New Zealand
Social service agencies dealing with 'avalanche of traumatised children'
Rachel Rose speaks with the agencies responding to domestic violence in Whanganui
Latest from Work and Income New Zealand
Stories and analysis from The Northern Express Herald.
Cold comfort: Solo mum borrows to pay power bills
Karina Tipene heats up her house by cooking dinner late for her seven young grandchildren.
Rental nightmare: 'It was unfit for a dog for $320 a week'
Rental prices in Whanganui up nearly 40 per cent on last year
School uniform and sports vital to kids' self-esteem
At one Auckland school, 1 in 10 students are getting help with basic items like clothing.
Hardship in NZ: Winter bites hard for struggling single mum
Once bills are paid, nothing left for solo mum
'It rips you' - Family stretched by severe asthma
One basic item helped relieve a family from sickness, sleepless nights and stress.
Don't penalise mothers for working - report
Sole parents on welfare start getting penalised once they earn more than $100 a week.
Bridges says Govt going 'soft' on welfare
Winston Peters accuses Simon Bridges of taking a "puritanical" view on welfare sanctions.
Hardship in NZ: After bills paid, family has $1.68 a fortnight
Samantha once sponsored a child in poverty. Now her own daughter is being sponsored.
Benefit sanctions plummet, hardship grants rise
A culture change at Work and Income is underway, with sanctions falling by 20 per cent.
Children climb, swing and play outdoors
Dani Lebo and Stephanie Ward run Nature Play sessions for children in Whanganui
Pension policy: 'I don't want to be a bludger'
Hard look taken at controversial legislation widely considered to unfairly penalise some.
Work and Income offices given a makeover
Suspensions of benefits have fallen by 23 per cent under a new, less punitive approach.
Terminally ill man gets extra Govt funding
Ministry apologises to struggling South Auckland couple for delay in income assistance.
Gifts of cash 'godsend' for motor neurone couple
Struggling couple receive overwhelming response from public after sharing their story.
Mixed reaction to social welfare plans
Moves to tackle child poverty welcomed, but advocates say beneficiaries let down.
Government is failing beneficiaries, advocates say
Spending on police and no changes to benefit sanctions have been criticised by advocates
Tamihere: I've had enough of faceless bureaucrats
John Tamihere reckons we don't get value for our money from our top public servants.
Mum dies after birth; Dad denied paid parental leave
Newborn's widowed father excluded because of what MBIE calls "a gap in legislation".
MSD gives clues about welfare reform group
MSD has given away details on how the welfare overhaul will be conducted.
Solo mum told benefit cut after she went on Tinder dates
Ministry staffer tells mum date paying for night out deemed 'dependent relationship'.
Work and Income security incidents highest in Whanganui
There were 289 security incidents between 2015 and 2017.
Tent in Dunedin park only option, says released prisoner
Recently released prisoner spent Easter weekend in a tent, saying it's his only option.
Relief after 'disgusting' pension deduction reversed
The money Jack Pere's stepchildren received was being deducted from his pension.
Home detention for Tauranga benefit fraudster
Blake was overpaid $33,936.40 after claiming benefit and payments she was not entitled to.
Mum of six warned of dobbing in
Some staff still acting on 'wrong' advice retracted after two days.
Kids affected by transience 'ticking time bomb'
Transient Kiwis make up a population the size of Tauranga - new research has found.
Southland, Otago farmers offered drought relief
Drought-stricken farmers in Southland and Otago latest to be offered relief payments.
Shot taxi driver living in fear
Alem Tesema plans to leave Wellington, with hopes it will help his mental recovery.