Social Development and Employment

Budget 2022 takes further action to reduce child poverty and make New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child.

The Government is updating its Care in the Community (CiC) response as the number of households needing support to safely self-isolate with COVID-19 reduces.

The Government’s swift action to secure our economic recovery in the midst of a pandemic has seen 47 per cent of jobs in New Zealand protected by at least one of the 2021 wage subsidies, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said.

The Government is extending support for trades training programmes that see tens of thousands of New Zealanders in jobs and training, helping accelerate our economic recovery.

Budget 2022 will see an estimated 64,000 New Zealanders benefit from improved access to driver licensing testing and training.

A warmer winter is on the horizon for over 1 million New Zealanders receiving either a main benefit or New Zealand Superannuation as the Winter Energy Payment begins today.

Supporting older people to stay in the workforce and transition their skills as they age and their circumstances change is a key part of the new Older Workers Employment Action Plan.

The Government’s response to COVID-19 has helped keep people in work, with March Quarter Benefit statistics showing a further fall in the number of people receiving a main benefit and jobseeker assistance.

The Government has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding in the Tairāwhiti and Wairoa regions.

Government action to ease the pressure on low and middle income people and whānau will put more money in their pockets from 1 April.

Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities Priyanca Radhakrishnan has today launched a plan to boost employment outcomes for former refugees, recent migrants and ethnic communities.

Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says Pacific social enterprise makes a big difference to economic and social outcomes for Pacific peoples.

The Government has activated Enhanced Taskforce Green (ETFG) in response to flooding in the Buller and southern Tasman districts.

The Government is launching a new employment initiative to get local people into work on transport projects being built across the country.

The Government is standing up additional support to help people and whānau who have to self-isolate access the services they need as Omicron cases start to ramp up and more New Zealanders are affected by the virus.

Over 10,000 Māori jobseekers have been supported into mahi across the Government’s employment programmes, with 967 more rangatahi expected to be supported into employment, education or training with the latest tranche of He Poutama Rangatahi funding.

ngā mātāpono o Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ko te tautoko kia tokomaha ake a ngāi Māori e uru ana ki ngā toronga mahi, ki ngā kuratini ako hoki i roto i ēnei wā whakatikatika i te KOWHEORI-19, koinei ētahi o ngā kaupapa kei te iho o te Te Mahere Whai Mahi Māori hou a te kāwanatanga e ai ki tā te pānuitanga a Carmel Sepuloni, te Minita Whakahiato Ora, Whai Mahi hoki i tēnei rā.

Growing the Māori and wider economy, giving effect to Te Tiriti principles and supporting more Māori into employment, education and training as we secure the recovery from COVID-19 are all at the heart of the Government’s new Māori Employment Action Plan.

Increased income limits for Hardship Support through the Ministry of Social Development have been extended until 30 June.

Unemployment has fallen to its lowest level on record as the hard work of business and workers along with the Government’s actions to support the economy during the Delta outbreak resulted in more people in work and higher wages.

The Families Package continues to deliver better outcomes and lift incomes for low- and middle-income whānau across the motu, with more than half of families being supported by the package, including over two thirds of all Māori and Pacific whānau with children, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said.

The Government’s strong focus on supporting more people into work is reflected in benefit figures released today which show a year-on-year fall of around 21,300 people receiving a main benefit in the December 2021 quarter, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said.

A new support package will help revive economic, social and cultural activities in our largest city over summer, and ensure those in hardship also get relief.

Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni has announced $204.1m will be made available to support individuals and whānau who contract COVID-19 and need to isolate at home.