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27 July 2022

NCOSS releases its Annual Cost of Living Report

NCOSS releases its Annual Cost of Living Report

The growing gap between cost-of-living and personal income has been highlighted by the NCOSS Annual Cost of Living in NSW Report.

The research investigated cost-of-living pressures for people living below the poverty line and low-income households in NSW.

The Institute of Public Policy and Governance from the University of Technology Sydney engaged 1,025 NSW residents through an online survey and 22 of these respondents through additional focus groups and interviews in March and April, 2022.

Tough Times, Hard Choices: Struggling households and the rising cost-of-living in NSW explores experiences across a range of issues such as housing, employment, income and financial hardship. It also analyses these experiences by demographic group including household type, income group and location, with some findings available at Statistical Area 4 level.

The research highlights that across NSW, low-income households and those below the poverty line are at breaking point.

The report gives an indication of the distress that the rapid increase in everyday living costs is causing, and the extreme steps households are taking. This aligns with reports from NCOSS member organisations of rising demand, greater complexity of need and the increased psychological distress of those seeking support.

NCOSS CEO Joanna Quilty says action needs to be taken.

“Now is the time for the NSW Government to implement urgent, targeted measures that will ease the pressure for these households,” she says.

“Our recommendations to the NSW Government, set out in a supplementary paper, provide a practical roadmap to achieve this.”

Download the full report now.

Access to the raw data can be granted upon request. Please email your request to [email protected]