Vinnies' Pat Yeo sees worrying signs amid calls for help in Bathurst

Acting Bathurst Central Council president Pat Yeo says the cost of living "has jumped so quickly that people have been caught out", but he has emphasised that Vinnies is able to assist in a number of ways.

That includes everything from referrals to financial counselling to helping find an affordable year 12 formal dress.

The Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW released a report recently that showed complaints it had received from the Central West, which includes Bathurst, rose by almost one-third in the most recent measured period - and most of those complaints were about bills.

The release of that report followed months of warnings in Bathurst about how the rising cost of living was putting the squeeze on locals, including from the Salvation Army and homelessness service Wattle Tree House.

Vinnies' Mr Yeo said the Bathurst branch of the organisation is having a lot of people come in who are "low income working ... rather than people on Centrelink".

He said he did a lot of work with the organisation during the drought period and "it was pretty bad then, but that was more the farmers".

"To be honest with you, I think it's fairly unique [at the moment]," Mr Yeo said.

"I think the cost of living has jumped so quickly that people have been caught out.

"That's how I see it."

Mr Yeo said his own assessment was that food prices had jumped by about 20 per cent, while he had also noticed the leap in his own home insurance policy.

"I don't think I've ever seen it, in my probably 20 years with the organisation, as bad as what it is at the moment," he said of the cost of living.

He said Vinnies would normally expect to have people in between jobs approaching the organisation for help.

"But now, particularly in Bathurst, they're finding a lot of people coming in on low income, so that is very unique for us," he said.

In terms of the specific help that is offered by Bathurst Vinnies, Mr Yeo said the organisation is able to refer people with financial troubles to a financial counsellor, who is then able to negotiate on behalf of their client.

"We've also got domestic violence units in Bathurst and we're finding that we're getting a lot of calls for that sort of work," he said.

Mr Yeo said calls for assistance with rent are increasing and "we're striving to send them [clients] to financial counselling so they can negotiate with their real estate agent and things like that".

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He said a lot of schools are having formal year 12 functions at this time of year and requests are coming in from "low income families, and that can include Centrelink or low paid wages, wanting assistance with dresses and suits and things like that".

"We're able to help with that," he said.

As well, Bathurst Vinnies is able to help families who can't afford school excursions.

"We don't think it's right that some kids can miss out on a school excursion because they haven't got the money to go," he said.

He said Bathurst Vinnies is also able to help those who are having trouble paying their gas and electricity bills.

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