Rockingham and Mandurah have been identified as the areas with the highest demand for urgent assistance from Vinnies WA’s emergency relief services. The not-for-profit organisation has reported an overwhelming surge in requests for food, clothing, and living essentials as cost-of-living pressures continue to mount across Western Australia.
Vinnies WA recorded an 18 per cent increase in calls to its emergency relief hotline between January and April this year compared to the same period in 2025. The data reveals that Rockingham is the Perth metro area with the highest demand for support, followed by Midland, Armadale, Kwinana, and Joondalup. In the Rockingham area alone, 2,057 individuals sought assistance between July 2025 and March 2026.
Mandurah emerged as the most in-need regional area in WA, with 1,646 calls for help. Other regional areas with high demand include Geraldton, Bunbury, Albany, and Narrogin. Overall, Vinnies WA received a total of 38,711 emergency relief calls during this period, roughly equivalent to the population of Geraldton.
Food remains the most requested form of support, accounting for 65 per cent of all assistance provided. This is followed by clothing and living essentials, petrol, and help with paying bills. The number of employed West Australians receiving support has jumped by 25 per cent compared to the previous year, with 14 per cent of those assisted seeking help for the first time.
The figures also show that 70 per cent of those supported were women, one in three were aged between 40 and 50, and one in three were single parents with children. Vinnies WA CEO Ann Curran said the statistics highlight that hardship is no longer confined to those experiencing entrenched disadvantage.
“We are hearing from more people who never would have imagined they would need to ask for help, and many who are simply one payslip away from crisis,” Ms Curran said. “Heading into winter, many people are forced to make difficult decisions, and often this means choosing between heating their homes, putting food on the table or paying their rent.”
Ms Curran emphasised the importance of the Vinnies Winter Appeal, which aims to support thousands of West Australians struggling with rising living costs. “These are not simply numbers, they are people in our community, often our friends and neighbours, who are trying desperately to hold everything together,” she said. “The Vinnies Winter Appeal helps ensure we can continue providing practical support, including food assistance, help with bills, clothing and fuel, as well as funding our vital homelessness services to people who need it most.”
Donations to the Vinnies Winter Appeal can be made online at vinnies.org.au/wa, where those in need can also seek urgent support.
