"I stay pretty positive, but some days... It just gets to you something bad," he said.

"I've been working since I was 15 or 16, and not being able to get work, it's frustrating."

Qualified and working as a chef for 14 years and a labourer for 14 years after that, Mr Jones was laid off more than two years ago, when business quietened down.

Read more: 'I'd like to keep working': The end of JobKeeper a concern for many Illawarra residents

Now 49, Mr Jones has spent the past two years searching for work, and has been living off the JobSeeker benefit - $1100 less a fortnight from what he was earning as a labourer.

"It's tough... Just the basic living costs, it gets a bit tight sometimes," he said.

"I've had a couple of little jobs here and there, but nothing serious for more than two years. I'm always over-qualified or under-qualified."

There have been concerns raised regarding the end of the $75-a-week Coronavirus Supplement for those receiving JobSeeker.

From Thursday, JobSeeker will reduce by $50 per week, when taking into account the $25 per week rise that comes into effect the same day.

"I've just got to watch my pennies - it will make it harder though," Mr Jones said.

Mr Jones has been receiving $840 a fortnight. He spends $200 a week on rent and $70 on food, while trying to save the rest for bills and other living expenses.

He largely lives on sausages, mince, pasta and rice.

"Pasta and rice, that fills you up," he said.

Mr Jones has been assisted by BaptistCare, a not-for-profit, Christian-based care organisation that provides meals and other support.

Dianne Frohmuller, manager at BaptistCare HopeStreet Port Kembla said they expected that the changes to JobSeeker will result in a "surge" in numbers seeking their assistance.

"What I've found from talking to clients is when JobSeeker increased, it gave people a little more dignity, where they could have a few of the extras that you or I might have," she said.

"Now with the reduction, it's taken away what you've given them."

Narelle Clay, CEO of Southern Youth and Family Services said JobSeeker cuts, as well as factors such as less casual work being available compared to pre-COVID times, would place additional stress on agencies.

"Some of the extra emergency relief that was available during COVID won't be there either," she said.

"So we're worried about what that's going to look like. I think some people are going to really struggle, having had it in a way that they could actually manage."

A spokesperson for Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said in response to the pandemic, the government bolstered funding for Illawarra Emergency Relief services by an additional $450,604 over two years, in addition to $2,458,469 in Emergency Relief base funding over four-and-a-half years, from January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2023.

"This funding will allow additional people in the Illawarra region to access to Emergency Relief services which includes assistance for paying bills and buying other essentials such as food, clothing and petrol, and access to financial counselling," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said across Australia, "jobs are returning and the number of unemployed persons for every job vacancy has since fallen below pre lockdown levels to 4.2 unemployed persons per vacancy".

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