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Ageing in a housing crisis: Older people’s housing insecurity & homelessness in Australia
Author/s
Wendy Stone, Margaret Reynolds, Piret Veeroja, Emma R. Power, Francesca Perugia, Amity James
Abstract
The Australian population is ageing. 2021 Census shows that the Australian population is ageing, continuing a long-running trend.
The scale of housing insecurity amongst older people in Australia is significant and growing. More older people were living in marginal housing and experiencing homelessness in Australia in 2021 compared to a decade earlier. Today, more older people are renting in the private rental sector, Australia’s least secure tenure, and more are ageing with mortgages. Urgent action is needed so that all older people in Australia can access secure, affordable housing.
It is time for a national housing plan that proactively addresses housing insecurity and ensures access to affordable, secure housing across the lifespan.