From Fuel to Food: How Rising Costs Are Affecting Families in Western Sydney

Fuel Costs Affect More Than the Weekly Petrol Bill

For many people in Western Sydney, a car is not optional. It is how families get to work, school, appointments, shops and services. When fuel prices rise, it affects much more than transport. 

The ACCC reported that average retail petrol prices across Australia’s five largest cities were 182.2 cents per litre in the March quarter of 2025, and quarterly average retail prices were higher in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth over that period.

For households already stretched, higher fuel costs can mean cutting back somewhere else. That may mean fewer trips, delayed appointments, less community participation, or less money left for groceries and essentials. In areas where people travel longer distances for work or care, transport costs can quietly shape almost every weekly decision.

Food Insecurity Is Closer to Home Than Many People Realise

When budgets tighten, food is often one of the first areas where families start adjusting. People may buy less, skip fresh food, reduce variety, or miss meals so children or other family members can eat first. 

Food insecurity is not limited to a small group on the margins. It affects working households, families with children and people who are trying hard to keep up while costs continue to shift.

That matters because food insecurity is not only about hunger. It can affect:

• Physical health
• Mental wellbeing
• Children’s development and school participation
• Family relationships
• A person’s ability to cope with other pressures



When families are constantly juggling food, fuel and bills, the emotional load becomes part of the problem too.

Housing Pressure Is Part of the Story in Western Sydney

Cost-of-living pressure does not happen in isolation. For many households, housing is the highest fixed cost, and Western Sydney continues to experience significant housing stress. 

Western Sydney has been identified as the epicentre of the state’s housing crisis, with ongoing pressure expected in the coming years.



When rent or housing costs take up more of the household budget, there is less left for essentials. That can make increases in fuel, food or electricity much harder to absorb. It can also mean more people seek help for the first time, not because they have done anything wrong, but because the gap between coping and crisis has become smaller.

The Impact Is Not Only Financial

Financial pressure affects more than the bank balance. It can lead to stress, anxiety, relationship strain, isolation and a sense of being overwhelmed. Some people stop attending community activities because of transport costs. Some avoid asking for help because they think others are worse off. Others keep trying to manage alone until the situation becomes much harder.

This is why local support matters. As a not-for-profit provider of aged care and community support in Western Sydney, FOCUS Connect sees the reality behind the numbers: parents skipping meals, older people limiting outings, families delaying essential purchases, and individuals feeling ashamed to ask for help. The pressure may start with prices, but it often spreads into wellbeing, confidence and connection.

Who Is Often Hit Hardest?

While rising costs can affect almost anyone, some groups are often more exposed: low-income households, single-parent families, older people, newly arrived individuals and families, people on fixed incomes, and households already under housing or debt pressure. ABS data shows households whose main source of income is government payments recorded higher annual rises in living costs than employee and self-funded retiree households in the year to December 2025.



For community-based organisations, this is an important reminder that hardship is not always visible. Some families may be working, parenting and still struggling to afford basics. Others may never have asked for support before and may not know what help is available locally.

Emergencies Can Hit Harder When People Are Already Under Pressure

For older people living at home, financial stress can also make it harder to prepare for emergencies such as heatwaves, storms, power outages or other unexpected events. Things like backup food, medications, transport, phone access, charged devices and knowing who to call can become even more important when circumstances change quickly.

This is especially relevant for older people receiving support at home. Support at Home is designed to help older people stay at home longer, and the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards require providers to prepare for emergencies and engage older people and their supporters about emergency and disaster management plans.



At FOCUS Connect, this is another reminder that practical support is not only about day-to-day needs. It is also about helping people feel safer, more informed and better prepared when unexpected situations arise. 

What Support Can Help?

When cost-of-living pressure builds, practical support can make a real difference. For some households, that may be food relief. For others, it may be emergency relief, referral support, or access to safer alternatives to high-cost credit for essential goods and services.

At FOCUS Connect, support may include practical community assistance such as food relief, emergency relief and No Interest Loans for eligible essentials, as well as connection to other services that help people move through a difficult period with dignity and support.

What matters is that help is timely, respectful and grounded in real life. In a climate where pressure can come from many directions at once, people need more than information. They need practical pathways.

Why This Matters for Focus Connect

FOCUS Connect is a not-for-profit community organisation, which means these are not distant issues. They are real, everyday experiences affecting people across Campbelltown, Macarthur and wider Western Sydney. 

Rising costs are changing how people live. They can affect a person’s ability to put food on the table, afford transport to work or appointments, replace essential items, stay socially connected, or feel a sense of stability from week to week. For many, the gap between managing and struggling is becoming smaller.



We support people and families facing hardship through practical local assistance and connection to the right support. That includes helping people access immediate relief where needed, while also walking alongside them with dignity, care and respect.

How the Community Can Help

When living costs rise, the impact is not shared equally. Some households absorb the pressure, while others fall behind quickly. That is why local support matters.

As a not-for-profit, we rely on community generosity to respond to growing local need. Donations help us continue supporting people and families facing food insecurity, financial stress, and the ongoing pressure of rising costs.

Every contribution strengthens our ability to deliver practical support where it is needed most, helping people in our community get through challenging times with dignity.

Final Thoughts

The cost-of-living conversation can sometimes sound like a set of economic headlines, but for many families, it is much more personal. It is the weekly shop, the petrol tank, the rent payment, the overdue bill, the school expense, and the stress of trying to make everything stretch. National data shows these pressures are real, and local communities feel them every day.

FOCUS Connect is here to support people in our community who are facing hardship and uncertainty. If you or someone you know needs support, reach out to our team. And if you are in a position to help, a donation can help us continue providing practical support with dignity, care and local understanding.