tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post4923809846914157628..comments2024-03-04T16:39:30.609+13:00Comments on Lindsay Mitchell: 90 percent of teenage parents on welfare haven't met obligationsLindsay Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-79512317843378964212013-08-17T09:17:22.609+12:002013-08-17T09:17:22.609+12:00This is the advice from the website linked to:
&q...This is the advice from the website linked to:<br /><br />"You can earn up to just over $200 before your Young Parent Payment is affected."<br /><br />I too was surprised because as you point out other benefits would be abated more stringently. On DPB there was (for part-time work) a $100 abatement free zone and $577 gross cut-off. I'm looking further at this.<br /><br />Also older parents don't get the incentives for meeting the obligation. Just the sanctions for not.<br /><br />I can only go on the information that MSD provides to me which is 139 YPP beneficiaries out of 1346 were receiving an incentive payment at the end of March - just over 6 months into the scheme.<br /><br />These are not going to be easy kids to deal with. It'd be like herding cats I imagine.But if people drop out of the system because when push comes to shove they don't really need to be on a benefit so be it. That happened to a degree when unemployed people were asked to reapply yearly.<br /><br />MAP does cover incentives here:<br /><br />http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/manuals-and-procedures/youth_service/young_parent_payment/young_parent_payment-206.htm<br /><br />Lindsay Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-72421741751935774902013-08-17T04:11:06.403+12:002013-08-17T04:11:06.403+12:00The question isn't why 90% of kid-bludgers are...The question isn't why 90% of kid-bludgers aren't getting their $10 per week top-up --- they question is why they are getting anything at all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-39826023960239471622013-08-16T22:47:18.604+12:002013-08-16T22:47:18.604+12:00Could be that there is a delay in processing that ...Could be that there is a delay in processing that means the additional $10 hasn't yet been paid. I hear that Life Unlimited take around 3-4 weeks to put someone on a YP or whatever it is now. Who knows what other service providers are like?<br /><br />Could also be that 9/10 young parents find regular engagement with the service provider - whatever that entails - is a tedious bore, and very much like dealing with disapproving parents. Or quite possibly this engagement is a much lower priority than taking care of children which most teenagers would find quite grueling I imagine. <br /><br />It would be great if they could be surveyed to find out why the uptake on this was so shockingly low. Clearly the policy isn't working as designed.<br /><br />Also you say that they can earn a whopping $200 a week without it affecting their benefit - that is much, much higher than other benefits. I might be reading the rate chart wrong but MAP gives the cut out rate for a sole parent as $258.00 gross which I take to mean at that level there will be no core benefit left to abate OR that with IWTC it is no longer financially optimal to remain on a benefit. <br /><br />Actually...a ridiculous possibility just crossed my mind. Since MAP doesn't indicate the additional $10 payment for compliance, is it possible that 90% are just not being given the extra incentive payments as a matter of course? Stranger things happen in MSD. <br /><br />Thanks for the info Lindsay.S. Beastnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-66205515712892280132013-08-16T17:32:21.884+12:002013-08-16T17:32:21.884+12:00Hi Lindsay
There are very few people in New Zeala...Hi Lindsay<br /><br />There are very few people in New Zealand who are prepared to wade through the detail and the process required to hold the Government to account on anything of importance. My eyes would glaze over after the first five minutes or less, so I just want to take a moment to applaud your willingness to take on this task on behalf of all tax payers, and also your tenacity in holding our 'social services' feet to the fire. What point is there in having sanctions if no one is going to implement them?<br /><br />I doubt you will get an OBE from any Government for these services to New Zealanders, but in my thinking at least you deserve one. Your accurate and detailed research in this area is second to none.<br /><br />All the best.<br /><br />Brendan<br /><br /> Brendan McNeillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02741263914308842497noreply@blogger.com