Youth 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, you will be required to meet the following activity obligations:

  • be enrolled in and satisfactorily undertaking, or be available for, a full-time course of secondary school or tertiary education 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 an approved budgeting programme
  • 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 Youth 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 you have not recomplied within four weeks by undertaking the activity you failed or starting another appropriate activity, your entire Youth Payment and any incentive payments will be stopped until you recomply
  • the third time you do not meet your activity obligations, without good and sufficient reason, your Youth Payment and any incentive payments will be stopped, for 13 weeks. If your Youth Payment has been stopped, 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 restarted
  • when your Youth 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 Youth 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 Youth Payment is stopped and is re-started again you may have to re-earn your incentive payments
  • you have the right to review or dispute any decision to stop your benefit.