Social Security (Modernisation) Amendment Bill
This bill changes how Work and Income (the government agency that pays benefits) manages welfare payments. It allows more decisions to be made automatically by computer systems, with safeguards in place. People on certain health-related benefits will need to provide regular medical certificates to keep receiving payments. Parents or caregivers getting benefits for a child will have their payments reviewed when that child turns 18. More types of benefits will be checked regularly to make sure people are getting the right amount.
What this affects
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People getting benefits because of a health condition, injury, or disability will need to provide a medical certificate regularly or their payments can be paused and then cancelled.
requires beneficiaries receiving medical evidence benefits to provide a medical certificate or other medical evidence (where appropriate) before MSD can grant that benefit
if the beneficiary fails to comply with a requirement under new section 205A(2), MSD must suspend... the medical evidence benefit that the beneficiary is receiving
MSD must cancel a benefit or special assistance... if the benefit or special assistance is suspended... and the beneficiary fails to comply with a requirement under new section 205A(2) within 8 weeks
Progress through Parliament
Have your say
Submissions open once a bill reaches the select committee stage and the committee calls for them. In the meantime, you can write to your local MP about it.
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.