Cost of living bites, more than half forgo food and medication

Port of Newcastle. File picture.

More than half of low income and below the poverty line households in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie are going without healthcare or meals to make ends meet, a new report has found.

Four-in-five people were experiencing housing stress, meaning they spent more than 30 percent of their income on housing, while almost one-third could not afford to travel for essential reasons and had no money set aside for emergencies.