Bread and Board: When the basics break the budget

A survey of 812 Tasmanians experiencing financial hardship who had used Emergency Relief and Financial Counselling services over a two week period. The participants lived on incomes so low, usually Centrelink pensions or benefits, that they were constantly exposed to the risk of financial crisis. Food, electricity, rent, car/transport, debt and medical expenses were the main costs that people reported they were facing.