MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, 9 April, 2013
Welfare Reforms Impacting on Young People and Families
“Since the introduction of the youth focused Welfare Reforms our members are reporting an upswing in young people
requesting food parcels and emergency accommodation’, says Trevor McGlinchey, Executive Officer of the New Zealand
Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS). “It appears as though there has been a slight increase in the numbers of
young people sleeping rough, in doorways or under bridges. And a large increase in teenagers who are dependent on
sleeping on their friends’ couches – until the generosity runs out and they have to find another couch to surf on”.
“As part of the Welfare Reforms a Youth Payment and a Youth Parent Payment were introduced in July 2012”, said
McGlinchey. “These increases in demands from our members have all happened after this. We need to have a very close look
at the reasons for the increased needs of our young people. These policies, or how they are being applied, may need to
be amended.”
The 15th Vulnerability Report shows that more people are unemployed, yet the number of people receiving an unemployment
benefit has decreased. While many of those who are unemployed may be in families who have dropped from having two income
earners to only one, it appears others are just struggling to meet the harder benefit rules being imposed by Work and
Income.
“This increase in unemployment rate and decrease in benefit support is being felt by NZCCSS members as they struggle to
meet the demand for food parcels, budgeting and for emergency accommodation,” said McGlinchey. “Even an organisation
like the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research is predicting a slow recovery from the economic recession, so for
those with no work the outlook is bleak – especially if you can’t get access to and maintain an unemployment benefit.
New Zealand must consider how the most vulnerable people can be adequately supported – and it is becoming obvious that
tougher welfare systems aren’t achieving this”.
“In hard economic times Christian social service agencies expect to be called on to deliver more services”, said
McGlinchey. “However, with the increasing rules and regulations on receiving a benefit due to the Welfare Reforms, our
members are becoming the default option to provide basic levels of support to people who cannot get any other help. This
high level demand has really drained the resources of our members who are struggling to keep up with demand. We need to
have more responsive benefit systems in place so that people can live in dignity and families can properly support their
children”.
The Vulnerability Report is only published on-line and can be found here