Partners of a main beneficiary who have youth activity obligations
Young partners receiving a main benefit cannot generally be absent from New Zealand and continue to receive payment of their portion of their benefit. The Government's obligation to pay income support usually stops when the client leaves New Zealand.
A young partner can continue to be paid their portion of their benefit for up to 28 days in a 52 week period while they are absent from New Zealand:
- if they have an approved travel reason or
- for any reason if the travel will not prevent them from continuing to meet their youth activity obligations (eg because they are attending school and the travel is during the school holidays or they are attending a training course and the travel is during a term or semester break, and they do not need to be in New Zealand to meet any of their other obligations during the travel period) or
- overseas for medical treatment
Examples (but not limited to)
Client situation | Outcome |
A young partner is meeting their education obligation by attending secondary school and they wish to travel to Australia during the school holidays. The client is not required by their Service Provider to undertake a budgeting course or attend any meetings with them during the period they wish to travel. | The travel will not prevent the young partner from meeting any of their youth activity obligations so it will be approved. Therefore, the young partner can be absent from New Zealand for this reason and continue to receive their payment for up to 28 days in any 52 week period. |
A young partner is meeting their education obligation by participating in a full time training course and decides to take time off from the course in the middle of the term so that they can holiday in Australia. | The travel will not be approved as it will prevent the young partner from meeting their obligation to be in full-time education or training. |
A young partner is enrolled in a full-time training course, however, the course has not yet started, and the young person wishes to travel to the United States for a holiday before the course commencement date. The young partner does not have to be in New Zealand to meet any other obligations during the travel period (eg they do not have to attend a budgeting course during the time of the travel). | The travel will not prevent the client from meeting any of their youth activity obligations so it will be approved. The young person can continue to receive their payment for up to 28 days in any 52 week period while they are absent from New Zealand. |
For more information see:
Legislation
- Exception to general rule: benefit subject to obligations rule regulation 144 Social Security Regulations 2018
- Specific obligations: young person granted youth support payment sections 166-167 Social Security Act 2018
