Sunday, July 18, 2010

MSD anticipating legislative changes?

The 2009 Statistical Report from MSD has just been posted on-line. It covers almost every conceivable statistic relating to benefits up to June 2009. Yes, it is already a year out-of-date. But as I scan through it I find myself getting confused. For instance it says (page 41);

How much additional income could beneficiaries receive before their benefits are affected?

In recent years, all clients receiving benefits could receive up to $80 per week (before tax) in other income before their benefit payments were affected.

This amount was raised to $100 per week (before tax) for clients receiving:
• an Invalid’s Benefit
• a Widow’s Benefit or a Domestic Purposes Benefit – Sole Parent,if they were paying for childcare.



But an increase from $80 to $100 was part of National's 2008 policy reported here on Stuff;

National will also increase the amount of money beneficiaries can earn without losing any of their benefit - from $80 to $100.



And signalled here in March this year at the MSD website;

Sole parents on DPB will be able to earn more before their benefit is affected. The abatement free threshold will increase from $80 to $100 per week and the part-time abatement threshold will increase from $180 to $200 per week.


The same applies to the invalid's benefit;

People on IB who choose to work part-time will be able to earn more before their benefit is affected. The abatement free threshold will increase from $80 to $100 per week and the part-time abatement threshold will increase from $180 to $200 so people can earn more before their benefit is affected. Personal income exemption guidelines have not changed.


These changes were still being submitted on in June, the Select Committee report is due 30 July 2010 and the final legislation hasn't been passed. So have Future Focus reforms already been implemented or has the report been prepared to be read post-legislative change? But it's a 2009 report.

What am I missing here?

1 comment:

MacDoctor said...

I think all it means is that National's promise to increase the threshold from $80 to $100 a week will happen, regardless of Future Focus being implemented. Obviously, it has been lumped into Future Focus to make it a single piece of legislation. If FF goes down in flames (unlikely) expect this to be quickly passed as a second piece of separate legislation