Housing is recognised as a leading social determinant of health as it can impact on physical health and psychological health. For this reason, stable housing is defined as a fundamental human right. Housing and homelessness can be recognised as a gendered issue, where it has been reported that a disproportionately higher number of women experiencing housing instability than men.

In 2021-2022, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reported that 60% of clients who accesses specialised homelessness services were female. It was also reported that the lack of safe, affordable housing is a critical issue, and Victoria’s specialist homelessness services cannot provide enough accommodation and other supports, turning away 57 women every day.

Despite the inherent difficulties of enumerating displaced people, the data reported by specialised homelessness services highlights a higher proportion of women who are homeless. Family violence and older age are two factors which greatly influence housing instability and homelessness among women.

First, domestic and family violence is predominantly experienced by women and children and leads to difficulties with maintaining housing, paying mortgages, bills or rent, or having to live in temporary accommodations with family and/or friends.

Second, older women in Australia have a greater risk of housing insecurity and homelessness than their male counterparts and this is tightly bound to their experiences of financial insecurity. Therefore, this is a high-risk population which requires specialised attention and consideration.

The experience of homelessness has become increasingly widespread among older women (meaning, women aged 55 and over), growing by over 30% between 2011 and 2016.

Older females had a homelessness rate of 19 people per 10,000 in 2021, down from 20 per 10,000 in 2016.

Older females were also more likely than males to be in supported accommodation for the homeless (16.9%, compared with 10.2% of males).

It is likely that the reported rates of homelessness among women is vastly underreported.

Homelessness is typically viewed as a male issue because women’s experiences of homelessness are less visible.

“...they will move between family members, stay with friends, sleep in cars or vans – anything that will keep them off the streets”

The National Older Women’s Housing and Homelessness Working Group [NOWHHWG], 2018

On Census night when displaced people are being enumerated, women will often be counted as a guest staying at a friend’s or family member’s house rather than disclosing their homeless status. Some groups of women are especially vulnerable to homelessness, including Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander women, formerly incarcerated women, single parent mothers, women who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD); particularly those with student or temporary vias, women aged 55 and older, LGBTQI+ people, young women (i.e., students), women with low incomes, or those with a disability or mental illness (AIHW, 2021).  And thus, housing is an intersectional barrier significantly contributing to the disadvantage of all women.