By RNZ

Planned benefit increases must be brought forward to help cover basic costs for the growing number of people struggling to access basic necessities, social workers say.

The Salvation Army says the government must accelerate a benefit increase already slated for April next year to help people get food on the table now.

Director of Social Policy and Parliamentary Unity Ian Hutson said food is a basic need and should be affordable in a country that produces so much of it.

But workers who had never needed charity before were lining up for food packages as Covid-19 continued to strain household budgets and food costs soared. Many people had lost their jobs and income due to Covid 19, and the financial pressure was impacting low-income people and beneficiaries.

The Trade Commission is conducting a major review of the grocery sector, with a virtual conference continuing this week, ahead of its final report in March.

Work and income supports used during the 2020 shutdowns had not been activated during this year’s shutdowns, according to a church statement, leaving people without enough to get by.

“We are seeing triple poverty: lack of food, electricity and internet access … these pressures add to the still high housing costs in Auckland as well as in other parts of the country.”

Ronji Tanielu, an employee of the Manukau Food Bank, is a political advisor for the Salvation Army and said it was clear that more people were looking for help during the pandemic, and those who showed up were from more and more tense.

“Food costs in general are normally a challenge for beneficiaries anyway – they have low incomes – but for working class New Zealanders or those who have had jobs affected by Covid, it becomes more of a shock to them.

“We are welcoming more and more people who have never used our services before. “

Tanielu said the government had supported more people during the Covid-19 restrictions, but while people were struggling to afford their own food, the real needs were not being met.