Young Parent Payment Obligations

You must tell Work and Income or your Youth Service provider (where you have one assigned to you) immediately if either you or your partner:

have a change in work situation (such as starting part-time, casual or full-time work, whether paid or unpaid)
become self-employed / start to run a business
have any change to your income or financial circumstances
intend to travel overseas
start / finish part-time or full-time study
have changes to personal details (such as name, address, contact details, or bank account number)
have changes to your living situation (such as marriage or separation, starting or ending a civil union, starting or ending a de facto relationship, change in the number of children supported, change in accommodation costs)
are imprisoned / held in custody on remand
are admitted to or discharged from hospital
have been granted an overseas pension
have any other change that may affect your benefit entitlement or rate.

You understand that while you get this payment and you are the primary caregiver of your youngest dependent child who is under six months of age (or under 12 months of age where there is no suitable place in a Teen Parent Unit) you will have the following activity obligations:

when asked, participate in and complete a budgeting programme
when asked, participate satisfactorily in an approved parenting education programme
enrol your child(ren):
- with a Primary Health Organisation, where local provider capacity allows
- under the age of 5 years, with a WellChild/Tamariki Ora provider and keep up to date with their visits
ensure your child(ren) are attending an Early Childhood Education Programme or attending other suitable childcare, while you are participating in education, training, work based learning or part-time work
when asked and in the manner reasonably required, report to Work and Income or your Youth Service provider (where you have one assigned to you) on how you are meeting the obligations above
when asked, attend and participate in any interview with Work and Income or your Youth Service provider (where you have one assigned to you)
co-operate with Work and Income, or your Youth Service provider (where you have one assigned to you), in managing the spending of your Young Parent Payment, and:
- attend and participate in regular budgeting discussions with Work and Income or your Youth Service provider (where you have one assigned to you)
- at these discussions, or when otherwise asked, provide information on:
  - accommodation costs and service costs such as electricity and telephone
  - lawful debts and liabilities
  - how you spent any in-hand allowance and any money credited to your payment card or any other device

You also understand that when your youngest dependent child turns 12 months of age or is over 6 months of age and a suitable place becomes available in a Teen Parent Unit and there are no special circumstances then you will also have the following activity obligation:

be enrolled in and satisfactorily undertaking, or be available for a full-time course of secondary school or approved training or work-based learning leading to:
- NCEA Level 2, or
- an equivalent qualification, or
- a higher qualification.

You agree to these activity obligations and understand that:

the first and second time you do not meet your activity obligations, without good and sufficient reason, your in-hand allowance and any incentive payments earned will be stopped. You understand that if this happens, your payments will not increase again until you undertake the activity you failed to do or start another appropriate activity
the third time you do not meet your activity obligations, without good and sufficient reason, your Young Parent Payment will be reduced by 50%, for 13 weeks. If your payment has been reduced by 50%, and you agree to take part in an approved activity for at least six weeks and you are still entitled to your payment, it will be increased
when your Young Parent Payment is reduced or stopped this may affect your entitlement to any supplementary assistance you are receiving and the future level of control you have over managing your Young Parent Payment
if you act in a way that is inconsistent with the purpose for which any incentive payment is paid, the incentive payment may be cancelled
if your Young Parent Payment is reduced and is increased again you may have to re-earn your incentive payments
you have the right to review or dispute any decision to reduce or stop your benefit.

You understand that while you get this payment and you are the primary caregiver of your youngest dependent child who is 12 months of age or over (or over six months of age where there is a suitable place available in a Teen Parent Unit and there are no special circumstances) or you are not the primary caregiver, you will have the following activity obligations:

be enrolled in and satisfactorily undertaking, or be available for a full-time course of secondary school or approved training or work-based learning leading to:
- NCEA Level 2, or
- an equivalent qualification, or
- a higher qualification
when asked, participate in and complete a budgeting programme
when asked, participate satisfactorily in an approved parenting education programme
enrol your child(ren):
- with a Primary Health Organisation, where local provider capacity allows
- under the age of 5 years, with a WellChild/Tamariki Ora provider and keep up to date with their visits
ensure your child(ren) are attending an Early Childhood Education Programme or attending other suitable childcare, while you are participating in education, training, work based learning or part-time work
when asked and in the manner reasonably required, report to Work and Income or your Youth Service provider (where you have one assigned to you) on how you are meeting the obligations above
when asked, attend and participate in any interview with Work and Income or your Youth Service provider (where you have one assigned to you)
co-operate with Work and Income, or your Youth Service provider (where you have one assigned to you), in managing the spending of your Young Parent Payment, and:
- attend and participate in regular budgeting discussions with Work and Income or your Youth Service provider (where you have one assigned to you)
- at these discussions, or when otherwise asked, provide information on:
  - accommodation costs and service costs such as electricity and telephone
  - lawful debts and liabilities
  - how you spent any in-hand allowance and any money credited to your payment card or any other device.

You agree to these activity obligations and understand that:

the first and second time you do not meet your activity obligations, without good and sufficient reason, your in-hand allowance and any incentive payments earned will be stopped. you understand that if this happens, your payment will not increase again until you undertake the activity you failed to do or start another appropriate activity
the third time you do not meet your activity obligations, without good and sufficient reason, your Young Parent Payment will be reduced by 50% and all of your incentive payments removed, for 13 weeks. If your Young Parent Payment has been reduced and you agree to take part in an approved activity for at least six weeks and you are still entitled to your payment, it will be increased
when your Young Parent Payment is stopped this may affect your entitlement to any supplementary assistance you are receiving and the future level of control you have over managing your Young Parent Payment
if you act in a way that is inconsistent with the purpose for which any incentive payment is paid, the incentive payment may be cancelled
if your Young Parent Payment is reduced and is increased again you may have to re-earn your incentive payments
you have the right to review or dispute any decision to reduce or stop your benefit.

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