18479 (2026). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

Written Question

Published date: 18 May 2026

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	18479 (2026)
Question asked:	04 May 2026
Member asking:	Hon Willow-Jean Prime
Portfolio:	Minister for Social Development and Employment
Minister replying:	Hon Louise Upston
Answer received:	12 May 2026
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_18479_2026
Document guid:	fdff53d8-ccca-4a3c-8b26-1e86b885b083

18479 (2026). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What actions, if any, has the Ministry of Social Development and Employment taken towards the target of 50-55 percent of people supported by Mana in Mahi being people on Jobseeker Support by June 2025, and when?

Hon Louise Upston: I am advised no changes have been made to eligibility criteria, or assessment and decision-making processes, however an operational change was made in August 2024 that required applications for non-beneficiaries aged 20 or over to require an extra level of approval from a Labour Market Manager, prior to a grant being made. This change ensures the programme prioritises the Jobseeker Support cohort.