‘Closer than you think’: Charities flag dire cost-of-living crunch
Wide-reaching research has found the seemingly essential things Aussies are going without in the cost of living crisis.
Startling numbers of young Australians have found themselves homeless in the past 12 months, grim new research has revealed.
In a survey of more than 19,000 young people aged 15 to 19, more than eight per cent had experienced homelessness in the past year, charity Mission Australia has found.
“Whether enduring the harsh realities of sleeping rough, seeking refuge in crisis or transitional accommodation, or couch surfing, our youth survey confirms the experience of homelessness for young people can be distressing and scarring,” Mission Australia chief executive Sharon Callister said.
“Every young person deserves a safe, secure home as a launch pad into adulthood. Empowering young people to start their journey to adulthood on a solid footing can transform lives.”
Between March and August 2023, the Christian charity surveyed 19,501 people aged 15-19 years.
Of this group, 1508 respondents - 8.6 per cent - reported homelessness during the previous 12 months.
Mission Australia is calling for JobSeeker and Youth Allowance to be raised to $80-a-day, an extra $27 each day on top of the current JobSeeker rate, and $35 more for Youth Allowance recipients who do not live with parents.
The federal government did increase commonwealth rent assistance by 10 per cent and extended the eligibility for the highest rate of jobseeker payments for about 4700 people in this year’s budget. All households are also getting a $300 energy bill rebate.
The Treasurer pointed to these measures as other ways of helping people, in defending keeping JobSeeker rates flat in the May budget.
Ms Callister said ending youth homelessness in Australia was possible, and investment from the federal and some state and territory governments would make a “useful” contribution.
“Many young people who are at risk of homelessness when seeking help are supported to remain safely housed. But it’s a different story for young people who are already homeless when asking for support,” the charity boss said.
“Australia’s housing and homelessness emergency means that most of those young people can’t find housing and so continue to experience homelessness.”
Mission Australia wants a national pool of at least 15,000 new dedicated social housing youth tenancies and ten 40-unit “youth foyers” built in the next three years.
“We want to see an Australia where homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring. But currently, for too many young people, it is neither,” Ms Callister said.
“Together, we must create a future where every young person has a safe, secure place to call home and the support and care they need to thrive.”
Research from homelessness support charity, Orange Sky, shows one-in-three people have dipped into savings to get by in the cost of living crisis.
One-in-six people have foregone healthcare, medication, food, clean clothes or a shower.
Orange Sky co-founder Nic Marchesi said 15 per cent of Australians had taken a loan, borrowed money or sold something to pay rent or bills.
“No one deserves to go without essentials – clean clothes, a hot shower and a safe place to sleep,” Mr Marchesi said.
“However, rising costs are increasingly forcing everyday Australians to choose between living essentials, bills and rent, and people who may have never thought they would be struggling financially are turning to us for help.”
“Homelessness can be much closer than you might think it is. These statistics are people – people that we see each and every day, and people who need our support.”
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