Benefits NZ

The number of working-age people (18–64) receiving a main benefit at the end of each quarter, by benefit type: Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support, Supported Living Payment and other main benefits. Quarterly from June 2012.

People receiving Jobseeker Support at the end of each quarter, split between those assessed as work ready and those with a health condition or disability that limits their capacity to work.

Counts people receiving a benefit, not unemployment: many beneficiaries are not expected to look for work (e.g. people with serious health conditions or caring responsibilities). Other main benefits spikes every December quarter as students receive Jobseeker Support Student Hardship over summer; compare like quarters (e.g. June with June).

Employment, pay and benefit figures cover different groups. Average hourly earnings summarise paid work, while unemployment uses the labour force definition and benefit counts use eligibility rules. Read those definitions before comparing the measures.

Read the period beside each number before comparing it with another figure. A monthly observation, a quarterly result and a financial year cover different spans of time. The latest release can also revise earlier observations. The chart and downloads keep the published periods so you can check which figures are being compared. A change in benefits describes what happened during that period; it does not by itself explain why it happened or identify the effect of a government policy. Definitions and coverage matter as much as the size of a change.