Right now young people in our cities are sleeping on the streets because they can’t afford stable accommodation on the low rates of Newstart and Youth Allowance. This is unacceptable. It’s also a problem that can be solved if the Morrison government listens to the experience of young people and commits to #RaiseTheRate.

Can you make sure young people’s voices are front and centre by writing to the Minister for Families and Social Services today?

“I lived in my car for 6 months because I couldn’t afford my rent” – 21 year old on Youth Allowance

“I haven’t seen my psychologist because it’s too expensive, and I have to choose between seeing him and eating this week.” – 20 year old on Youth Allowance

These are the stories of deprivation experienced by young people trying to get by on the current rates of Youth Allowance and Newstart.

Together with ACOSS and the National Union of Students, we have just released the results of a survey of over 862 young people living on payments. The results are heat breaking:

• over 60% of respondents have less than $14 a day left after paying their rent,

• over 50% have couched-surfed or used other unstable forms of accommodation,

• more than 9 in 10 skip meals every week

• more than 1 in 3 have withdrawn from their studies because of a lack of funds

These 16-30 year olds have bravely shared their stories so that people can understand what it’s like to try and live on these low payments. We need to make their voices so loud, the government can’t ignore them.

It is well past time to raise these payments by at least $75 a week and help thousands of young people to stop living in poverty.

Can you write to the Minister for Families and Social Services today, and demand her government #RaiseTheRate?