Copeland Gordon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Copeland Gordon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:624;Page:19371] 
10.  
GORDON COPELAND (United Future) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: Are married people bringing up children on the unemployment benefit treated equally to those bringing up children on the domestic purposes benefit? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 The rate for a couple on the unemployment benefit is higher to reflect that the overall costs of a two-adult household are greater than for a single-adult household. The single-parent rate reflects fixed household costs. That has been the case since the introduction of the domestic purposes benefit. Family support payments are additional to core benefit payments and are based upon the number of dependent children in the household not the make-up of the household. 
Gordon Copeland 
: Why then do married people on the unemployment benefit not receive any increase in their unemployment benefit if they have a second child when sole parents on the domestic purposes benefit get an extra $1113 in their benefit following the birth of a second child; and does that not constitute discrimination against married beneficiaries? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: That is a very good question and one that I know that both United Future and the Labour-Progressive coalition Government have been concerned about with the Working for Families package. There is a differential because of the way the benefit system is structured which means that between the first and second child a greater amount of money comes to those people as the member described. There is no need for that to be the case which is why the Working for Families changes on 1 April will without making anybody worse off abolish that differential. From 1 April the increase that a sole parent gets in relation to having a second or subsequent child is the same amount that a couple gets in the same circumstances. 
Nanaia Mahuta 
: What is the Government doing to help get all people receiving a benefit back into work? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Although the priority in relation to clients on the unemployment benefit is to get them into work clients receiving the domestic purposes benefit are also required to take steps that will make them ready to return to work as soon as their personal circumstances allow. At the end of November 2004 93 percent of all domestic purposes benefit clients had a personal development and employment plan. Those plans include steps focused on education training or employment. Other significant milestones that the Government has taken to help more New Zealanders into work include intensive case management very successful partnerships with industry and new services for sickness and invalid beneficiaries with a resulting reduction in the number of people who are on those benefits. 
Judith Collins 
: What is the total number of add-ons that the Minister plans to implement along with the single benefit and what are their titles? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The most likely list will be for accommodation disability and children and there will need to be some emergency assistance.