Homelessness Australia is the national peak body for homelessness in Australia. We provide systemic advocacy for the homelessness sector.
Across Australia, SHS agencies provide services aimed at prevention and early intervention, crisis and post crisis assistance to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The agencies receive government funding to deliver accommodation-related and personal services.
Homelessness can expose people to violence and victimisation, result in long-term unemployment and lead to the development of chronic ill health.
Homelessness has long term effects on a young person's health and wellbeing and impact their mental health, education, and connection with community.
In Australia, most people think of homelessness as rough sleeping. Most people agree that people sleeping on the street or in cars are homeless, while many also think those staying in crisis services and refuges are homeless.
Homelessness can be caused by:
Family violence. A shortage of affordable housing. Physical and/or mental health issues.
It Can Compromise Public Security
Whether they're aware of it or not, they tend to inflict the same suffering on others. As a result, communities with high rates of homelessness also have high crime rates.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows homelessness is surging. New figures show nearly 123,000 people were without a home on Census night 2021 - around 6,000 more than at the previous count in 2016. It represents a 5.2 per cent lift in homelessness over five years.
There are many social problems outside of their control – such as loss of job security, rising rents, serious physical or mental illness, fleeing domestic violence and sexual abuse or serious addiction – that force people into homelessness. More families than ever before are struggling.
There were 122,494 people estimated to be experiencing homelessness when the 2021 census was taken, an increase of 5.2 per cent or 6067 people from 2016, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Our goal. End homelessness and ensure people and communities in need can thrive.
122,494 people were estimated to be experiencing homelessness on Census night in 2021. Males made up 55.9% of people experiencing homelessness; females made up 44.1%. 23.0% of all people experiencing homelessness were aged from 12 to 24 years.
1. On any given night, around 40,000 young Australians are homeless or at risk of homelessness. But it's likely that the real number of young people living without safe and stable housing is much higher.
What causes a person to become homeless? Individual factors, such as a lack of qualifications, relationship breakdown or substance abuse, can lead to homelessness as well as family background issues like disputes, sexual and physical abuse from parents or guardians or a previous experience of family homelessness.
Causes of homelessness
Domestic violence is the single biggest cause of homelessness in Australia. What this means is that homelessness is a product of many other human rights abuses.
Marcus Spiller, principal and partner at SGS, told Pro Bono News that ending homelessness can be done. He's crunched the numbers, and he says he knows how much it would cost, too: $17 billion over 30 years. The cost of acting on homelessness is less than the cost of not acting.
racism and discrimination continue to be significant social problems in Australia, impacting individuals and communities from diverse cultural backgrounds.
In addition, venous stasis of the lower extremities (i.e., poor circulation because of varicose veins) caused by prolonged periods of sitting or sleeping with the legs down predisposes homeless people to dependent edema (swelling of the feet and legs), cellulitis, and skin ulcerations.
Australian policy interest in homelessness started in the early 1970s with the passage of the Homeless Persons Assistance Act (1974).
03 May 2023
Australia's most recent Census revealed more than 122,000 Australians were experiencing homelessness.
With a relatively small population, it's alarming to think that on any given night, more than 122,000 people experience homelessness in Australia. People experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable in our community.
Mental health issues and other health problems. Problematic alcohol, drug or substance use. Employment difficulties and unemployment. Problematic gambling.
Older Women are the fastest growing group of homeless people in Australia. Whichever definition of homelessness is being used, homeless older women have tended to remain hidden from the official statistics for a long time. In 2019, women over 55 were the fastest growing group of homeless people in Australia.
Updated statistics released by the ABS yesterday show that 28,600 people experiencing homelessness in Australia are working full-time. That's 16.5 percent of all people experiencing homelessness.