Nurses, teachers, cleaners and aged care workers are now being priced out of 99 per cent of rental properties across the country, alarming new research reveals.
A new Anglicare Australia report, released Thursday, has exposed the worsening rental affordability crisis facing full-time essential workers, with even those receiving significant pay rises struggling to keep up with soaring housing costs.
Essential workers such as nurses are now priced out of 99 per cent of rental properties across the country. Picture: iStock.
The organisation’s Rental Affordability Snapshot: Essential Workers Snapshot analysed 48,776 rental listings nationwide, testing affordability across 16 essential occupations.
It found 10 of those occupations could afford fewer than one per cent of available properties.
Hospitality workers were among the hardest hit, with just 0.7 per cent of listings considered affordable, followed by cleaners at 0.8 per cent and retail workers at 0.9 per cent.
Nurses could afford just 1.1 per cent of rental properties, while aged care workers had access to only 1.7 per cent.
Even teachers and firefighters fared little better with just 3.3 per cent and 2.7 per cent of properties respectively within their reach.
Despite wage increases, even teachers are now priced out of all but 1 per cent of rentals in the country.
Despite wage increases, rental affordability had deteriorated or failed to improve for 13 of the 16 occupations surveyed.
Early childhood educators, for example, had received a 10 per cent pay rise but could still afford just one per cent of rental properties.
Anglicare Australia executive director Kasy Chambers said the findings showed Australia’s housing crisis was no longer confined to people on low incomes or government benefits.
“We’ve reached a point where the people who keep our hospitals, schools, aged care services and communities running can’t afford to live in them,” Ms Chambers said.
“When nurses can afford just one per cent of rentals, and even teachers can afford fewer than four percent, it’s clear that Australia’s housing system is failing working people.”
Anglicare executive director Kasy Chambers. Picture: Martin Ollman.
She warned that higher wages alone would not solve the problem while rental costs continued to rise.
“Some essential workers have won major pay rises, but those increases are being swallowed up by rent,” she said.
“We can’t expect people to keep chasing higher pay just to stay in the same place while rents keep rising.”
Everybody’s Home spokesperson Maiy Azize warned this week’s interest rate increase would compound the pressure, particularly for renters already struggling to make ends meet.
“Our recent survey shows three in four Australians would have to cut back if their rent or mortgage rose by just $20 a week,” Ms Azize said.
Everybody’s Home spokesperson Mary Azize. Picture: Martin Ollman.
“Renters mustn’t be overlooked in the rate rise discussion. Higher interest rates price more renters out from buying a home, and some landlords and agents will take any excuse to increase rents.”
She said renters had already endured years of rising housing costs, leaving many with little financial buffer.
“Regardless of whether interest rates rise or fall, renters lose either way with ongoing rent increases,” she said.
Both organisations are calling for greater government investment in social and affordable housing, alongside limits on rent increases.
Ms Chambers warned the consequences extended beyond individual households.
“When teachers, nurses, aged care workers and other essential staff can’t afford to live in the communities they serve, everyone pays the price.”
