A university professor says a whole range of social and economic changes has led to the increase in people on sickness or invalid benefits.

A report by the New Zealand Initiative said the proportion of working age people on those benefits is six times greater than in the 1970's.

The report, written by former Treasury Director Dr Bryce Wilkinson, says that 10 per cent of the working age population is on a welfare benefit, compared to two per cent in 1970.

However, Auckland University's Associate Professor of Counselling Mike O'Brien told Rachel Smalley one of the significant changes is that people who were then living in institutions are now living in community care and receiving supported living payment.

"To take a sort of broad sweep as the initiative has done, masks a whole range of social and economic changes that have gone on."

LISTEN TO MIKE O'BRIEN TALK WITH RACHELL SMALLEY ABOVE