Specialist homelessness services annual report 2023–24

The characteristics of specialist homelessness services (SHS) clients who are employed in paid work are explored in this feature topic. Working clients who received SHS support in 2018–19, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, are compared with the 2023–24 post-pandemic cohort experiencing cost of housing pressures. Data are presented by employment status, homelessness status at the beginning of support, age and sex.

The data in this feature topic are drawn from the Specialist Homelessness Services Collection (SHSC) Other outcomes (2011–12 to 2021–22) (historical cube) and Other outcomes (2022–23 and 2023–24) data cubes (AIHW 2024).

For 2022–23 and 2023–24 data, to minimise the risk of identifying individuals, a technique known as perturbation was applied to randomly adjust cells with small numbers. For this reason, discrepancies may occur between the sum of component items and totals, and data may not exactly match other published data or data extracted from the cubes at a different point in time.

Working SHS clients

Change over time

• Around 31,100 (17%) SHS clients aged 18 and over in 2023–24 were working when support began, an increase in both the proportion of clients and number compared with 2018–19 (13% or 23,000 clients).
• In 2023–24, most working clients were employed part time (18,000 clients or 58% of working clients), and 1 in 3 were employed full time (10,300 clients or 33%), similar to the proportions in 2018–19.

Age and sex

Around 7 in 10 working clients in both 2018–19 and 2023–24 were female. The number of working clients increased for both females and males over the time period, females by a larger amount than males (Figure 1).

Of the 31,100 working clients in 2023–24 (Figure 1):

• Half (49% or 15,200 clients) were aged 18–34 years.
• Almost 1 in 3 (28% or 8,600) were aged 35–44 years.
• Around 2,200 (7.0%) were aged 55 years and over.

The proportion of SHS clients aged 18–34 years who were working increased from 14% (11,300 clients) in 2018–19 to 19% (15,200 clients) in 2023–24 (derived from Figure 1). Female working clients were the main contributor to this increase (14% to 20% of female clients aged 18–34 were working, respectively).

Figure 1: Working SHS clients by age and sex, 2018–19 to 2023–24

Note: Per cent is the proportion of working SHS clients among those with a known labour force status within each age group.

Source: Specialist homelessness services collection, AIHW 2024.

States and territories

Among the states and territories (Figure 2):

• Victoria had the highest number of working SHS clients (13,200) in 2023–24.
• The Australian Capital Territory had the highest proportion of working SHS clients in 2023–24, making up 20% of SHS clients with a known labour force status.
• Queensland had the largest increase in the proportion of SHS working clients from around 9% in 2018–19 to 14% in 2023–24.

In 2020–21, the proportion of working clients receiving support from SHS agencies reduced in some states and territories. During this time unemployment peaked nationally at 7.6% and additional funding was provided for social support related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementation of additional support services funded through SHS agencies varied between jurisdictions. For further details see COVID-19 response by state/territory.

For all states and territories except Queensland the proportion of working clients remained stable or decreased since 2022–23. The changes in Queensland may be associated with an increase in services, particularly in 2022–23 and 2023–24, resulting in an increase in the number of clients supported (see Technical notes).

Figure 2: Working SHS clients, by states and territories, 2018–19 to 2023–24

Note: Per cent is the proportion of working SHS clients among all clients aged 18 and over with known labour force status.

Source: Specialist homelessness services collection, AIHW 2024.

Living arrangements

• In 2023–24, 33% (10,300 clients) of working SHS clients were either single parents living with one or more children or living with their single parent, similar to 2018–19 (32%).
• In 2023–24, 31% (9,600) of working clients were living alone, an increase from 29% in 2018–19.
• Working clients who were living either as a couple or in a family with two parents and child/ren decreased from 23% in 2018–19 to 19% in 2023–24.

Working clients experiencing family and domestic violence

More than 2 in 5 working SHS clients were females experiencing family and domestic violence.

In 2023–24:

• Almost half (46% or 14,200) of working SHS clients had experienced family and domestic violence (FDV).
• Two in 5 (41% or 12,800) working clients were females experiencing FDV.

The proportion of working SHS clients who had experienced FDV remained consistent between 2018–19 (45% or 10,400) and 2023–24.

Family and domestic violence issues are a common reason SHS clients seek assistance and the largest cohort of SHS clients. See Clients with an experience of FDV and Clients with an experience of FDV evidence summary.

Working clients experiencing homelessness

Since 2021–22, the number of SHS clients experiencing homelessness who were working increased, from around 6,000 in 2021–22 to over 10,000 in 2023–24 (Figure 3).

Of the 10,000 working SHS clients experiencing homelessness in 2023–24:

• Around 1 in 3 (35%) were aged 18–24 years, compared with 1 in 6 (18%) working clients at risk of homelessness.
• Three in 5 (61%) were returning clients, higher than working clients at risk of homelessness (57%).
• Almost half (47%) of working clients experiencing homelessness presented as a lone person, compared with 24% of working clients at risk of homelessness.
• Around 1 in 5 (22%) working clients experiencing homelessness were living in a single parent family with one or more children, compared with two in five (39%) at risk of homelessness.

Figure 3: Working clients by housing status at the start of support, 2018–19 to 2023–24

Note: Per cent is the proportion of working SHS clients among clients aged 18 and over with known labour force and housing situation.

Source: Specialist homelessness services collection, AIHW 2024.

Labour outcomes at the end of support

Working SHS clients were more likely to be unemployed or not in the labour force at the end of support in 2023–24 than in 2018–19.

Working SHS clients experiencing homelessness at the start of support were more likely to become unemployed than clients at risk of homelessness.

Around 30,300 working SHS clients ended their SHS support in 2023–24, an increase from 22,000 in 2018–19. At the end of support:

• Around 86% (26,000 clients) remained employed in 2023–24; less than in 2018–19 (89% or 20,000 clients).
• One in 10 (11% or 3,200 clients) were unemployed in 2023–24, an increase from one in 13 (7%) in 2018–19.

Of the 10,100 clients working full time at the start of support in 2023–24, at the end of support most (8,300 clients or 82%) remained working full time, and 770 (7.6%) were employed part time. In 2018–19, of the 7,300 clients working full time at the start of support, 6,200 (86%) remained employed full time, and 425 (5.8%) transitioned to part time employment.

Of the 17,600 clients working part time at the start of support in 2023–24, at the end of support around 13,600 clients (77%) remained working part time, and 970 clients (5.5%) were working full time. In 2018–19, of the 13,300 clients working part time, 11,000 clients (83%) remained working part time and 580 (4.4%) changed to working full time.

Labour force participation outcomes and housing situation

Of the 9,800 working SHS clients who were experiencing homelessness at the start of support in 2023–24, by the end of support (Figure 4):

• Most (7,900 or 81%) had retained employment.
• 15% had become unemployed and 4% had left the labour force.

Of the 19,500 working SHS clients who were at risk of homelessness at the start of support in 2023–24, nearly 17,200 (88%) retained employment, 8% became unemployed and 4% left the labour force by the end of support.

Figure 4: Working clients by homelessness status and first and last reported labour status, 2023–24

Note: Per cent is the proportion of working SHS clients with known housing situation.

Number is SHS clients aged 18 and over with a labour force status of employed (part time/full time/not stated) and known housing situation at first presentation.

Source: Specialist homelessness services collection, AIHW 2024.