The surging cost of living is having a devastating impact for people on income support, according to this report by ACOSS. Researchers surveyed 365 people living on JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and Parenting Payment over February and March 2023, finding income support payments are completely inadequate.

This report uses data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to identify the groups facing the highest risk of poverty and the groups of people most likely to be living in poverty.

The ethical and business cases for diversity, equity and inclusion are well known across Australian workplaces. This report argues that there is an ethical, legal, economic and labour market imperative to creating diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces in Australia.

This paper explores how and whether Commonwealth Rent Assistance is delivering on its aim, which is to alleviate rental stress for people on the lowest incomes.

This report documents the impacts of high inflation, rising energy costs and low housing affordability, which are key drivers of financial hardship for Queensland households. Low-income households are spending most of their income on basic goods and services, such as food, housing and energy, with...

This report analyses the benefits and drawbacks of the policy changes that were put in place to address COVID-19 impacts. The report draws on the perspectives of those services supporting people experiencing poverty to examine the escalation of needs and compounded difficulties for people in...

Under the terms of the Public Finance (Wellbeing) Amendment Act, Treasury is required to provide an independent report on the state of wellbeing in New Zealand at least every four years. Te Tai Waiora is the first of these reports.

The analysis outlined in this report reveals that over 600,000 Australian households are in housing stress, with the figure projected to rise to almost one million by 2041 without ongoing funding for social and affordable housing.

This research investigates lower income older households’ preferences for a range of alternative housing models and examines which of these would best meet their needs, as well as identifying ways to support households deciding their housing options.

This report explores the use of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) among Good Shepherd clients, the impacts being seen from its use, and the role of BNPL in exploiting financial insecurity.

Ensuring low-income consumers receive concessions is direct cost-of-living support to improve affordability of energy bills. This report highlights the gap between those eligible for an energy concession and those receiving this concession on their energy bills.

This report provides evidence that the rising cost of living is deepening financial, housing and food insecurity, and impacting mental and physical health, while also increasing social isolation.

The 'Advancing digital inclusion in low income Australian families' research project is running 2021-2024. The investigation explores the complex relationship between digital and social inclusion, and social infrastructure’s role (education facilities, charities, government services) in supporting low income families in six diverse communities. This report...

This report provides a brief overview of levels of poverty - overall and among adults and children – following the recent release of Australian Bureau of Statistics data on household incomes in 2019-20. It examines trends in poverty since 1999, and through each quarter of...

The Productivity Commission has commenced an inquiry into economic inclusion and social mobility in New Zealand, with a focus on helping those experiencing persistent disadvantage. These preliminary findings and recommendations have been released so the final report can benefit from review and critique by a...

The findings of this report highlight the urgent need to increase base rates of income support to at least $70 a day to ensure that people on the lowest incomes are not left behind. ACOSS urges the federal government to lift incomes in the October...

This study investigates how filtering contributes to market-provided, low-income housing in Australia. It critiques the conceptualisation of filtering as a source of housing for low-income households, tests for the presence of filtering dynamics in housing markets (using Melbourne and Sydney as case studies) and considers...

Many people in Australia struggle to afford the energy they need for their wellbeing. This report investigates the scale of the problem of energy stress and identifies policy implications.

NCOSS' annual 'Cost of living in NSW' research investigates cost-of-living pressures for people living below the poverty line and low-income households in New South Wales. The report explores experiences across a range of issues such as housing, employment, income and financial hardship.

The Career Readiness for Young Parents (CRFYP) program is a Commonwealth-funded project, supported by the federal Department of Social Services. This report outlines the findings of an evaluation of the program which supported young parents from selected low socio-economic neighbourhoods in Perth.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection adds a significant burden to women in Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), often leading to severe detrimental impact, not only on themselves, but also on their families and communities. Given that more than half of all people living with HIV globally...

As a key pathway to addressing poverty, living wages are rich in business benefits. This report argues that the payment of living wages remains one of the most powerful routes to help people out of poverty, realise human rights, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals...

This study aimed to examine the extent to which housing quality, other housing attributes and neighbourhood characteristics contribute towards COVID-19 related loneliness in different household types.

This report provides the latest examination of the prevalence of poverty within Australia, how this has changed over time, and which groups in society face the greatest risks of financial hardship and material deprivation.

For more than 20 years, Jesuit Social Services has collaborated with researchers to examine complex disadvantage in communities around the country, releasing a series of reports now generally known as 'Dropping off the Edge.' This year's report, the fifth in the series, builds an unparalleled...