New Zealand is backsliding on social progress as food and housing become increasingly unaffordable, warns the Salvation Army in its latest State of the Nation report.
Rising food insecurity now affects a quarter of all households, with half of Pacific Island families regularly going without meals.
Welfare dependence has surged, with over 400,000 people seeking support—higher than any point since 1998.
The report also highlights worsening child violence, growing financial strain from high rents, and a challenging job market.
Meanwhile, declining government funding and reduced charitable donations make it harder for aid organisations to respond.
The Salvation Army urged the government to prioritise essential needs as more families face hardship. On the positive side, youth crime rates were decreasing, according to the report.
A significant stress factor was the cost of rent.
“In four in every 10 communities rental prices are pretty unaffordable, that means they’re over 30 percent of the median income… If you’re paying that much rent you don’t have the money to provide all the other things you need to,” a spokesperson told state funded media.
“We’re not seeing private rental prices coming down, and that is a major cause of hardship and poverty.”
