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Social Security Act 2018

Enforcement: sanctions and offences - Sanctions for breach of young person or young parent obligations - Sanctions: young parent obligations

280: Sanction for first or second failure: suspension of in-hand allowance and incentive payments

You could also call this:

“Money stops for young parents who don't follow rules”

If you are a young person getting a young parent payment, you need to follow certain rules. These rules are called young parent obligations. If you don’t follow these rules without a good reason, there are consequences.

If you break a rule for the first or second time, the government will first stop giving you your in-hand allowance and any extra payments you might be getting. These extra payments are called incentive payments. You won’t get these until you start following the rules again.

If you still haven’t followed the rules after four weeks, the government will stop all of your young parent payment and any incentive payments. You won’t get any money until you start following the rules again.

Remember, these consequences only happen if you don’t have a good reason for not following the rules. The government wants to make sure you’re doing what you need to do to take care of yourself and your child.

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279: Sanction for failure to comply with young parent obligation, or

"Young parents getting help must follow rules or face punishment"

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281: Sanction for third failure: cancellation of young parent payment and incentive payments, or

"Young parents might lose payments if they don't follow rules three times"

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

280Sanction for first or second failure: suspension of in-hand allowance and incentive payments

  1. This section applies if MSD is satisfied that a young person (P) who is receiving a young parent payment has, without good and sufficient reason, failed to comply with a young parent obligation for a first or second time.

  2. For P’s first or second failure, MSD must first suspend P’s in-hand allowance and any incentive payments until P satisfies the obligation (or all the relevant obligations, if P has failed to comply with more than 1).

  3. If P has not satisfied the obligation or obligations within 4 weeks after the suspension takes effect, MSD must suspend the whole of P’s young parent payment and any incentive payments until P satisfies the obligation or obligations.

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