Demand for emergency relief is up as ERFAS experiences record month of calls

The Financial Wellbeing Collective’s Emergency Relief and Food Access Service, delivered by partner agency Anglicare WA, is a central point of access for Western Australians struggling to afford essentials, has experienced a record number of calls to the service in January 2025.

ERFAS is a central point of access for Western Australians struggling to afford essentials such as food, utilities, medication, fuel and rent, and January 2025 call volumes to the service were the highest on record since the service’s inception in April 2020.

Almost 4,000 calls were made to ERFAS last month – an 87% increase on the same time 3 years ago.

“With persistent high living costs, many of our emergency relief clients have exhausted their financial reserves and our now relying on services such as ours to feed their family.

“More employed clients than ever are reaching out for help. Paid employment has generally been seen as a guarantee against being in poverty but that’s not the case anymore. Year-on-year January comparisons shows a 225% increase in employed clients accessing emergency relief over the last 4 Januarys. These are working people and families who are struggling to put food on the table.

“It is disgraceful that, in one of the richest states in Australia, hardship is becoming more commonplace, so much so that a growing number of Western Australians are battling to feed their families.”

The Financial Wellbeing Collective is advocating for more targeted cost of living relief for those struggling to afford essentials, as well as greater funding to emergency relief services and providers, particularly in regional areas.

Read the Sunday Times article.

Read the Financial Wellbeing Collective’s state election recommendations.

Watch the 7 News Perth story here:

Western Australians experiencing financial difficulty are encouraged to reach out to:
Financial Wellbeing Collective: 🌐 thefwc.org.au