Those most vulnerable, hit hardest

The Report revealed that over 210,000 WA households now regard their housing as unaffordable – an astounding 91% increase since 2022.

For renters, only 39% consider their housing affordable; and for those with mortgages, 48% feel the same.

It’s not difficult to understand that the basic human right to secure and safe shelter is slipping further out of reach for many.

Beyond the soaring rents and unaffordable mortgages lies another, often hidden consequence – food stress. As more Western Australians struggle to afford a place to live, many are also being forced to make impossible choices between paying for housing or putting food on the table.

In July this year we experienced an 16% increase in our daily average customers (compared to last year), assisting an average of 833 households a day and had 19,148 customers through our network.

Shining a spotlight on our regional branches, we hear every day how our customers are in a truly tough spot.

In Geraldton, customers often talk of rentals simply not being available (particularly for families) and when they are, the costs are simply too high. It’s common to hear of families and friends all moving in together to save costs, meaning there are often 8-10 people living in a house. They sleep in caravans, tents and swags in the back yard while the kids all sleep together in the lounge room.

Early last month in Albany, our branch manager noticed a long-term customer loading her shopping into the car and happened to notice extra bedding and a suitcase in the back. On speaking to her, he found out she had recently got to the end of her rental lease which was not being renewed and there were little to no rentals available in the local market. Now her and her teenage son are sleeping in the car and at friends’ houses where they can. She works, her son goes to school and things look fairly normal to the outside world, but behind closed (car) doors they are really struggling and haven’t yet managed to get a place to rent that is within their budget.

Another customer in Albany in her 60’s is living in her car about 40 minutes out of town. She shops with the branch each fortnight. To help her out, the branch keeps aside and freezes any 10 litre water containers they can for her. This becomes her refrigeration and her drinking water between visits. When a local doctor donated a $100 fuel voucher to the branch and it was then gifted to the customer, she literally buckled to the floor in tears of disbelief that someone cared to make that much of a difference to her life.

It’s clear that those already doing it tough are more vulnerable to terrible outcomes when circumstances change. The things we take for granted are overwhelmingly life changing for those without a home and facing food stress.

We urge anyone who has found themselves in struggling to reach out and seek help before they are plunged into financial hardship.