New Salvation Army research, undertaken as part of The Salvation Army’s Christmas Appeal, found 1.6 million Australians with children under 10-years-old would not be able to buy a Christmas present for their family this year. It’s an increase of more than one million people compared to last year.

The research also found there were 735,000 Australians who knew 10 or more families who would experience financial hardship during the festive season.

Capt Sutcliffe said he was shocked by the national figures. However, he said an increasing number of people in Dubbo had been seeking assistance from the Salvation Army, especially within the last four months.

The Salvation Army in Dubbo is expected to help about 150 families through their Christmas Appeal.

While the cost of electricity bills, food and rent were on the rise, Capt Sutcliffe said welfare payments such as the Newstart allowance remained below the poverty line.

It left families with having to make the difficult decision between paying bills or buying Christmas presents, he said.

While people were still struggling to pay their electricity bills from winter, Capt Sutcliffe said he expected to see another surge in people asking for help during February when families started feeling the pinch from Christmas and back-to-school costs.

For those who had been experiencing financial struggles, or even those who thought they might soon have difficulties paying their bills, Capt Sutcliffe said they should ask The Salvation Army for help.

The Salvation Army could either help those in need, or direct them to where they needed to go, he said.