Youth activity obligations

Young people getting Young Parent Payment have the following activity obligations. They must:

• be enrolled in and undertaking, or be available for, a full-time course of secondary or tertiary education, or approved training or work-based learning leading to a NCEA level 2 qualification or an equivalent or higher qualification
• when required to, participate in and complete an approved budgeting programme
• when required to, participate satisfactorily in an approved parenting education programme
• report to their service provider or Work and Income "in-house" service on progress in meeting their education, parenting and budgeting obligations (above) as often as required
• when required to, attend and participate in any interview with their service provider or Work and Income "in-house" service and
• when asked, provide within 20 working days, to their service provider or Work and Income "in-house" service, details of the young person's accommodation costs, service costs and lawful debts or other liabilities
• co-operate with their service provider or Work and Income "in-house" service in managing the spending of their Young Parent Payment and
  • attend and participate in regular discussions on budgeting
  • at any discussion, or when asked, provide details of:
    - accommodation costs and service costs such as power and phone
    - lawful debts and liabilities
    - how they spent any in-hand allowance and any money credited to their payment or any other device

A young person getting Young Parent Payment is also subject to the following obligations. They must:

• enrol their child with a Primary Health Organisation, where a local provider is available
• keep their child or children under the age of 5 years up-to-date with their Well Child/Tamariki Ora checks
• ensure their child's attendance at an approved Early Childhood Education (ECE) programme or other suitable childcare, while they are participating in education, training, work-based learning or part-time work

All obligations apply from the time Young Parent Payment is first paid except where the young person is caring for a child aged less than 12 months of age the obligation to be in education, training or work-based learning may apply from a later date.

For more information see:

• Youngest dependent child is under 12 months

Young people who fail without good and sufficient reason to comply with their activity obligations may be sanctioned.

Young people getting Young Parent Payment can earn incentive payments for education, parenting and budgeting obligations if they meet certain criteria.

For more information see:

• Deciding education, training or work-based learning activities
• Approved budgeting programme activity
• Report to service provider or Work and Income on progress
• Parenting obligations
• Earning incentive payments
• Youth money management activity
• Activity obligations failures