At 81 years old, Elizabeth Wright never imagined she would come close to sleeping on the street.

Last year, the pensioner fell behind on her soaring rental payments, and her landlord gave her 60 days’ notice when the owner decided to sell the home.

“I really thought I was going to live on the street,” she told the ABC.

Without family support, Ms Wright had already been relying on Wattle House — a charity in south-east Perth — for help.

An older woman sits down looking unhappy

Elizabeth Wright says the assistance she got from Wattle House was a great help. (ABC News: Daryna Zadvirna)

Operated by Mission Australia, the service provides food and financial assistance for rent, medicine, clothes, fuel, and other living necessities.

Living alone and often forced to go without meals, Ms Wright said it played a critical role in keeping her afloat.

Funding blow

But after losing federal funding in October, the service may soon shut down.

Despite experiencing a fourfold increase in demand over the past two years, staff say they will have to turn away thousands amid the cost-of-living crisis.

“There were times I didn’t have very much to eat,” Ms Wright said.

An older woman sits down smiling.

Elizabeth Wright is facing a grim housing reality. (ABC News: Daryna Zadvirna)

“Without that help, I honestly don’t know where I’d be … I’ve been through it, and I’m still sort of going through it.”

For single mother-of-six Nyabuony, Wattle House was a lifeline after fleeing from an abusive partner in Victoria with her children and arriving in WA with nowhere to live.

Nyabuony spent weeks in motels and refuges before being referred to Wattle House earlier this year.

A woman bends down to tend to a young child.

Nyabuony came to rely on Wattle House after fleeing an abusive relationship. (ABC News: Daryna Zadvirna)

“I was homeless … I didn’t know anybody here,” she said.

“I’ve got three daughters that need a childcare, and I cannot afford it, so I’m not working and it’s very difficult at the moment.”

The service helped furnish her home, provided food and vouchers, and connected her with financial counsellors and TAFE.

A woman stands next to a small child while speaking to another woman.

Nyabuony says the service was invaluable in rebuilding her life.  (ABC News: Daryna Zadvirna)

But the young mother said since the service lost funding, assistance has become more sporadic and she is afraid for when it runs out altogether.

Nyabuony said her budget was so stretched, providing three meals per day for her children was challenging.

“Food doesn’t last two weeks — maybe one,” she said.

‘I can’t help you’

Wattle House program manager Leanne Jayaseela said stories like Elizabeth’s and Nyabuony’s are becoming increasingly common.

A woman sits at a desk with a sad smile.

Leanne Jayaseela is worried more people will be turned away. (ABC News: Daryna Zadvirna)

Ms Jayaseela said many people are one crisis away from being in the same position.

Pulling together amid cost of living pressures

The WA Council of Social Services has found single-parent families are falling short of covering the cost of basics by $90 a week, while the shortfall for renting pensioners is $70.

“We’re seeing people who never thought they’d need help,” she said.

“They’re struggling with paying rent. They’re struggling with just putting regular meals on the table.”

A Lotterywest grant is keeping the service temporarily operating at limited capacity but its future beyond the middle of this year is uncertain.

“We we’re trying to deal with the fallout of that and it’s having to say no to people,” she said.

“It’s having to see people come with the door closed. It’s having to say ‘I’m so sorry, but no, I can’t help you’.”

A sign on a wall telling people that due to funding cuts a charity will only be opening three days a week.

A notice telling people about funding cuts to Wattle House. (ABC News: Daryna Zadvirna)

People struggling

Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics found annual living costs increased for all household types by between 2.3 and 4.2 per cent last year.

As WA resident faces eviction, more questions about community housing

Community housing is seen as a way for the government to tackle the housing crisis, but some people are falling through the cracks.

Higher housing and food costs were the main drivers, according to the ABS, and these were two of the biggest and least avoidable expenses in household budgets.

A Department of Social Services spokesperson told the ABC that funding for emergency relief has increased across the country.

“The government continues to closely monitor the demand for financial wellbeing and capability programs to ensure we are responding to the emerging needs of communities,” the spokesperson said.

They added that the south-east Perth region will be supported by funding provided to other emergency relief providers.