the best measure of work-capable people who depend on welfare. The situations of people on Jobseeker benefits and the reasons they move off this benefit do vary. Some reasons are demographic and temporal but these movements make people both eligible and ineligible for the Jobseeker benefit. For instance, while some people may reach pension age or go to prison, there will also be those who add to Jobseeker numbers by reaching the age where they qualify, returning to New Zealand, or coming out of prison. The 50,000 reduction, and comparing points in time, take all of these demographic and temporal inflows and outflows into account.