A 50 per cent rise in the number of Wangaratta job seekers relying on social welfare payments is largely being attributed to COVID-19’s harsh impact on local businesses and the economy. The latest data from the Department of Social Services shows the number of people on JobSeeker in Wangaratta has increased from 956 in March to 1454 in July. Numbers rose to 1309 in April, hitting a high of 1479 in May, before slightly decreasing to 1459 in June.
