Housing and homelessness

Shelter is a basic human need, and there is a strong correlation between housing, health status, and living standards. Housing assistance is an important element of Australian and state and territory governments' social policy and welfare framework. Within that framework a number of national and state and territory responses exist to assist people with their housing needs, including assistance for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The Housing Assistance Unit works with the Australian Government, state and territory housing authorities, community housing organisations, Indigenous housing organisations and other housing providers to collect data on the state of housing assistance across Australia.

The major Australian government and state and territory government response to homelessness is the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP). SAAP assists people who are are homeless or at risk of homelessness by providing transitional supported accommodation and related support services. The Supported Accommodation and Crisis Services Unit  incorporates the SAAP National Data Collection Agency (SAAP NDCA), which collects and analyses data about the Program and its clients.

Use the links on the left to access more specific housing and homelessness information.