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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 - Hierarchy of sanctions

234: Hierarchy of sanctions

You could also call this:

"What happens if you break the rules and how your benefit is affected"

Illustration for Social Security Act 2018

When you do not meet certain rules, the Ministry of Social Development must impose a sanction. The type of sanction you get depends on how many times you have failed to meet the rules. For a first failure, your main benefit might be reduced or you might get a non-financial sanction, as stated in sections 236, 236A, 236B, 236E, and 236H. For a second failure, your main benefit might be suspended. This is what happens when you fail to meet the rules for a second time. The Ministry of Social Development will decide what to do. For a third failure, your main benefit might be cancelled. This is what happens when you fail to meet the rules for a third time. The Ministry of Social Development will make this decision.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6783620.

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233A: Cancellation of main benefit for continuing failure to comply, or

"Your main benefit can be cancelled if you don't follow the rules."

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235: Failure, and first, second, and third failure, defined for obligations other than young person or young parent obligations, or

"What happens when you don't meet your responsibilities, and how failures are counted"

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

234Hierarchy of sanctions

  1. The sanction that MSD must impose under section 232(1) (subject to section 232(3) and (4)) is,—

  2. for a first failure, reduction of the rate of a main benefit or imposition of a non-financial sanction in accordance with sections 236, 236A, 236B, 236E, and 236H:
    1. for a second failure, suspension of a main benefit:
      1. for a third failure, cancellation of a main benefit.

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        Notes
        • Section 234: amended, on , by section 15(1) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).
        • Section 234(a): replaced, on , by section 15(2) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).
        • Section 234(a): amended, on , by section 15(3) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).