1 June 2010
Entrenched hardship difficult to escape
This year Anglicare Victoria will deliver emergency food parcels and other material aid to 50,000 of the state's most vulnerable families and individuals. Our new Hardship Survey suggests the vast majority of these people are missing out on essential items like a secure home or medical treatment, are forced to borrow money or pawn possessions to meet day-to-day expenses and are behind on paying for housing and utilities due to lack of money. Further, almost one in three people could not afford to eat a descent meal once a day. A third of all parents surveyed could not afford up-to-date school books and new uniforms for their children and almost 40 per cent could not afford to take their children to the dentist for a check up each year. Perhaps most shocking is the fact that four out of five people we surveyed were missing out on three or more items deemed essential - things no one in Australia should have to go without. Often, stressful life events coincide with financial hardship. Almost half of the people we spoke to had a major illness or injury in the past 12 months and more than 40 per cent had a close family member experience a major illness or injury. One third were forced to move home in the past 12 months against their wishes. But statistics only tell part of the story. One family who came to us recently were being forced from their home and could not afford the bond for a new rental. Both parents were employed in low income jobs until recently but the mother needed operations to treat carpal tunnel and is no longer working. The father had a fall (not at work) and crushed a bone in his foot. Both have used up all of their sick leave and annual leave and are falling behind in their housing payments. Their landlord is demolishing their home to redevelop and they are being forced to find a new property. Without an income they cannot afford the bond and are under increasing stress. We desperately need to see an increase in public and community housing stock, a rise in the level of income support and an improvement in housing and utilities concessions to meet people's basic needs. The Anglicare Victoria Hardship Survey 2010 shows quite clearly that those accessing emergency relief services are being deprived of essential items and are sinking deeper into financial hardship with little opportunity to pull themselves out. Read the full Hardship Survey here Have you been forced to use emergency relief? Tell us about you experience in the comments section below.
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