7 March 2023

Todd Kraines
[FYI request #21862 email]

Tēnā koe Todd Kraines

On 17 February 2023, you emailed the Ministry of Social Development (the
Ministry) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982  (the Act), the
following information:
Under the Official Information Act could I please request the following
information regarding the job seeker benefit:
1.  Average time spent on benefit?
2.  Longest time spent on benefit?
Jobseeker Support (JS) is a temporary benefit paid for up to 52 weeks while
clients  look  for  work,  are  in  training  for  work  or  unable  to  work  due  to  a
health condition, injury or  disability.  If  a  client  still  requires  JS  after  52
weeks, they must complete the 52-week reapplication process. You can find
more  information  regarding  JS  and  qualifications  at  the  following  link:
www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/income-support/main-benefits/jobseeker-
support/introduction.html.

Often those who are on JS for a  longer period have more complex and
significant barriers to employment. The Ministry provides tailored support for
those who have more significant barriers to employment, with assistance that
includes help with training and upskilling.
Despite government support available during the COVID-19 pandemic such
as the Wage Subsidy, a large number of people still lost their jobs, in
particular women and young people.
Economic recovery moves at different speeds across different industries, and
people may need retraining in some instances. There are also a number of
individual circumstances that make entering work difficult.
While JS is available to people who can usually work full-time, it also includes
people who can only work part-time or can’t look for work at the moment, for
example because they have a health condition, injury or disability.

To qualify for JS on health condition, injury or disability grounds the client
must meet certain medical qualifications.

The client must be:
•  limited in their capacity or unable to work full-time due to a health
condition, injury or disability, or
•  in employment, but because of a health condition, injury or disability
cannot work or can only work at a reduced level.

To support their application for JS (health condition, injury or disability) a
client must provide a medical certificate from a health practitioner.

Please refer to the table below for the average, longest and median
continuous duration for JS clients.
Table One: The average, maximum, and median continuous duration for the
month ending January 2023 for working age Jobseeker Support clients.
Average continuous
Maximum continuous
Median continuous
duration
duration
duration
1,211 days
16,139 days
578 days

Table notes:
•  Working age includes clients aged 18 to 64.
•  Continuous duration is how long the current recipients of a benefit (or
benefit group) have been continuously receiving a benefit in the wider
benefit system, including time on all benefits except Unsupported
Child’s Benefit, Orphan’s Benefit, New Zealand Superannuation,
Veteran’s Pension and non-beneficiary assistance.
•  This  table  includes  both  Jobseeker  Support  Work  Ready  (JS  Work
Ready) and Jobseeker Support Health Condition & Disability (JS HC&D)
•  JS  Work  Ready  related  includes  Jobseeker  Support  Work  Ready  and
Jobseeker Support Work Ready Hardship.
•  JS  HC&D  related  includes  Jobseeker  Support  Health  Condition,  Injury
or  Disability  and  Jobseeker  Support  Health  Condition,  Injury  or
Disability Hardship.
The principles and purposes of the Official Information Act 1982 under which
you made your request are:
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•  to  create  greater  openness  and  transparency  about  the  plans,  work
and activities of the Government,
•  to increase the ability of the public to participate  in  the  making  and
administration of our laws and policies and
•  to lead to greater accountability in the conduct of public affairs.
This Ministry fully supports those principles and purposes. The Ministry
therefore  intends  to  make  the  information contained in this letter and any
attached documents available to the wider public. The Ministry will do this by
publishing this letter on the Ministry’s website. Your personal details will be
deleted, and the Ministry will not publish any information that would identify
you as the person who requested the information.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email].
If you are not satisfied with this response  regarding average and longest
continuous  duration  on  Jobseeker  Support,  you  have  the  right  to  seek  an
investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make
a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui
Bridget Saunders
Manager Issue Resolution
Service Delivery
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Document Outline