The amount of money the Ministry of Social Development has paid out to help people with car repairs has tripled in the last six years.
Demand for hardship assistance remains high: in the year to March, close to $865 million was spent providing grants, loans and advances to cover things like food and emergency accommodation - up $200 million on the year before.
The National Party says the growing number of people needing help with their other bills shows the government needs to do more about the rising cost of living.
Social issues reporter Sarah Robson has the story.
