Life after Lockdown

This Anglicare report analyses data and presents findings drawn from Anglicare’s services, focusing on three main impact areas arising from COVID-19 and associated government regulations and spending initiatives.

Impact Areas

• Financial hardship and the increasing demand for services as the buffer of temporary financial supports has been removed.

• Mental health as evident through increasing self-reported stress and anxiety.

• Loneliness and social disconnection as identified both through Anglicare client surveys and a qualitative research project with older Australians experiencing lockdown.

Rental Arrears & Support

The report brings together data surrounding increased hardship when it comes to renting. Some of the findings include,

• A 98 per cent increase in people accessing support for rental arrears between August 2020 and March 2021.

• The amount of rental support provided to each person is, on average, around $750, but there are increasing numbers of people presenting with rental debts in the thousands of dollars. This means the debt will continue to accumulate.

• There has been an increasing number of young people (aged 18-34 years) seeking support, especially in the first quarter of 2021.

Read the report here.