Social Security Amendment Bill
This law changes the rules for people receiving government benefits (like jobseeker support) who don't follow the conditions of their benefit. It adds new types of penalties beyond just cutting payments — including being required to do community work, report on job-searching, or attend training. It also requires new benefit applicants to fill in a 'jobseeker profile' form about their work history and skills before their application is processed. Benefits can now be cancelled if someone keeps not meeting their obligations for 13 weeks.
What this affects
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People on government benefits who don't follow the rules (like looking for work) can now face new types of penalties — including being made to do unpaid community work, report their job-search activities, or attend training — on top of having their payments cut.
236B Sanction for first failure: community work experience: general … P must … find 1 or more positions … with a community or voluntary sector organisation that MSD is satisfied is reasonably suitable
236E Sanction for first failure: report job search: general … P must within the prescribed period … undertake at least the prescribed minimum number of job-search activities per week
236H Sanction for first failure: upskilling: general … P must within the prescribed period attend and participate in … 1 or more employment-related training programmes or courses that MSD considers are suitable
233A Cancellation of main benefit for continuing failure to comply … MSD must cancel a person's main benefit if … P fails to recomply, within 13 weeks after the sanction takes effect
Progress through Parliament
Have your say
This bill is open for public submissions to the Social Services and Community Committee. Anyone can tell the committee what they think, and you don’t need to be an expert. Submissions close 9 January 2025.
Bill text sourced from legislation.govt.nz (Parliamentary Counsel Office). Arapono’s summary and breakdown are drafted with AI grounded in that official text and reviewed by an Arapono editor for accuracy and neutrality before publishing. Arapono is non-partisan and takes no position on this bill.