Cost of Living Crisis Pushes More Families into Poverty and Hunger

• Number of children in households on benefits hit highest level since 2012, with nearly 1 in 5 relying on welfare • Salvation Army provided over 40% more food assistance compared to a year ago due to high cost pressures • Reserve Bank says unemployment needs to rise to help control inflation, which will hurt lower-income households • Rapidly rising rents putting huge pressure on lower-income households, with little left after paying rent • Salvation Army questions logic of making the poorest people bear the cost of bringing down inflation through job losses