The 2026 Anglicare rental affordability snapshot, released this week, shows the dire situation for renters on the lowest incomes and support payments.
Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers said the private rental market is failing ordinary people: “For people on the lowest incomes, the private rental market has all but disappeared. There are no affordable homes for young people out of work, and just one across the entire country for someone on JobSeeker.”
The Snapshot surveyed nearly 49,000 rental listings across Australia and found that:
- Just 1 rental (0%) nationwide was affordable for a person on JobSeeker
- 0 rentals (0%) were affordable for a person on Youth Allowance
- Just 0.2% of rentals were affordable for a single person on the Age Pension
- A full-time minimum wage worker could afford just 0.5% of listings
- Even a couple with two minimum wage incomes could afford only 14.8% of rentals
The findings come as the Government considers changes to investor tax breaks in the Budget. Anglicare Australia is urging the Government to push ahead with tax reforms and use the savings to invest directly in housing.