Homelessness services

In the 2021 Census, about 6% of people experiencing homelessness had a profound or severe disability, with over half aged 65 years or over (ABS 2023). People with disability or long-term health conditions are more likely than others to live in accommodation that falls below minimum community standards (Chamberlain and Mackenzie 1992). However, they are no more likely to experience primary homelessness, such as rough sleeping, which may reflect the income protection provided through the Disability Support Pension (DSP). Although this income support may mitigate the risk of primary homelessness, it is often insufficient to enable people to move out of substandard accommodation, leaving them vulnerable to ongoing housing stress (Bevitt et al. 2015). Further evidence indicates that risk of homelessness is not uniform across disability types – with people with an intellectual or psychological disability, or those with schooling or employment restrictions, at a higher risk of homelessness than people with other types of disability (Beer et al. 2020).

For further information please visit People with disability in Australia.

Pathways into homelessness

The pathways into homelessness for people with disability are varied and are influenced by location, disability type and severity (Beer et al. 2019a). People with disability may have a greater risk of experiencing homelessness due to factors such as lower incomes, reduced labour force participation and discrimination in the private rental market (Beer et al. 2019a; Groot et al. 2020; Major et al. 2018). Structural and economic drivers including housing market pressures, unemployment and poverty contribute to housing instability for people with disability. These factors interact with health and social challenges, as well as limited affordable and accessible housing to create a higher-risk environment (Beer et al. 2020). People with disability may be more likely to experience other risk factors associated with insecure housing, including: 

• Unemployment – People aged 15–64 with disability are twice as likely to be unemployed and remain unemployed compared to people without disability (AIHW 2024).
• Housing access disadvantage – People with disability can experience homelessness, poor-quality housing, and housing affordability issues (Aitken et al. 2018). A shortage of accessible housing also limits choice, particularly for people with mobility restrictions and high support needs (Wiesel 2020).
• Mental health and wellbeing – Over half of people with severe or profound disability experience high or very high levels of sociological distress (AIHW 2024).
• Violence and abuse – Women with severe or profound disability were around twice as likely to experience physical or sexual violence, and emotional or economic abuse by a partner, compared to people without disability (AIHW 2024).
• Systematic barriers – Many encounter a lack of awareness and inappropriate management of challenging behaviours among service providers, and face difficulty navigating the judicial and welfare system (Conroy et al. 2023). 

Housing assistance for people with disability

Appropriate housing for people with a disability can often be difficult to achieve or maintain without assistance. People with disability are more represented among people living in social housing and among people receiving income support. In June 2022, around one-third (36%) of social housing households had at least one person with disability (AIHW 2024). Among these households, residents were more likely to be under the age of 65 compared with social housing residents without disability. In 2018, 16% of people with disability living in rental housing were tenants of a state or territory housing authority, compared with only 4% of renters without disability. Renting arrangements involving a parent or relative in the same household were also more common among renters with disability (AIHW 2024).

Overall, the number of DSP recipients in the Australian population aged 16–64 increased between 2001 to 2025 (AIHW 2024; DSS 2025). Around 1 in 5 Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) recipients also received the DSP (AIHW 2025).

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) funding for a small proportion of participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. Although a major reform in disability services the NDIS has not been shown to significantly reduce homelessness risk. A study comparing periods before and after NDIS implementation found no measurable protection against homelessness for people with disability (Beer et al. 2020). 

SDA provides housing under the NDIS for participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs (NDIS 2025). SDA dwellings are intended to be appropriately designed and located, with development guided by the needs of participants (NDIS 2019; Crowe et al. 2024). Under the NDIS design standards, SDA should be located near public transport and local amenities, to support social connections and everyday access (NDIS 2019). Research has found that well-located SDA can enhance independence, wellbeing, community connection, and access to informal supports (Crowe et al. 2024).