One in five Kiwis skip meals as living costs soar and more seek support

Half of Kiwis are now driving less often to save on fuel costs, while 44 per cent are socialising less and onein-five are skipping meals as the rising cost of living starts to bite.

Rural residents are those most likely to be concerned by rising fuel costs, while families with children under-18 are more likely to be skipping meals.

That’s according to a new survey of 1200 New Zealanders by pollster Curia Market Research.

Leading family, housing and elderly support groups say that although rising costs are hitting all Kiwis, those renting and on lower incomes are suffering most.

Hurimoana Dennis, the chairman of Auckland’s Te Puea Memorial Marae, which provides emergency housing support and food grants to families, said there had been a noticeable increase in people seeking help this year.

“We’re seeing a lot of people who normally wouldn’t need a benefit coming to us looking for support.”

He said his team had been helping families into emergency and

We’re seeing a lot of people who normally wouldn’t need a benefit coming to us looking for support

Hurimoana Dennis, chairman of Auckland’s Te Puea Memorial Marae

rental accommodation and dealing with the effects of Auckland’s housing crisis since 2016.

However, this year housing costs had been compounded by job losses and economic fallout from the Covid pandemic together with sharp increases in fuel and food prices.

Inflation hit 7.3 per cent in the June quarter, according to Stats NZ’s latest Consumers Price Index, released this week, the highest increase since 1990.

The increase was largely driven by rising rents and by construction costs for new homes and commer