One in ten households jobless in June quarter

One in ten households jobless in June quarter

28 September 2017 - One in ten households were jobless in the June 2017 quarter, Stats NZ said today.

About 150,600 New Zealand households were jobless in the June 2017 quarter. This equates to a jobless household rate of 10.6 percent – the lowest it’s been in a June quarter since 2001.

The jobless household rate tends to be highest for sole-parent households, and households with four or more children or no children at all. The jobless household rate for households with one working-age adult (27.9 percent) is almost triple the total jobless household rate.

There were more women in jobless households in the June 2017 quarter than men – 61.4 percent of all working-age adults living in jobless households were women.

Jobless households in New Zealand looks at the number and structure of jobless households in New Zealand, and examines some of the characteristics of the individuals living in these households. The report defines jobless households as those where all working age-adults are classified as not employed (ie unemployed or not in the labour force).

The report provides another layer of information about joblessness in New Zealand. It looks at how joblessness affects households – from one person living alone to an extended family under the same roof.

"For an individual, the impact of not having work can often be lessened by the support of others, particularly those they share a household with," labour market and household statistics manager Scott Ussher said. "On the other hand, families in households where nobody has paid work may rely more on government support, face financial hardship, and be more socially isolated.

"Children in jobless households may be at increased risk of poverty, affecting their well-being. Intergenerational joblessness can also be a risk where there are no role models of employment," Mr Ussher said. "However, children could be better off if their parent is not working because they may be caring for their kids or studying to improve their work prospects."

Read Jobless households in New Zealand: June 2017 quarter for more data and analysis.

ENDS

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