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New Zealand’s Reform of Sickness Benefit and Invalid’s Benefit

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Disability Benefits, Welfare Reform and Employment Policy

Part of the book series: Work and Welfare in Europe ((RECOWE))

Abstract

In common with many other OECD states, policy makers in New Zealand have struggled to reduce the numbers of people in receipt of long-term disability benefits. Disability benefits reform is a wide and challenging agenda and remains at the forefront of social security reform within New Zealand. Successive governments have sought to address the rise in numbers with only limited success. This chapter overviews the New Zealand situation and seeks to:

  • outline the development of measures aimed at reforming New Zealand’s main disability benefits, namely Sickness Benefit (SB) and Invalid’s Benefit (IB), including the underpinning rationales

  • situate these changes within the broader context of both active labour market policy and disability initiatives

  • assess the continuing challenges that exist within the New Zealand context.

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Authors
  1. Neil Lunt
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  2. Daniel Horsfall
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Strathclyde, UK

    Colin Lindsay

  2. University of St Andrews, UK

    Donald Houston

Copyright information

© 2013 Neil Lunt and Daniel Horsfall

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Cite this chapter

Lunt, N., Horsfall, D. (2013). New Zealand’s Reform of Sickness Benefit and Invalid’s Benefit. In: Lindsay, C., Houston, D. (eds) Disability Benefits, Welfare Reform and Employment Policy. Work and Welfare in Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137314277_12

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