Pandemic amplifies vulnerability: report
Vulnerable Victorians are facing "bigger and more daunting" barriers to accessing services like clean water and affordable electricity than before the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report reveals.
Victoria's Essential Services Commission released the 'Getting To Fair' report on Thursday, finding the pandemic had taken a significant economic, mental and emotional toll on those who were already vulnerable.
"We spent 18 months talking to Victorians, consumer advocates and community service providers as well as the sectors we regulate to identify how to remove the barriers to essential services," commission chair Kate Symons said.
"We learned that people experiencing vulnerability are more likely to perceive barriers as insurmountable, cumulative and repeated across multiple sectors."
The number of Australians unable to pay their mortgage or rent more than doubled between April and October 2020, from 6.9 to 15.1 per cent, according to data released with the report.
Additionally, industries impacted by the pandemic employed more women, young people and part-time workers, increasing vulnerability among people with less stable incomes.
The report also noted a significant rise in family violence incidents since the pandemic began.
The commission said, during difficult times, accessing essential services like clean drinking water, affordable lighting, heating and sustainable council rates should not cause further difficulty.
It found many consumers did not trust businesses to act in their best interests, or provide correct information.
Some consumers had received "unclear" or "confusing" messages from their providers, including advice that "actively contradicted other information".
Communication from providers was inconsistent and inaccessible at times, leaving consumers unable to decipher between government, regulators and businesses.
"We heard that 78 per cent of consumers from a single energy retailer were uncertain as to whether they could contact their retailer to seek assistance," the report said.
"For many experiencing vulnerability for the first time, navigating the communications and hardship/payment difficulty support systems becomes an impossible task. This is made harder for consumers who have limited English skills."
The report calls for essential service providers to break down barriers by empowering customers to make informed choices and seek support when they need it.
It recommends the commission work with providers to ensure bills, forms and communication with customers is more inclusive, accessible and tested with a diverse group of people experiencing hardship.
The report urges providers to be more supportive of vulnerable consumers by improving communication so that they understand their rights.
It also places onus on the commission, as Victoria's economic regulator, to become more responsive, inclusive and accessible as an organisation.
The report aims to provide a pathway for the next three years, with annual reviews into its success and updates where needed.
