Homelessness on the rise for older Australians

The report says the number of older people seeking safe shelter and support services increased by 60% since 2020. Women over 55 needing urgent help increased by 83% across the last 3 years.

Homelessness among older people is a growing problem in Australia. With an ageing population and the increased cost of home ownership this problem is expected to get worse. Factors such as domestic violence, relationship breakdown, financial difficulty and limited superannuation can make people more vulnerable to homelessness.

Certain groups may be at a higher risk of homelessness, such as veterans, Indigenous people and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The report states that on any given night, around 19,300 people aged 55 and above are homeless. Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people make up eight percent of older people experiencing homelessness.