BENEFITS INCREASE

  • Roger Sowry
Social Welfare

Social security benefits and allowances will be increased by 2.55% from 1 April to account for movement in the Consumers Price Index, Minister of Social Welfare, Hon. Roger Sowry announced today.

The unemployment benefit, training benefit, job search allowance, independent youth benefit, sickness benefit, invalids benefit, widows benefit, domestic purposes benefit, orphans and unsupported child benefit and the transitional retirement benefits will all increase by 2.55%.

For example, from 1 April the unemployment and training benefit for a married couple with no children will increase by $6.06 to $243.54 per week. The Domestic Purposes Benefit for a sole parent with one child will increase by $5.20 to $209.30 per week, and with two or more children by $5.68 to $228.34 per week, from 1 April.

The net weekly rates (at the G tax code) of NZ Superannuation and veterans pension will rise by:

$2.60 to $208.79 for a single person living alone
$3.08 to $192.73 for a single person sharing accommodation
$3.99 to $160.61 for a married person
$7.98 to $321.22 for a married couple who both qualify for NZ Super or veterans pension
$7.68 to $306.74 for a married couple where only one partner qualifies for NZ Super or veterans pension.
Increases in Family Support rates of $2.50 per child per week, announced last year as part of the tax cuts package, will go ahead as planned from 1 July.

Supplementary grants and allowances will also be increased by 2.55% from 1 April. These include the handicapped child allowance, foster care board payments, clothing allowance, personal allowance, special disability allowance and the hospital rate of benefit.

The maximum rates of disability allowance, training incentive allowance, housekeepers allowance, funeral grants and child care subsidy will also increase.

Increases in orphans and unsupported child benefit and foster care board payments of $5.00 per child per week, announced last year as part of the tax cuts package, will go ahead as planned from 1 July. This is in addition to the 2.55% announced today.