Struggling Auckland families often worse off in Northland

Auckland families moving to Northland to escape poverty are struggling to find affordable homes.

Families moving to Northland from Auckland to escape poverty are finding themselves worse off, a leading social service provider says.

Family Works Northern manager Margie Matthews said many struggled to find jobs or affordable homes and some faced serious mental health issues after leaving the big city for Northland.

"They're coming up because they think there's going to be opportunities for cheaper housing."

She said there is a perception houses in Northland are easier to get.

But, Ms Matthews said, when they get here, there is a shortage of houses and the rent prices are high.

"Even those who find a job, they're finding accommodation can be quite difficult for them."

She said the families they work with are finding 20 to 30 other families at rental property viewings.

"Landlords can be quite picky about who they want."

She said property speculators have pushed the prices up as well.

"So families from Auckland will move in with extended family or whanau where they often live in garages or basic cabins, or everyone is squashed together in small, over-crowded houses, which creates health issues."

Ms Matthews said the situation can cause stress, anxiety and depression in the parents, which can flow on to the children.

"But mental health and other services are so stretched they are not getting the help they need. We are doing our very best but the clients we see often need more specifically targeted services. We are having to advocate to get them into these services but there are road blocks all the way."

She said the children move into new schools, increasing their rolls and putting pressure on their resources.

Ms Matthews said the pressure is on everybody in the sector - social services and government agencies.

"There doesn't seem to be enough funding, people can only do so much with what they have.''

She said the number of families moving north from Auckland has been increasing over the past two to three years.

"A lot of these families really want to do the best, they're good managers of their finances but they just need one thing to wrong."

She said that one thing, such as the car breaking down, could put them into debt.

Ms Matthews is apprehensive of the announcement in this year's budget that the accommodation supplement is being increased on April 1, 2018.

"With the budget, people having to wait 10 months, what's going to happen for the next few months?''

Ms Matthews said the pressures that families face aren't going to go away in that time.

She isn't overly optimistic the changes will help.

"I like to think so but I suspect not. Yes there will be a little bit extra but whether it will make a difference or not."