Working poor are doing it tough, Newstart not keeping up
One in four people in NSW is going without household essentials, unable to pay their bills and living on as little as $17 a day, according to a new survey conducted by Good Shepherd.
Salvation Army Orana team leader David Sutcliffe said that many Dubbo residents are included in that struggle, with the issue affecting both workers and the unemployed and spanning rural and urban areas.
“It’s certainly something we are seeing,” Mr Sutcliffe told
“And we are seeing an increase all the time. It’s an increasing problem as everything is getting more expensive – utilities, fuel, groceries and yet Newstart hasn’t gone up.
“It means that a lot of people are falling below the poverty line including the working poor.
“These are people who have jobs but are still struggling to make ends meet.”
Mr Sutcliffe said there are a lot of elements and not just one solution to the problem.
“A lot of people have the image of ‘dole bludgers’ but that’s not the case for most people. Most people are doing their best to get their lives under control – and they don’t have savings.
“We have to look at why everyone is struggling and then doing what we can to help. Things are getting more expensive and government benefits and wages are not in line with that.”
Income tax cuts announced in the Federal Government budget are yet to take effect, but Mr Sutcliffe believes that every little bit counts.
“Anything that helps to benefit people and to help people put money in their pocket is a good thing,” he pointed out.
“We are waiting to receive information on how that is going to flow on. I’m sure we will see it but how much and who it will help is the key.”
Mr Sutcliffe said unforeseen expenses was one of the main reasons why people get into unexpected financial trouble.
“A medical emergency, the car breaking down. They are all things that chew up someone’s money.”
Mr Sutcliffe said that getting on top of money issues rather than waiting until they become insurmountable was the best option.
“If they think they are getting into trouble, come and see us as soon as you can,” he suggested.
“(The Salvos) can help take the stress away where possible.”
Mr Sutcliffe suggested that starting regular payment plans where you can reduce a bill every time you get paid often makes a lot of sense.
“It helps to take away the stress if people do regular payment plans where possible. It saves you from having a big shock every quarter when the bill arrives.”
The Salvation Army also runs financial management courses for anyone who struggles with maintaining their money and many big companies have hardship plans available to their customers.
“We can also help with budgeting,” Mr Sutcliffe said.
For assistance, the Salvation Army is located at 110 Gipps St, Dubbo, phone 6884 3079. z - 31 per cent of respondents struggled most with paying their power bill z - 22 per cent have gone without medical treatment because of their financial circumstances z - 21 per cent have skipped essential items that they couldn’t afford