Little cheer for some families

Press, 19 December 1981, Page 25

Little cheer for some families

Christmas will- not hold much cheer for people living on low incomes, according to Ms Mary Gray, convenor of the Low Incomes Working Party. High unemployment and the economic recession had hit those on lower incomes the hardest, Ms Gray said. This year had seen significant rises in the cost of basic food items which meant that many families had to spend more of their income on food alone. House prices had “skyrocketed” during the year, forcing more people, especially one-income families, to stay in rental accommodation rather than try to buy their own home, Ms Gray said.

High electricity costs were a further problem for lowincome families. “The percentage of household expenditure spent on fuel by low-income groups is more than double that for high-income groups,” Ms Gray said. “The position of the poor in New Zealand during 1981 has worsened considerably.” The Low Incomes Working Party, which was established in 1979, comprises social and community workers, trade union representatives, and representatives of various welfare and beneficiary organisations. It aims to study the difficulties faced by low-income earners and to speak out for those “who are struggling financially.”