Acting Social Development Minister Jo Goodhew says the number of people receiving a main benefit has continued to fall year on year, with the latest figures the lowest for any June quarter since 2008.
While numbers in Hawke's Bay and Wairoa have fallen slightly on last June's figures, Central Hawke's Bay and Wairoa have bucked the trend with a slight rise on last June, with 501 people receiving a benefit in CHB as opposed to 485 last June. In Wairoa there are now 1059 beneficiaries, up from last June's 1018.
Hastings District numbers have fallen with 5550 people receiving a benefit, down from last June's 5715 while Napier has 4865 beneficiaries, down from last June's 4881.
Sole parents have shown they are willing and able to move into independence.
"The number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen by 5172 (or 1.8 per cent) in the last 12 months, with those on Sole Parent Support driving the downward trend," Mrs Goodhew says.