People rough sleeping are a highly visible subset of people experiencing homelessness who face considerable challenges, particularly fear of violence and theft, sometimes from others experiencing homelessness. For detailed background information and existing research on rough sleeping see Topic – Homelessness services – SHS client groups – Clients rough sleeping.

Specialist homelessness services (SHS) provide support to people experiencing or at risk of homelessness by delivering a wide range of services. Data collected monthly from more than 1,700 SHS agencies across Australia can be used to explore the scale of rough sleeping among clients of SHS agencies.

Data are collected about the characteristics and circumstances of clients when they first present to an agency, in particular, whether a client is rough sleeping the week before and the day of commencement of support. Additional data on the assistance received by clients and their circumstances are collected at the end of the month in which the client receives services, and again when contact with the client has ceased receiving support.

Characteristics of clients rough sleeping

The number and proportion of SHS clients rough sleeping increased over the 5 years to 2022–23 – females increased more than males and over time an increasing proportion of clients rough sleeping were aged 55 and older. SHS clients rough sleeping in 2022–23 were less likely to receive short term accommodation than SHS clients rough sleeping in 2019–20.

Nearly 43,000 (or 16% of all SHS clients) SHS clients were sleeping rough at some point during their contact with SHS agencies in 2022–23 across Australia, an increase from 36,800 (13%) in 2017–18. The rate of SHS clients rough sleeping has changed from 15.0 clients per 10,000 population in 2017–18 to 16.4 clients in 2022–23. The rate of female clients rough sleeping has increased to 14.0 clients in 2022–23 from 11.9 clients.

The largest increase between 2017–18 and 2022–23 was in Queensland (increasing by 2,400 clients) and Victoria (2,000 clients) (Figure 1, Table RSO.1).

The number of female SHS clients rough sleeping increased over time from 14,700 clients in 2017–18 to 18,400 in 2022–23. Over the same time period, the proportion of clients rough sleeping who were female also increased (40% and 43% respectively).

Figure 1: SHS clients rough sleeping in any month, by sex and states/territories, 2017–18 to 2022–23

Source: Specialist Homelessness Services Collection 2011–23

For both females and males, there was an increase in the proportion of clients aged 55 and over rough sleeping (Figure 2, Table RSO.2), from 8% (3,100 clients) of all clients rough sleeping in 2017–18 to 11% (4,900 clients) in 2022–23. Conversely, the proportion of youth (aged 15–24) rough sleeping decreased over the 6‑year period from 18% of clients rough sleeping in 2017–18 to 15% in 2022–23.

Figure 2: SHS clients rough sleeping in any month, by sex and age group, 2017–18 to 2022–23

Source: Specialist Homelessness Services Collection 2011–23.

Almost 60% (24,500 clients) of clients rough sleeping in 2022–23 presented to a SHS agency with no formal referral, that is, there was no contact from another person, group or organisation on behalf of the client (Table RSO.3). Around 1 in 3 clients rough sleeping (12,900 clients) were referred by another SHS agency or outreach worker.

The proportion of SHS clients rough sleeping who received accommodation (short, medium, or long-term) decreased, from 46% (17,900 clients) of all clients rough sleeping in 2019–20 to 41% (17,400 clients) in 2022–23 (Table RSO.4). The provision of short-term accommodation was the main driver of this decrease, from 42% (16,300 clients) to 37% (15,700 clients) over the same time period.

Vulnerabilities of clients rough sleeping

SHS clients who were rough sleeping were more likely to have experienced a mental health issue than other SHS clients. The proportion of female rough sleeping clients with a mental health issue has increased.

Around 43% (17,000 clients) of rough sleeping SHS clients aged over 9 years experienced a mental health issue in 2022–23, compared with 37% of all SHS clients (aged over 9 years in 2022–23) (Figure 3, Table RSO.5, AIHW 2023). The proportion has been declining from a peak of 49% (17,900 clients) in 2019–20.

The age and sex composition of clients rough sleeping with a mental health issue has changed over time – in 2017–18, 40% were female, increasing to 45% in 2022–23 (Table RSO.6). The proportion of male clients aged 45 years and over also increased, from 31% to 36% over the same time period. Conversely, the proportion of males aged 25 to 44 years declined, from 52% in 2017–18 to 49% in 2022–23.

The proportion of all clients rough sleeping (clients aged over 9 years) where the formal referral source was 'mental health service' has remained stable since 2017–18 at around 2% (Table RSO.7).

Figure 3: SHS clients rough sleeping (aged over 9 years) who experienced a mental health issue in any month, by sex and states/ territories, 2017–18 to 2022–23

Notes:

A client is identified as having a mental health issue if they are aged 10 years or older and have provided any of the following information in any month during the reporting period:

  • They have reported 'Mental health issues' as a reason for seeking assistance, or main reason for seeking assistance
  • At some stage during their support period, a need was identified for psychological services, psychiatric services, or mental health services (as determined by a need for such services being recorded for the client, a relevant service being provided to the client and/or the client being referred for such a service)
  • Their formal referral source to the specialist homelessness agency was a mental health service
  • They are currently receiving services or assistance for their mental health issues or have in the last 12 months
  • They have been in a psychiatric hospital or unit in the last 12 months
  • Their dwelling type either a week before presenting to an agency, or when presenting to an agency, was a psychiatric hospital or unit.

Source: Specialist Homelessness Services Collection 2011–23.

In 2022–23, 1 in 5 (8,800 clients) clients rough sleeping presented to a SHS agency with children, similar since 2017–18 (Figure 4, Table RSO.8). Over the same period, the proportion of clients with drug and/or alcohol problems declined, from 20% in 2017–18 to 15% in 2022–23. The proportion of clients transitioning from custody to homelessness services and rough sleeping was consistently around 4%. The proportion of clients rough sleeping who had experienced family and domestic violence also remained consistent at around 23%.

Figure 4: SHS rough sleeping clients, by client groups, 2017–18 to 2022–23

Note: See table RSO.8 for the definitions for each of the client groups.

Source: Specialist Homelessness Services Collection 2011–23

AIHW (2023) Specialist homelessness services annual report 2022–23, AIHW cat. no. HOU 333, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: Canberra.

Data