Cost of living pressures seem to mount up higher in winter, with the cold weather leading to a need for warmer clothing and an increase in heating bills for both energy and water.

That is why The Examiner has run its Winter Relief Appeal for the past 60 years.

TasCOSS chief executive Kym Goodes said each year 5000 Tasmanian households go without basics, like meals, during the winter months.

“Each year 5000 Tasmanian households go without basics like meals so they can afford appropriate winter clothing for their children or themselves, pay to heat their house or turn the lights on as dark approaches at 4.30pm.”

“For the tens of thousands of Tasmanian families living on the lowest of incomes (Newstart, the age pension and so on) cost of living pressures become increasingly burdensome during the winter months,” Ms Goodes said.

“Relief in the form of things like food and warm winter clothing can make the difference between paying the Aurora bill on time or going without a meal so your child can have warm gloves to wear.”

She said Tasmanians who have precarious or casual jobs often did it hard.

“Fellow Tasmanians in precarious and casual jobs can also find the extra costs of winter hard to meet, taking steps such as heating only one room, moving beds into lounge rooms and simply not venturing out because they don’t have warm clothing,” she said.

City Mission, who is one of the beneficiaries of the Winter Relief Appeal, noted about 40 per cent of its clients were experiencing rental stress and were sacrificing spending on necessities such as food and power.

Housing stress has emerged as a key issue for 2018, with a housing summit held earlier in the year.

The Winter Relief Appeal is celebrating its 60^th year in 2018. To celebrate, The Examiner has set itself a target to reach $60,000 in donations.

Over the past 59 years, more than $3.5 million has been distributed to four Launceston charities – the Benevolent Society, St Vincent de Paul Society, the Salvation Army and City Mission.

As a 60th-year celebration and fundraiser, The Examiner will host a cocktail party in July for the campaign.