The Salvation Army has reported an increase in demand for its Christmas hampers this year, with many on the list coming from Government's geared-to-income housing programme.

The Army's long-standing tradition sees a registration process during December which those in need apply for the distribution and are eligible once their income has been determined.

About 1,000 hampers were handed out on Thursday at the Botanical Gardens, a 43 percent increase from last year, according to Salvation Army Major Doug Lewis.

Mr. Lewis said: "A lot of it is due to the fact that they now deduct rent from the people's wages whereas before some people were in a sense, not paying their rent so that they could buy other necessities.

"But now that their rent is being deducted at the source they don't have that extra disposable income to do the necessary, so that's why they're coming to us."

Major Lewis said he was not sure what portion of the 43 percent increase this year originated from the geared-to-income housing programme.

"Before, the people in the programme had the option to use the extra funds as they wished, now they don't. I'm not saying that not paying your rent is right, but I think the people had worked out the premise that Government would not kick them out on the street."

The Salvation Army's distribution consists of a grocery voucher, a turkey or chicken, food donations allowing for a Christmas dinner and toys.

"It's all donated," Major Lewis added, "so it's not a drain on our resources per say, because the public has been exceptionally generous to us, it just means we spend more so we request more from the people.

"We've seen an increase in the number of adults applying because housing is a problem; you now have the grand parents living with the children or the married children with their parents.

"We have families that will come that have four adults and maybe four or five children, where before it would just be mom, dad and the children. The numbers in the family unit are increasing.

The Royal Gazette was unable to get a response from Housing Minister David Burch yesterday.