Anglicare Australia is calling on the government to raise the rate of JobSeeker payments for good. The call follows the release of a landmark survey of Anglicare Australia clients.
Released as part of the National Day of Action on JobSeeker, the survey of over 2,000 clients was conducted across Australia before rates were increased. It found that:
- 2 out of 3 people (58 percent) who came to us for help were out of work
- 1 in 2 people (46 percent) needed help to get basic essentials, such as food or medicine
- 1 in 3 people (33 percent) needed help to manage a low income, such as dealing with a sudden large bill
- 1 in 2 people (44 percent) have been coming to our services for a year or more
- 40 percent of those who came to us for help were supporting children.
The research is the first edition in Anglicare Australia’s new Australia Fair series.