Rental affordability is one aspect of the cost of living crisis which is often stigmatised as, not just the fault of older Australians, but something which they aren’t affected by, Aged Care Guide reports.
However, for older Australians and particularly those on a fixed income, the release of Anglicare Australia’s Rental Affordability Snapshot of over 45,895 listings paints a grim picture.
Of the listings, 162 rentals (0.4 percent) were affordable for a person on the Age Pension and 508 rentals (1.1 percent) were affordable for a couple on the Age Pension.
Both results are record lows in the Snapshot’s fourteen-year history, with Council of the Ageing (COTA) Australia now teaming up with Anglicare Australia to advocate for more social housing, in order to protect older people from housing stress.
“Older people have been left behind by the rental market,” says Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers.
“We’ve been releasing this Snapshot for ten years and this is the worst result we’ve ever seen.
“We know why this is happening and we know how to fix it. Every year, Australia’s social housing shortfall gets worse and worse. We have a shortfall of almost 640,000 social homes. Many older people depend on these homes for security as they get older.
“Without action, older people will simply be left to the mercy of the market.”
FULL STORY
Older Australians left to the mercy of the rental market (Aged Care Guide)
