Linking Communities Network manager Yvonne Wilson said a high number of residents were struggling to cope with rising living costs.

“The cost of living has gone up - the cost of utilities has gone up, the cost of food has gone up and people are struggling to make ends meet,” Ms Wilson said.

“Every night in Griffith there would be people sleeping out in a car, in a park or on a channel bank,” she said. “The majority of them look for somewhere to sleep where they feel safe, but how can they feel safe when they are sleeping outdoors like that?”

Ms Wilson said even families with two incomes were having to make sacrifices.

She said this often meant buying convenience food because it was cheaper than fresh food and the residents would not have to cook it and increase energy costs.

“We’ve known families that can’t afford to turn the heater on in the winter time because they are paying their last two bills off and they are due for another one,” Ms Wilson said.

“There are elderly people who are too worried to use the heater in winter

time and the aircon in the summer.

Ms Wilson said often families struggled to pay school fees and buy uniforms.

She said the high cost of rent in Griffith was a factor.

Ms Wilson said some people were on waiting lists for subsidised housing for up to five years.

“The majority of them are not living beyond their means, but due to increasing living costs, their incomes just don’t cover everything.”

Ms Wilson said a large number of people who had mortgages were struggling to make payments.

“People have lost heir homes or are in fear of losing their homes.”

Ms Wilson said people who lost their homes were often forced to live with extended family or live in substandard accommodation.

Her comments come as a study reveals NSW has almost 900,000 people living in poverty – more than any other state.

The Council of Social Service of NSW Poverty in NSW (NCOSS) report revealed the state’s poverty rate was 14.6 per cent.

NCOSS chief executive officer Tracy Howe said the high level of poverty in the community was something everyone should be worried about.