

‘We have been seeing an increase in mental health unwellness too.’ĭeb said that the reduction in Jobkeeper on 28 March will likely see a reduction in the market place for a lot of businesses. ‘They may not have the internet, or it doesn’t work, and it costs them to travel from remote rural areas to Deloraine House just to get help. ‘They may have had reduced work hours or had two part time jobs and lost one of them. ‘Before Covid we would see mainly elderly people and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, but now we are seeing a lot more, what you could call the working poor, people on low income who are just above the Centrelink threshold. There has been a dramatic increase in numbers over the past 4 to 6 weeks.’ĭeb said they are preparing for another increase when Jobseeker ends on 31 March. ‘More people have been coming in looking for a no interest loan or emergency relief food. THE ENDING of the Jobseeker and Jobkeeper payments at the end of March are likely to have harder impacts on families already doing it tough in the Meander Valley community.ĭeloraine House Manager Deb Smith said Deloraine House has already seen an increase in people looking for support during Covid-19. Volunteers Chris Riley, Michael Bishop and Eve Taylor, with Manager Deb Smith, in Deloraine House’s industrial fridge.
