Judith Collins
National Party Welfare Spokeswoman

30 August 2007

Invalid, sickness benefits reach all-time high for over-16s

The number of people aged over 16 collecting the sickness or invalid benefit has reached an all-time high, says National’s Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins.

“According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Social Development, the total number of sickness beneficiaries aged 16 and over is 49,227 – up from 32,650 in July 2000.

“The total number of invalid beneficiaries aged 16 and over is 79,338 – up from 55,804 in July 2000.

“The Government trots out the same excuse each time, blaming the increase on an aging population, but there has also been a very significant increase in the number of young people on both benefits.

“For example, there were 2,003 18-and 19-year-olds on sickness and invalid benefits in 1999 compared with 3,541 today – an almost 80% increase.

“Surely the Labour Government doesn’t expect New Zealanders to believe there has been a rampant increase in teenage illness since it took office?

“The Government spends all its time launching schemes and pilot programmes for sickness and invalid beneficiaries, but the real issue, which Labour conveniently forgets, is the blowout in the number of people being put on these benefits in the first place.”

ENDS

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