Solo mums applying for benefits say the welfare system is too complicated.
Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter released a report yesterday about the barriers solo mothers face while they seek work.
The report Something's Got to Change included in-depth interviews with 40 women from Whangārei, South Auckland and Gisborne.
A solo mother of two from Ellerslie, Sylvia Pahi, said she always sought another opinion before applying for a benefit, as there had been times when a case worker gave her incorrect information about entitlements.
"What I do is I ring up the call centre to see what I'm entitled to before I actually go and see a case manager. Just to have a background of knowing your rights."
Trained as a chef, she is looking for work that fits around her children's school hours.
"I don't want to be on the benefit. I want to go back to work but I can't go back to work because I don't have anyone to look after my children.
"I can work in that time but if something happens to the children while I'm at work, I don't want to just up and leave and leave the employer that I'm working for."
Ms Genter said many women were eager to get into work but were afraid of their benefits being cut.
"It's difficult, it's confusing, and often times they don't know what they're entitled to," she said.
The report concluded that there needed to be more support to ensure women received correct benefit entitlements and recommended lowering the level of benefit abatements.
