More people in the Bay of Plenty are moving off benefits and heading into the workforce, says local MP's Simon Bridges and Todd Muller.

According to figures provided by the Tauranga and Bay of Plenty MP's, 788 fewer people in the region are now collecting a main benefit since this time last year.

National MP's Simon Bridges and Todd Muller says fewer people in the Bay of Plenty region are collecting a main benefit since this time last year. Photo: File

Of that number, 645 live in the Tauranga electorate, while the other 143 live in the Bay of Plenty electorate.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges says moving from welfare into work means a better life for people and their families.

'In recent years there has been widespread reform of the welfare system, aimed at increasing independence where possible,” he says.

'This reform is working well, nationwide there are 38,000 fewer people on welfare since this time three years ago.”

Solo parents are leading the charge back into the workforce, with 209 fewer people in the Tauranga electorate and 45 fewer people in the Bay of Plenty electorate collecting Sole Parent Support since December 2014.

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller says these numbers coincide with the significant 6.1 per cent growth of employment opportunities across the whole region in the past 12 months.

'Sole parents do a tremendous job and it's great they are taking up opportunities made available by local businesses and organisations who are creating jobs due to their confidence in the region's future,” says Todd.

'Parents moving into full time, sustainable employment helps to break the cycle of welfare dependency because we know that children who grow up in benefit dependent homes are more likely to end up on welfare themselves.

Nationally, the number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen by 2.5 per cent in the last 12 months. While the number of parents collecting Sole Parent Support has fallen by 5.7 per cent for the same period.