For the growing working poor it has been all “about the money,” particularly since 2008, with a cash-less recovery of sluggish wages growth and rising inequality sparking political shocks.
Items as basic as soap and toothbrushes are in growing need among the country's most impoverished children this winter, says KidsCan Charitable Trust.
"The thing about winter is that a lot of kids live in homes that their parents can't necessarily afford to heat," said founder and chief executive Julie Chapman. "Kids need that extra clothing, and those extra socks and footwear, and access to what might be the only hot meal they get for the day."
According to the Office of the Children's Commissioner, many low-income families were struggling with the cost of housing. Many families spend 60 per cent of their income on rent, not leaving enough for bills, food transport or clothing.
The most recent Annual Child Poverty Monitor, run by the Children's Commissioner, the JR McKenzie Trust and Otago University, showed that 148,000 children, or 14 per cent of Kiwi kids, were going without the things they needed, while 305,000, or 29 per cent, were living in poverty. Around 9 per cent were at the hardest end of poverty.
Kids going without
305,000 Kiwi kids live in poverty - or about 29 per cent of all NZ children.
148,000 children are going without simple things they need.1Nearly one in 10 kids live in severe poverty.
20 per cent - The average number of kids needing food support in KidsCan partner schools was around 15 per cent two years ago, but the rate had since risen to more than 20 per cent.
WSP(NZ) website:
E-mail:
wsp.nz@worldsocialism.org
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