Welfare benefits involving children should be linked to wages - Children's Commissioner

The Children’s Commissioner wants New Zealand’s children to be treated the same as the elderly when it comes to benefits.

Judge Andrew Becroft said all benefits that involve children should be linked to wages, like what happens with superannuation.

Judge Becroft was responding to the Child Poverty Monitor which showed that one in five children from the most disadvantaged communities are going without the basics.

The report said 220,000 children are affected and are six times more likely to leave school without NCEA level one, and are twice as likely to end up in hospital.

One in five don’t have access to enough healthy food.

The Government’s child poverty reduction bill is expected to pass into law next week, introducing poverty measures, targets and a wellbeing strategy.

Judge Becroft said free breakfast and lunch at school, as well as free doctor and dentist visits for those aged under 21, should be considered.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that the expert advisory group on welfare is considering “a whole range of issues.”