Winter deepens hardship for families living in poverty

Family Works Northern is becoming increasingly worried about the growing number of families struggling with an alarming combination – winter and poverty.

High unemployment, the rising cost of living, benefit changes, the lack of emergency housing and reduced social services following last year’s funding cuts are all having an impact.

Social Services General Manager Grenville Hendricks says he is highly concerned about the growing number of families living in poverty in cold and damp housing.

“This winter is worse than ever for our clients and their children. Thousands of our families are battling on multiple fronts: poor housing, not enough money, food, warm clothing or even beds and blankets,” he says.

“They are living in cold, damp and mouldy housing and the associated illnesses and health conditions with this are a constant theme. These are worse for babies, children and older people.

“There’s also chronic overcrowding as extended families live in one home to try and bring their housing and other costs down,” he explains.

The PSN Social Services GM says there are clear evidential links between poverty and pressures on family life with an increased risk for children including harm, abuse and neglect.

“That’s what our social work teams are seeing. This aligns with data released earlier this year estimating one in seven New Zealand children miss out on the essentials and live in cold, damp housing[1] and increasing levels of poverty and deprivation[2].  

“People come in needing support on one issue and when we engage, a series of other issues are uncovered. Their situations and therefore our social work caseloads are complex. As the temperature plunges, our clients are under increasing pressure.”

For example, Chloe* walked into a Family Works office looking for counselling as she was profoundly depressed following the third anniversary of the death of her mother.

Pregnant with two children - a toddler and a six-year-old, she had moved cities a few months before to flee a violent relationship. There was a protection order in place.

Chloe and her children were staying with her sister who had addiction issues and was waiting to get into a rehab centre. She had little money. They often had no food and were living in a flood-damaged rental home that was a major health hazard. It was infested with insects, chronically damp and had extensive mould.

Both children were extremely anxious following the family violence and were socially isolated. Neither of the children were in daycare or school as they did not have the birth certificates required to enrol. Getting these was problematic.

Family Works immediately wrapped support around Chloe and her whānau. She was provided with fleece PJ’s, socks, gloves, hats, jumpers, draught stoppers, hot water bottles, hand warmers and boxes of kai that included ingredients to make porridge and soup.

Family Works supported Chloe to access the mental health support she needed and enrolled her six-year-old into a KIDshine programme that supports children who have experienced family violence. Family Works also supported her to check she was receiving the correct benefit entitlements and helped her secure healthy and safe housing for her and her children.

With her agreement, Family Works referred Chloe to other agencies and worked through the issues to obtain birth certificates for her children. Her eldest child was then enrolled in a local school.

“Sadly, Chloe’s case is not unusual,” says Grenville Hendriks.

Family Works is running a Winter Appeal to help support families facing hardship this winter. To donate, visit familyworksnorthern.org.nz/winterappeal

*name and other details changed to protect privacy.

[1] https://union.org.nz/action-needed-now-as-child-poverty-grows/#:~:text=We%20need%20action%20now%20to,the%20highest%20number%20since%202015.

[2] State of the Nation 2025 – The Salvation Army NZFTS