KEY POINTS:
The Government says it will replace the names of different benefit types such as the invalid and domestic purposes benefit with a universal benefit from next April.
Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson yesterday announced further progress towards a single core benefit proposal, which will mean the names are phased out from then.
Ms Dyson said it would modernise the system and work on dealing with beneficiaries according to their individual circumstances rather than benefit categories would begin from next month. "The Government will remove the stereotyped language and bureaucracy of a bygone age. It will ensure Work and Income respond to people as individuals rather than as categories."
However, National Party welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins said Labour had been promising a single core benefit since 2000 - and had twice before promised to introduce it in an election year, in 2002 and 2005.
She said she had never been keen on a core benefit, saying a name change would not improve "feel-good programmes which have huge amounts of money put into them but don't have to meet any targets".
Under the core benefit, people will be assessed according to their circumstances and ability to enter work, rather than automatically getting the conditions and support of different benefit categories.
It will mean those who cannot work in the long term are not required to undergo check-ins or do programmes aimed at getting them into work.
It will also make training programmes and support more easily available for others who wish to go back into work earlier.
