4671.0 - Household Energy Consumption Survey, User Guide, Australia, 2012  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/09/2013  First Issue
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FINANCIAL STRESS INDICATORS

As discussed in the 'Energy' section of this user guide, HECS collected a range of energy-related financial stress indicators. This section discusses the indicators of financial stress collected that are not directly related to household energy. These indicators present an alternative approach to understanding of a households living standards than using income and wealth statistics alone.

The financial stress questions asked in the HECS that are not directly related to household energy are:

  • household spends more money than it gets (over the past 12 months)
  • could not pay car registration or insurance on time
  • pawned or sold something
  • went without meals
  • sought assistance from welfare/community organisations
  • sought financial help from friends or family.
  • present standard of living is worse than two years ago.

It should also be noted that the preferences of households between some of the indicators are likely to be affected by the composition of the household. For example, households with children are probably less likely to choose to go without meals when short of money than are single person households.

For more information on the development of financial stress indicators, please see the 'Deprivation and Financial stress indicators' section of the Household Expenditure Survey and Survey of Income and Housing: User Guide, 2009-10 (cat. no. 6503.0).