Housing drives increase in spending

Average weekly household expenditure increased by $58 to $1,010 between 2006/07 and 2009/10, Statistics New Zealand said today. This increase was due to higher average weekly expenditure on housing and household utilities (up $40), food (up $15), and communication (up $5). However, spending on household contents and services decreased $5.

Results from the latest three-yearly Household Economic Survey (HES) showed significant changes in household spending between 2006/07 and 2009/10: • housing and household utilities – rent, up $22 to $88; and household energy up $7 to $43, with electricity up $6 to $37 • food – restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food, up $5 to $43; meat, poultry, and fish up $3 to $27; and non-alcoholic beverages, up $2 to $10 • household contents and services – furniture and furnishings, down $4 to $12; and major household appliances, down $2 to $7.

In 2009/10, the housing and household utilities group was the largest component of household spending, making up one-quarter of total household expenditure (up from 22 percent in 2006/07). The next largest components are food (18 percent) and transport (13 percent). For those making rent payments, 33 percent made weekly payments over $300 in 2009/10, up from 22 percent in 2006/07.

Other survey results showed that average annual household income increased from $68,710 to $76,584 between 2006/07 and 2009/10, driven by increases in wages and salaries, other government benefits, and New Zealand Superannuation and war pensions.

ENDS

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