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Welfare Reform impacts on the Social Security Agreement with Australia

From 15 July 2013 new provisions provide for consolidation of benefit categories with new benefits names and an increased focus on work expectations for some categories. These changes have some impacts on the Agreement with Australia.

New Benefit categories

Jobseeker Support will replace:

  • Unemployment Benefit (including Unemployment Benefit Student Hardship and Unemployment Benefit Training)
  • Sickness Benefit (including Sickness Benefit Hardship)
  • Widows Benefit for clients with dependent children aged 14 years or older, or have no children
  • Domestic Purposes Benefit - Sole parent and widowers with dependent children aged 14 years or older
  • Domestic Purposes Benefit - Women alone

Sole Parent Support will replace:

  • Widows Benefit for clients with dependent children aged under 14 years
  • Domestic Purposes Benefit - Sole parent and widowers with dependent children aged under 14 years

Supported Living Payment will replace:

  • Invalid's Benefit
  • Domestic Purposes Benefit - Care of sick or infirm

The following benefits will remain:

  • Emergency Benefit for clients in hardship (including Emergency Maintenance Allowance)
  • Unsupported Child's Benefit and Orphan's Benefit
  • New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran's Pension
  • Youth Payment
  • Young Parent Payment

Note the changes do not affect New Zealand Superannuation or Veterans Pension. The only change for people previously receiving the Invalid's Benefit will be that the name of the benefit they receive will change to Supported Living Payment. The rate of payment will remain the same.

For more information see:

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