Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Social Security Act 2018

Enforcement: sanctions and offences - Sanctions for breach of obligations other than young person or young parent obligations - Special cases: variations on ordinary sanctions rules

248: Variation for reduction to zero of rate of main benefit, or suspension or cancellation of main benefit, or non-entitlement period, affecting sole parent

You could also call this:

"What happens to sole parents if their main benefit is reduced, suspended, or cancelled"

Illustration for Social Security Act 2018

If you are a sole parent and your main benefit is reduced to zero, suspended, or cancelled, this section applies to you. You can find more information about this in sections like 227, 232, and others. This section also applies if you are not entitled to a benefit for a certain period. For the time that your benefit is reduced, suspended, or cancelled, you will only lose half of your default amount of main benefit. You will still get to keep the other half of your default amount of main benefit. This means you will receive half of the amount you would normally get.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6783648.

This page was last updated on — View changes

Topics:
Money and consumer rights > Benefits and financial assistanceFamily and relationships > Children and parenting
Previous

247: Variation for reduction of rate of benefit (by half or to zero), or money management, suspension, or cancellation of benefit, or non-entitlement period, affecting couple with 1 or more dependent children, or

"Rules for couples with kids when benefits are reduced, managed or stopped"

Next

249: Good and sufficient reason for non-compliance: default by MSD, or

"MSD's mistake can be a valid reason for not following a rule"

Part 5Enforcement: sanctions and offences
Sanctions for breach of obligations other than young person or young parent obligations: Special cases: variations on ordinary sanctions rules

248Variation for reduction to zero of rate of main benefit, or suspension or cancellation of main benefit, or non-entitlement period, affecting sole parent

  1. This section applies if,—

  2. under any 1 or more of sections 227, 232, 233A, 236, 236A, 236C, 236D, 236F, 236G, 236I, and 236J, for a main benefit of a person (P) who is a sole parent, the rate of the benefit is reduced to zero, or the benefit is suspended or cancelled; or
    1. under sections 225 and 227, a sole parent (P)—
      1. has not been granted a main benefit; and
        1. is not entitled for a period of 13 weeks to a work-tested benefit.

        2. For the period of the reduction to zero, suspension, cancellation, or non-entitlement,—

        3. the reduction to zero, suspension, cancellation, or non-entitlement applies only to half of any default amount of main benefit payable to P; and
          1. P is entitled to receive half of any default amount of main benefit payable to P.

            Notes
            • Section 248: replaced, on , by section 24(1) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).
            • Section 248(1)(a): amended, on , by section 24(2) of the Social Security Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 25).