Community leaders have joined calls on the government to increase the Newstart allowance, saying it's not enough money for someone in the Shoalhaven to live off.
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The Newstart payment or the dole is $278 a week, or 38 per cent of the minimum wage and hasn't been increased more than the inflation rate since 1997.
Shoalhaven Homeless Hub manager Kerri Snowden is "disgusted" at the level of the payment and said action on increasing Newstart needed to happen quickly.
"People are going without food and heating because they just don't have the money," she said.
"It needs to be brought into line with the level of the Disability Support Pension.
"I know that's huge but people need to live and live with dignity."
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Pastor Pete Dover, who runs a homeless centre at the Wesley Centre, said because the payment is so low, people couldn't afford rent and were living homeless.
"We need to stop isolating people on the margins and actually stand with people on the margins," he said.
"Most of the people we deal with, especially long-term unemployed, have been on these payments for years and it doesn't look like that's going to change because of their significant mental health.
"It's not short-term."
According to Department of Social Service figures, the proportion of Newstart recipients on payments for longer than a year has climbed from 69 per cent in 2014 to 73 per cent in 2016.
Gilmore MP Fiona Phillip said disadvantage would certainly be a part of her maiden speech next Tuesday.
"It's way too low, no one can live on $40 a day, I definitely want to see an increase in Newstart," she said.
"The Coalition is more concerned about stage 3 tax cuts for the more well off when we've got people in our local area who are doing it tough.
"What we've said is we want a review to ensure the payment is adequate and the intention is to push it up."
The federal government has kept firm in its position not to raise the payment despite Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce and Liberal Senator Dean Smith calling for an increase.
Scott Morrison told Coalition MPs on Tuesday to be mindful of what the party took to the election, saying the "government is not a blank cheque".