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Social Security Act 2018

Enforcement: sanctions and offences - Sanctions for breach of obligations other than young person or young parent obligations - Types of sanction

232: Sanctions for failure to comply with certain obligations under this Act

You could also call this:

"What happens if you don't follow the rules: you might get a sanction"

If you do not follow the rules under the Social Security Act 2018, you might get a sanction. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) will decide if you get a sanction. You can get a sanction if you do not do what you are supposed to do, and you do not have a good reason for not doing it. MSD looks at what you did wrong and decides what kind of sanction you get, as stated in section 234. You might get a reduction in your main benefit, a non-financial sanction, your main benefit suspended, or your main benefit cancelled. MSD cannot give a non-financial sanction to a young person in certain situations, as explained in section 276(2)(a) or (b) or section 278(2)(a) or (b). This rule is also subject to other sections of the Act, including sections 243AAA, 243, and 245 to 248.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6783617.

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"This part explains the consequences of not following the rules in this act"

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Part 5Enforcement: sanctions and offences
Sanctions for breach of obligations other than young person or young parent obligations: Types of sanction

232Sanctions for failure to comply with certain obligations under this Act

  1. MSD must under this section impose a sanction if MSD considers that a person has failed without good and sufficient reason to comply with 1 or more obligations under this Act that are specified in section 233.

  2. The sanction is 1 of the following (in accordance with section 234):

  3. reduction of the rate of a main benefit or imposition of a non-financial sanction in accordance with sections 236, 236A, and 236B:
    1. suspension of a main benefit:
      1. cancellation of a main benefit.

        1. MSD must not impose under this section a non-financial sanction on a young person to whom section 276(2)(a) or (b) or 278(2)(a) or (b) applies.

        2. This section is subject to sections 243AAA, 243, and 245 to 248.

        Compare
        Notes
        • Section 232(2)(a): replaced, on , by section 13(1) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).
        • Section 232(3): inserted, on , by section 13(3) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).
        • Section 232(4): inserted, on , by section 13(3) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).