Welfare numbers continue to fall
Anne Tolley announced:
Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen below 280,000 for the first time since 2008.
“The number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen by 4,369 (1.5 per cent) in the year to March 2016, taking the total number of people receiving a main benefit to 279,891,” Mrs Tolley says.
“Those receiving Sole Parent Support continue to drive the biggest reduction in numbers, with a drop of 3,986 (or 5.7 per cent).
Benefit numbers peaked in December 2011 at 350,932. Since then they have fallen away 20% to 279,891.
Since December 2011 the individual changes are:
- Job Seeker Support down 18.4%
- Sole Parent Support down 26.1%
- Supported Living Payment (Invalids etc) up 1.7%