Parents to back young beneficiaries as welfare tightens and joblessness climbs

From November 2026, parents earning over $65,000 must financially support their 18 to 19-year-old children receiving Jobseeker benefits under a new parental assistance test. The government is also tightening Jobseeker eligibility overall. Stats NZ figures show unemployment reached 5.6 percent in the June 2026 quarter — a near 11-year high — with 171,000 people unemployed.