Budgeting Services say the rising cost of living is creating a new class of poor in New Zealand.
The Consumers Price Index rose 4% in the last 12 months, driven up by rapid rises in the price of fuel and food.
Federation of Family Budgeting Services chief executive, Raewyn Fox told Morning Report the type of client that budget agencies are seeing is changing.
She says new clients include those who are middle class who have taken on a reasonably high mortgage, which is crippling them.
