Cost-of-Living Crisis Deepens in Winter: Kiwi Children Face Health Risks Due to Poor Sleeping Conditions

As winter sets in and temperatures drop, the cost-of-living crisis is hitting New Zealand families particularly hard. With seasonal storms becoming more frequent and intense, the challenges faced by vulnerable households are growing more severe. For many children, the struggle isn't just about staying warm—it’s about survival.

A Nation of Wealth, Yet Many Lack Basic Needs

According to Statistics New Zealand, 156,600 children live in poverty, with many forced to sleep in cold, damp bedrooms. The children’s charity Variety reports that about one in ten children in New Zealand does not have a safe, warm bed of their own. In Northland alone, more than 200 children are at risk of developing serious illnesses due to inadequate bedding, overcrowded homes, and the use of moldy mattresses.

Health Risks and Long-Term Consequences

The health implications of these conditions are significant. Children sleeping in unhealthy, crowded environments are more likely to suffer from illnesses such as strep throat, bronchiolitis, whooping cough, and even rheumatic fever—a condition that can cause permanent heart damage.

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora reported five new cases of acute rheumatic fever in Northland in 2023, seven in 2024, and four so far this year. These numbers are alarming, especially when considering the long-term effects on children’s health and future well-being.

A Crisis That Needs Immediate Attention

Despite the nation’s wealth and progressive values, the reality is that many children are still lacking basic necessities. Variety’s chief executive, Susan Glasgow, emphasized the desperation of parents who are pleading for help to get their children off the floor, a moldy mattress, or a sofa, and into a proper bed of their own.

The government has been under pressure to meet child poverty reduction targets since 2018, but as of the most recent figures from June 2024, none of the three primary targets have been met. With the cost-of-living crisis showing no signs of abating and the economy remaining sluggish, the situation for children is unlikely to improve without urgent action.

A Call to Action

Every year, Variety runs its Beds for Kids Winter Appeal to address the issue of bed poverty. However, in a country that prides itself on progress and compassion, it is disheartening that such an appeal is still necessary. Every child deserves a warm, safe bed—this is not a luxury, but a right.

Healthy children can grow into extraordinary adults. It’s time for the nation to take a stand and ensure that no child is left behind in this crisis.