July 18, 2014 1:00pm by David Farrar

Benefit numbers down 5%

16,196 fewer people on a main benefit than a year ago
A 5% decrease for all benefits from June 2013 to June 2014
An 11% decrease for sole parent support benefits
A drop in the proportion of working age adults on welfare from 11.2% to 10.5%
Lowest number of people on welfare since 2008 before the Great Recession
Welfare numbers peaked at 352,000 in 2010 and now 294,000.
The number of teen solo parents is down 12%. On average a teenager who goes on the benefit stays there 19 years and has a lifetime cost of $246,000

It is great to see the welfare reforms working. The best way to boost incomes is for people to move from welfare into work.