Cost of living crisis: More middle-income families asking for help [Video]

 New Zealand’s annual inflation rate is the highest it’s been in 31 years.

A charity says a lot more middle-income families are asking for help as the cost of living increases.

New Zealand’s annual inflation rate is the highest it has ever been in over 30 years with housing and transport being the biggest contributors.

Financial mentor at community mentoring charity SuperGrans Aotearoa Margaret Lavery told Newshub Late a lot more middle-income families have asked their charity for help.

“There’s now a lot more middle-management families that are coming in who have lost their job through COVID or have taken a lower-paying job and used to survive on perhaps credit cards,” she told host Ingrid Hipkiss. 

Lavery said SuperGrans Aotearoa help out families with things like meal planning to help ease the load.

“We try to get them into the habit of doing a menu plan for the week.

“Before they go to the shops, preparing five meals that they will …