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.