Long-term benefit dependency is growing, and it was growing before Covid, though the advent of the virus has obvioulsy played a role.
The blue line shows the effect of the first March 2020 lockdown and then returns to near 'normality'.
The orange line however continues to climb and the gap between the two extends.
A significant contributor to this is psychological and psychatric conditions - rising sharply after the first lock down - keeping people on Jobseeker HCD (Health Condition and Disability). Over the same time frame:
There are also over 32,000 adults on a Supported Living Payment (ex Invalid benefit) suffering from pyschological or psychiatric disorders. That's up around 4,000 over the same period.
These numbers are very sad. It's just horrible to think of thousands of mentally unwell people unable to get treatment and live functioning lives.
3 comments:
Does that include those on Super(Its a benefit)
No. That's working age - 18-64.
There are 843,576 65+ receiving Super or a veteran's pension.
I dont view Superannuation as a benefit oneblokesview. I think of it as compensation for the outright theft by Muldoon of the entire contributions of the first fund and its transfer into that black hole called The Consolidated Fund, and the dismantling by National of the second scheme. I will never forget Muldoon rasping "Dont worry - there'll always be retirement funding for the over 60"s" when he was taken to task. And we wont even go into their interference with Kiwisaver!
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