Rental stress and Commonwealth Rent Assistance

In Australia, rental affordability is commonly measured by the level of rental stress faced by the household. Rental stress among Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) income units is defined as a CRA income unit spending more than 30% of gross income on rent (rent charged less CRA). For more information, see Housing assistance in Australia – Technical notes.

Scale of rental stress

Around 3 in 5 (58% or 797,000) income units receiving CRA are not in rental stress after receiving CRA; around 2 in 5 (42% 577,000) are in rental stress.

The number and proportion of income units receiving CRA and spending more than 50% of their income on rent is higher than before the COVID‑19 pandemic.

While rental stress is defined as spending more than 30% of income on rent, some people spend much more than 30%. Interact with the dashboard (Figure 3) to explore how much CRA income units in each state/territory spend on rent, and how this has changed over time. Note that longer time series is available in the associated supplementary table.

Figure 3: Commonwealth Rent Assistance income units, by the proportion of income spent on rent, states and territories

Stacked column chart showing 58% of CRA income units spend less than 30% of income on rent in the December 2025 quarter

Stacked column chart showing 58% of CRA income units spend less than 30% of income on rent in the December 2025 quarter

Source: CRA quarterly data, Supplementary table CRA.3

Impact of COVID‑19 on the rental stress changes over time

In 2020, the number and proportion of income units receiving CRA in rental stress reached an all-time low, while the total number of income units receiving CRA reached an all-time high. The reduction in rental stress despite increased demand for support was largely due to additional financial support and rent freezes introduced by governments to reduce the impact of COVID‑19 in 2020 (for more detail see Commonwealth Rent Assistance eligibility and payments).

Impact of Commonwealth Rent Assistance on rental stress

To provide insight into how much CRA reduced rental stress among income units receiving CRA, the proportion of income spent on rent before receiving (or excluding) CRA can be compared with the proportion of income spent after receiving (or including) CRA.

While CRA reduces rental stress among income units, around 2 in 5 (42% or 577,000) income units remain in rental stress after receiving CRA.

Around 3 in 4 (74% or 1.0 million) income units would have experienced rental stress without CRA.

Income units receiving JobSeeker Payment as their primary payment type are the largest group in rental stress after receiving CRA.

Interact with the dashboard (Figure 4) to explore the impact of CRA on rental stress for income units in each state/territory by primary payment type over time.

Figure 4: Commonwealth Rent Assistance income units in rental stress excluding/including CRA by primary payment type, states and territories

Dumbbell chart showing 30% of CRA income units receiving Disability Support Pension are in rental stress while 74% would have been in rental stress without CRA in the December 2025 quarter.

Dumbbell chart showing 30% of CRA income units receiving Disability Support Pension are in rental stress while 74% would have been in rental stress without CRA in the December 2025 quarter.

Source: CRA quarterly data, Supplementary table CRA.2

Note: ‘In rental stress excluding CRA’ indicates the income units that would be in rental stress if they were not receiving CRA. ‘In rental stress including CRA’ indicates the income units that are in rental stress while receiving CRA.

Rental stress by special needs groups

Interact with the dashboard (Figure 5) to explore rental stress among CRA income units by special needs groups.

Figure 5: Commonwealth Rent Assistance income units in rental stress, by selected characteristics, states and territories

Line chart showing 57% of CRA income units where the recipient or their partner are aged 24 or under and 28% of CRA income units where the recipient or their partner are aged 75 and older experienced rental stress after receiving CRA in the December 2025 quarter.

Line chart showing 57% of CRA income units where the recipient or their partner are aged 24 or under and 28% of CRA income units where the recipient or their partner are aged 75 and older experienced rental stress after receiving CRA in the December 2025 quarter.

Source: CRA quarterly data, Supplementary table CRA.2.

Notes: 

  1. Income units are included in the ‘Aged 24 or under’, ‘Aged 75 or over’, ‘Disability Support Pension’ or ‘Indigenous’ categories if either the person receiving the primary payment type allocated to the income unit or their partner is within the category.
  2. ‘In rental stress excluding CRA’ indicates the income units that would be in rental stress if they were not receiving CRA. ‘In rental stress including CRA’ indicates the income units that are in rental stress while receiving CRA.
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