Friday, October 4, 2024

Benefit figures shows rise in return to work

Benefit figures released today show a year-on-year fall of around 21,300 people receiving a main benefit in the December 2021 quarter.

“Our response to COVID has helped to create a resilient labour market which in turn has ensured our economy remains strong. Protecting jobs and livelihoods, and supporting more jobseekers into work will continue to be a key priority of the Government,” said Minister for Social Development and Employment, Carmel Sepuloni.

“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, it’s encouraging to see more people are moving from benefit into work. The 2021 December quarter was the highest number of exits into work for a December quarter since electronic records began in 1996.

“Over numerous Budgets we’ve invested heavily in work focused frontline case management, and these figures show that our Government’s investment is beginning to deliver results.”

The Minister said a high point continued to be the success that front line work focused case management was having connecting people to work that have been on benefit for longer periods.

“People on a benefit for 1-2 years and four years or more getting into work increased by 96.9% and 93.2% respectively. Those on a benefit for 2-4 years saw the year-on-year exit into work rise by 129.8%,” she said.

“We know that the longer you are on a benefit the harder it is finding employment, but by focusing on this group we are starting to make inroads.

“There is still a lot more work to be done and we have yet to see the impact of Omicron on the employment market, but there is a lot to be reassured about in these latest figures, including the affirmation that both New Zealanders and our labour market are more resilient than some have given us credit for,” Ms Sepuloni said.

Click here to see the Benefit Fact Sheets for the December 2021 Quarter.

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