Australians have little faith that the current cost of living challenges will improve over the next 12 months.
Research released today from Anglicare Sydney shows that 64 percent of people believe the situation will worsen over the next 12 months.
Anglicare Sydney CEO Simon Miller said these findings aligned with the experience of frontline services – more families struggling, more people seeking help and fewer signs of relief.
Anglicare Sydney has recorded a 25 percent annual increase in people seeking emergency food and financial assistance.
“These numbers come from families missing meals, parents skipping medical appointments, and pensioners sitting in the dark because they can’t afford their power bill,” he said.
“We are witnessing increasing demand for our support services. People who never imagined they would need food or financial assistance are turning to us because they have nowhere else to go.”
Anglicare’s survey of more than 1500 people found:
- 70 percent of those considering or accessing mental health and counselling services believe the crisis will deteriorate further.
- 61 percent of those considering or receiving food and financial assistance say housing affordability is significantly impacting their daily lives, forcing impossible choices between rent, groceries, and other essentials.
Mr Miller called on the Federal Government to lift JobSeeker to at least $80 a week. He said the recent increase of 22 cents a day was not enough to make a difference.
