The recent introduction of the traffic light system by Work and Income has placed more pressure and requirements on those receiving a benefit. With so much uncertainty and lack of clarity around how the new process works, many have found themselves having benefits reduced or stopped.
Our advocacy services will help you understand the changes and their potential impact on you. If you find yourself in a situation where benefits are reduced or stopped, we can help you ask and clarify why.
Needing some help?
Our team will guide you through the process and help you to understand what is being asked and required, all while advocating on your behalf for the best possible outcome.
Give us a call on
0800 238 628
to get things started.
What is the traffic light system?
When you're on a benefit, there are things you or your partner need to do (your obligations) in order to remain on it.. They have a traffic light colour system to help you stay on track with some of your obligations.
The traffic light system lets you know where you're at and what you need to do.
Green: If you're at green, you're on track and meeting your obligations.
Orange: You'll move to orange if you don't meet your obligations and you don't have a good reason. This means you need to contact Work and Income straight away. If you don't contact them and get back on track within 5 working days, you'll move to red.
Red: Once you're at red, your benefit will reduce or stop. This means you need to contact them immediately to get back on track.
Who the traffic light system is for?
You'll be in the traffic light system if you have work-related and/or social obligations.
What happens at Orange?
If you're at orange, it means you have not met your work-related or social obligations.
Contact Work and Income straight away and they will book an appointment to come in and see them . At your appointment they will ask why you haven't met your obligations.
If you don't contact them and get back on track within 5 working days, you'll move to red and your benefit will reduce or stop.
If you have a good reason for not meeting your obligations they will move you back to green at your appointment.
If you don't have a good reason for not meeting your obligations they will arrange for you to do an activity.
If you don't complete the activity within 5 working days of moving to orange, you'll move to red, and your benefit will reduce or stop.
They will move you back to green as soon as you do the activity.
What happens at red?
If you're at red, this means your benefit has reduced or stopped. Whether your benefit will reduce or stop depends on how many times you haven't met your obligations in the last year. It could be the first, second or third time in the last year.
It's more serious if you don't meet your obligation of accepting a suitable job offer. In this case, your benefit will be affected in the same way as if you haven't met your obligations for the third time.
First time within 1 year
If this is the first time you haven't met your obligations without a good reason within a year, your benefit will reduce by 50% for 4 weeks.
Second time within 1 year
If this is the second time within the year you haven't met your obligations without a good reason, your benefit will either:
be paid at 50%, if you have dependent children, or
stop, if you don’t have dependent children.
Third time within 1 year
If this is the third time within the year you haven't met your obligations, or the first time you haven't accepted a suitable job offer, without a good reason, your benefit will either:
be paid at 50%, if you have dependent children, or
stop, if you don’t have dependent children.
Contact Work and Income immediately. They will arrange for you to do another activity for 6 weeks and you will have to re-apply for your benefit.
If you agree to do the activity and you've re-applied for the benefit, you'll get your full payment again from the date you start the activity. If you don't complete the activity, you'll have to pay back any benefit payments you got in that 6 weeks. Once you've done the activity, you'll move back to green.
If you don't agree to do the activity, you won't be able to get a benefit for 13 weeks.