Dole cuts will 'raise homelessness, crime'

Petty crime is set to increase as changes to unemployment benefits push more younger people on to the streets, a Brisbane homeless welfare group says.

More younger people are set to live on the streets as welfare benefits are tightened for people under 30, a group helping Brisbane's homeless says.

Micah Projects, a non-profit organisation that runs outreach and support programs, is worried petty crime will also increase as demand for emergency shelter and free food is stretched.

"We will see the increase of homelessness with people without an income," the group's co-ordinator Karyn Walsh told AAP.

"Issues around people having to do petty crime, just to survive for food, will increase."

The concerns are being raised more than a week after the federal budget planned to make people under the age of 30 wait six months for unemployment benefits and work for the dole.

Those under the age of 25 would get the lower Youth Allowance instead of Newstart.


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Source: AAP


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