More than half (55%) of Hunter Valley low-income households are going without prescribed medication or healthcare due to cost-of-living pressures according to a new report by peak social services body NCOSS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report, Impossible Choices: Decisions NSW communities shouldn\u2019t have to make, was commissioned by NCOSS and undertaken by the University of Technology Sydney this year. It surveyed a representative sample of more than 1,080 residents living on low incomes and below the poverty line in NSW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research revealed the following across the Hunter Valley region:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
69% are in housing stress (i.e. they spend more than 30% of income on housing)
65% had no money set aside for emergencies
55% went without prescribed medication or healthcare
52% could not afford to travel for essential reasons
45% went without meals
NCOSS CEO Cara Varian said the research had demonstrated the extreme impacts being felt by households in Hunter Valley on low incomes and below the poverty line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHunter Valley families should not be forced to choose between paying for food or medication,\u201d Ms Varian said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe basics of life should not be considered a luxury that most low-income families cannot afford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese impossible choices make every day a challenge and, most disturbingly, we are setting up intergenerational disadvantage. We must do better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research revealed the following across the state of NSW:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Single parents were the hardest hit cohort, with nine out of ten single parents going without essentials over the past 12 months.
NSW children are also bearing the brunt of the growing cost of living pressures, with parents cutting back spending on meals, essential healthcare, and education resources.
Three in four households (74 per cent) sacrificed spending on their children.
Half of households (52 per cent) sacrificed spending on health and wellbeing essentials.
One in five delayed early childhood education.
\u201cThe ripple effects of these sacrifices are profound, causing increased stress and tension within households, affecting relationships, mental health and wellbeing, and child development outcomes,\u201d Ms Varian said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMost people on low incomes in this survey were working, many taking on additional jobs and hours but still going backwards. Even those who received a pay rise could not match the increase to their costs of living.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ms Varian said the peak body had a set of recommendations for the NSW and Commonwealth Governments, developed in consultation with NCOSS members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese are complex issues, but governments have the power to change it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cImplementing our recommendations would significantly ease the crushing pressure that is pushing people to breaking point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The recommendations include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lifting Commonwealth income support for Jobseeker, Youth Allowance and Parenting Payments.
Increasing the rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance.
Providing universal early childcare.
Ensuring 10 per cent of all NSW housing is social and affordable.Making NSW rental increases fair and reasonable; urgently implement no grounds evictions for all lease types; and legislate rental bidding.
Implementing a universal school food program in NSW.
Providing adequate funding for NSW emergency food relief services.
Expanding public transport concessions to better support people on low incomes.
Improving bus networks in regional, rural and remote communities.
For more information, and to read the full report, visit ncoss.org.au<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Definitions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Below the poverty line: defined as households living on less than 50 per cent of the median NSW household income after tax and housing costs (below $560 per week).
Low-income households: defined as households living on 50 \u2013 80 per cent of the median NSW household income after tax and housing costs ($560 – $896 per week).
About the survey: the research, undertaken by the University of Technology\u2019s Institute of Public Policy and Governance, involved stratified random sampling to engage a statistically representative sample of 1,086 NSW residents, living on low incomes and below the poverty line, through an online survey. 23 people also participated in focus groups and interviews.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
More than half (55%) of Hunter Valley low-income households are going without prescribed medication or healthcare due to cost-of-living pressures according to a new report by peak social services body NCOSS. The report, Impossible Choices: Decisions NSW communities shouldn\u2019t have to make, was commissioned by NCOSS and undertaken by the University of Technology Sydney this … Continue reading “HUNTER VALLEY FAMILIES BUCKLE UNDER COST-OF-LIVING PRESSURES: NEW RESEARCH”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-newcastle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28897"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28897\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28898,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28897\/revisions\/28898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}