“Students are barely managing to pay their rent, they can’t afford nutritious food to keep them going, and they are forced to live in damp, cold, mouldy flats. Turning on the heater is a luxury many students can’t afford” she says.
“As an immediate measure, benefits, student allowances and StudyLink living costs must be urgently raised. However, there needs to also be transformative overhaul of the welfare system so that every New Zealander, whether they receive a benefit, are studying or in work, has a liveable income” says Lenihan-Ikin.