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%