In Hobart's northern suburbs, people are being forced to choose between their hunger and housing.

Key points: The seat of Clark, formerly known as Denison, has been held by Andrew Wilkie since 2010

The seat of Clark, formerly known as Denison, has been held by Andrew Wilkie since 2010 People on welfare in the area have up to $12 for food and other expenses

People on welfare in the area have up to $12 for food and other expenses Last year's figures show 3,804 Clark residents received Newstart allowance

Salvation Army Captain Jeff Milkins said people doing it tough were trying to survive on welfare payments, and demand for food assistance was increasing.

Tasmania's housing crisis has been front and centre in the metropolitan electorate of Clark, with residents concerned about the impact of the federal election on their hip-pockets.

Formerly known as Denison, and spanning across Hobart and Glenorchy, the seat has been held by independent Andrew Wilkie since 2010.

Mr Wilkie holds the "very safe" seat with a margin of 17.8 per cent.

Mr Milkins said rising rents in the area meant people living on welfare, particularly Newstart, were relying on between $10 and $12 a day to pay their other expenses — food, power, medication and school fees.

"The biggest thing we are seeing is housing stress and availability around housing, there are so many people out there who are either under stress with their housing costs, or they simply do not have anywhere to live," he said.

"We are seeing people come in and they have only had one meal a day because they have got to pay the rent. What we are seeing is Newstart is not enough for people to survive on."

Mr Milkins said the Salvation Army wanted to see a "liveable" increase in the Newstart allowance, and he said consideration should be given to a national strategy around housing and homelessness.

Salvation Army Captain Jeff Milkins says people forgo meals to pay rent. ( ABC News: Mitchell Woolnough )

Calls to up welfare payments

Department of Social Services figures from last year show 3,804 people living in the Clark electorate received the Newstart allowance, which provides a maximum payment of $555.70 a fortnight to single recipients with no children, and $601.10 to those with children.

The Real Estate Institute of Tasmania figures show the median rent in Glenorchy for March was $405 for a house, and $350 for a unit.

Labor has promised to review Newstart if it wins government, and Mr Wilkie said government pensions and payments should be increased and rent assistance raised.

Jason Clarke is one of those who relies on food assistance from the Salvation Army to see him through the week.

He says a boost to his payment would help.

"Increased costs on everything have left me with no other choice really," Mr Clarke said.

"I'm conservative with my cash and try to do my best, but it is not enough."

'I could stand to lose thousands'

On the other side of the electorate the issues are different, but hip-pocket concerns remain.

Self-funded retiree Hugh Garnham, 84, is worried that Labor's planned changes to franking credits could cost him thousands of dollars.

Franking credits are a tax rebate to shareholders who receive dividends which have already incurred company tax.

The system is used to prevent "double" taxation.

Hugh Garnham (left) and Geoff Abel say changes to franking credits could impact their children's inheritance. ( ABC News: Rhiana Whitson )

Since 2001, retirees have been entitled to cash refunds of the tax already paid, even if they do not pay tax, but Labor has promised to end that practice.

Although Labor's planned changes would exempt full and part pensioners, Mr Garnham does not receive a pension, and has factored the franking credit refund into his lifestyle.

"I could stand to lose thousands. Not just two or three thousand, but a substantial amount of money which has already been paid in tax by the companies that have earned that money," he said.

"It is factored into my current lifestyle, and I am not throwing my money away.

"I want to leave money for my children, I have four darling daughters. It will affect that, depending on how long I live."