What happened to people who left the benefit system during the year ended 30 June 2019

This report is the latest in a series examining employment and other outcomes for people in the 12 months after they stopped receiving a main benefit.

It follows the outcomes for about 111,000 people who came off a main benefit in the year to June 2019, after they had been off benefit for at least a calendar month. It observed them over the next year.

It considers reasons for coming off a benefit - including destinations, types of work or study, earnings over a defined threshold ($1,512 per month) and whether post-benefit life was sustainable. It provides some age, gender, and ethnicity breakdowns.

It also compares reasons for coming off benefit and outcomes with previous periods.

Earlier reports considered the same issues for those who left during the year ended June 2016, June 2014, and June 2011 (published by Superu).

Understanding what happens when people leave a main benefit, and whether and how this has changed over time, helps guide research, policy and service design which can improve the lives of individuals and their whānau.

If you have a question about this work, please email michelle.bly001@msd.govt.nz.