Scrap the Surcharge: Anglicare welcomes RBA plan to help struggling families

Anglicare Sydney has welcomed the Reserve Bank of Australia’s proposal to abolish debit and credit card surcharges, saying the move would offer meaningful relief to families battling rising living costs.

“We see people every day who are being squeezed from all sides when it comes to cost of living,” said Paul Fitzpatrick, Head of Food and Financial Assistance at Anglicare Sydney.

“When margins are tight even small charges add up. Removing card surcharges could potentially save households hundreds of dollars a year. That’s money that could go towards food, bills or rent.”

Mr Fitzpatrick said the proposal would especially benefit people on lower incomes, who are increasingly forced to use cards for everyday purchases.

“More people are paying by card out of necessity, and they shouldn’t be penalised for it. Surcharges act as a barrier to people using their own money. Removing them frees people up to take better control of their finances.”

Demand for Anglicare Sydney’s food and financial assistance services has jumped by 25 percent over the past two years. While the organisation continues to support people on low incomes, it is now seeing a noticeable rise in requests for help from people who are in need of help for the first time.

“People who never thought they’d need help are now reaching out. While removing card surcharges won’t fix everything, it’s a strong start and puts money back into the pockets of people who desperately need it.”

Anglicare Sydney delivers practical support including food relief, financial counselling, no-interest loans and low-cost essentials through op shops and mobile community pantries.

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Anglicare Sydney is a Christian not-for-profit organisation providing care to older people and community services throughout Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Illawarra, Southern Highlands, New England North West, Central West and Norfolk Island. Anglicare has been serving those in need for more than 160 years, employing more than 5,000 staff and serving alongside 1,300 volunteers. Anglicare provides a diverse range of services including providing care through residential aged care homes, at home care services, retirement living communities, affordable homes for people over 55, community services for children, families and those experiencing social isolation, disaster recovery in times of crisis and helping to effect change through research and advocacy.