New research has identified Australian women aged 55 to 59 as one of the fastest-growing groups experiencing homelessness in the country, with more than a third of single women over 60 now living in poverty. The findings, released by Australian charity StreetSmart, are casting a spotlight on a crisis that advocates say has gone largely unnoticed for too long.
A Hidden and Growing Homelessness Crisis for Australian Women
The data paints a deeply concerning picture of housing insecurity among older Australian women — a group that has historically fallen through the cracks of both public awareness and policy response. According to StreetSmart, the combination of domestic and family violence, lifelong financial disadvantage, insecure work, caring responsibilities and a chronic shortage of affordable housing is leaving growing numbers of women exposed to housing instability.
StreetSmart CEO Alan White said women's homelessness has become a central focus for the organisation, particularly given recent trends. "It's one of the fastest-growing cohorts of people at risk, and an issue that deserves greater attention," he said.
For women in their 50s specifically, domestic and family violence remains the leading driver of homelessness. But the vulnerabilities do not stop there. Many women in this age group belong to a generation that did not benefit from equal pay for much of their working lives, accumulated little superannuation as a result, and are now facing retirement with far fewer financial resources than their male counterparts.
More than one in three single women over the age of 60 are living in poverty, according to the charity's data — a statistic that underlines the scale and urgency of the problem.
What Is Pushing Older Women Towards Homelessness
The pathways into homelessness for this cohort are often complex and compounding. Women who leave violent relationships are frequently confronted with an impossible set of choices. As White described it: "Women with children have to make the choice of staying in an unsafe environment, heading out into shelters that aren't well equipped, sleeping in cars or couch surfing — so really, equally unsafe environments."
For older women in particular, the structural disadvantages are deeply entrenched. Decades of unequal pay, interrupted careers due to caring responsibilities — whether for children or elderly relatives — and limited access to financial networks have left many without the safety net needed to weather a housing crisis. These women are also less likely to have the social infrastructure or digital literacy to navigate complex government support systems.
White noted that when older women do seek help, they most often turn to local community groups and neighbourhood centres rather than larger organisations. "Trust in community is so important for these women," he said, adding that grassroots organisations frequently serve as the first — and sometimes only — point of contact.
StreetSmart's Response: Funding Frontline Organisations
In a direct response to the growing need, StreetSmart recently distributed $100,000 in funding across 20 organisations working on the frontline of women's homelessness in communities throughout Australia. The funded groups are providing a broad range of support, from helping women access safe and stable housing before a crisis escalates, to assisting those escaping violence rebuild their lives.
Among the recipients is Queensland-based WillowTree 37, a women's support centre that offers a safe environment for women in need. The organisation used the grant to provide emergency supermarket vouchers, fuel assistance, clothing, household essentials and short-term accommodation support.
StreetSmart's model prioritises evidence-based allocation of resources. The charity analyses data on the prevalence and drivers of homelessness, consults with more than 1,200 grassroots organisations it has funded over time, and wherever possible directs money back into the communities from which it was raised. "We look at what the data is telling us about the presence of homelessness, what lots of cohorts are emerging or the percentage of drivers of homelessness," White explained.
Why This Group Needs Urgent Attention
The research underscores a structural inequity that has built up over decades. Women who are now in their mid-to-late 50s entered the workforce at a time when gender pay gaps were far wider and superannuation entitlements were significantly less generous — or in some cases, non-existent. That financial disadvantage has compounded over time, leaving many with little cushion against sudden disruption such as relationship breakdown, illness or job loss.
With Australia's rental market remaining under severe pressure in many cities and regions, the situation is likely to worsen without targeted intervention. Advocates are calling for greater public awareness, improved early-intervention services and sustained funding for the community-level organisations that older women in crisis most readily trust.
StreetSmart's findings reinforce the importance of tracking economic vulnerability across different demographics as structural shifts continue to reshape Australians' financial security. For women in their 50s already navigating precarious circumstances, the gap between stability and homelessness can close with alarming speed.
