‘This is not how I want to see the end of my life’: The shocking truth about pensioners’ housing struggles

Finding a stable place to call home in later life should be a comfort—not a constant worry.

Yet growing numbers of older Australians are confronting a harsh reality as housing costs soar and support systems fall short.

One woman’s story sheds light on a broader crisis affecting thousands across the country.


For many older Australians, the dream of retiring comfortably has turned into a harsh battle for basic accommodation.

The escalating cost of housing has left some in an impossible position—unable to find an affordable place to live.

One such individual, Susan Harvey, shared her experience of renting a room at the age of 69, a far cry from what she imagined for her later years.


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Pensioners face housing crisis in retirement years. Image source: Susan Harvey


She paid $200 per week to rent a room in a house, doing chores in exchange for reduced rent.

Ms Harvey had sold her cabin in a Tweed Heads caravan park to be closer to her elderly brother and his wife in Brisbane.

However, the budget she had from the sale—$260,000—was not enough to secure a suitable home, with properties either out of her price range or in unlivable conditions.

'I’m on such a meaningless pension that I can’t afford to pay rent, plus live or buy food,' she said.

'We have to be forced into renting a room from someone, and that’s not how I want to see the end of my life.'


Her story is not unique, as more older women find themselves in similar struggles, especially with the Age Pension being inadequate to cover private rental costs.

Anglicare Australia's rental affordability snapshot released in April revealed that just 0.3 per cent of more than 51,000 properties surveyed were affordable for single Australians on the Age Pension.

For couples, that figure increased slightly to 0.7 per cent.

The maximum full Age Pension for a single person is $1149 per fortnight, and for a couple, it's $1732.20 as of March 20, 2025.

Ms Harvey had been living in caravan parks since her divorce at age 52, having to 'start again' after a major life change.

She dreams of one day living in a retirement village but is finding it increasingly difficult to find a home that fits her financial reality.


Yumi Lee, CEO of Older Women's Network NSW, said stories like Ms Harvey’s were common.

She pointed out that the pension wasn’t enough to afford private rentals, and many women may not qualify for public housing or face long wait times.

The network runs a program called Homes for Older Women, which links older women with homeowners offering accommodation at reduced rates.

Ms Lee argued for more affordable housing options for older Australians, calling for a minimum of 20 per cent of housing stock to be dedicated to them.

She also called for the Age Pension rate to be lifted above the poverty line and for a vacancy tax on empty properties.

'No property should be empty when we have people who are sleeping in tents, in cars, and it’s not just older women, it is single mothers and children in really unsafe situations,' she said.


Ahead of the election, Patricia Sparrow, CEO of COTA Australia, emphasised the need for a 60 per cent increase in Commonwealth Rent Assistance and innovative programs to help older women find affordable housing.

Sparrow explained that the homelessness crisis was the result of several factors, including gender pay gaps, low wages in female-dominated industries, and skyrocketing rents.

She noted that approximately 500,000 older women were at risk of homelessness, contributing to the problem.

Meanwhile, the government has pledged to build 1.2 million homes by the end of the decade, with plans to have 55,000 of those homes dedicated to social and affordable housing.


In 2023, the Commonwealth Rent Assistance program was increased by 15 per cent, with a further 10 per cent increase in 2024.

These changes brought the maximum rate for a single person with no children up by $66.20, reaching $212 per fortnight as of May 2022.

In a previous story, we explored how unused buildings in urban areas could be repurposed to ease the housing shortage.

The idea of transforming these spaces offers a potential solution to the growing crisis.

To learn more about this innovative approach, be sure to read the full story here.

Key Takeaways
  • Older Australians, especially women, are facing housing affordability issues due to soaring rental costs and insufficient support.
  • Susan Harvey, 69, rents a room for $200 per week, struggling with inadequate pension funds and limited housing options.
  • Advocates call for increased housing availability for older Australians, with proposals for a vacancy tax and pension rate hikes.
  • The government has committed to building 1.2 million homes, including 55,000 for social and affordable housing.

As housing costs continue to rise, how can we ensure that older Australians aren’t left behind? Share your thoughts in the comments.
 

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Meanwhile, the government has pledged to build 1.2 million homes by the end of the decade, with plans to have 55,000 of those homes dedicated to social and affordable housing.

This I have to see to believe...they said that at last election and didly squat was achieved.
 
Meanwhile, the government has pledged to build 1.2 million homes by the end of the decade, with plans to have 55,000 of those homes dedicated to social and affordable housing.

This I have to see to believe...they said that at last election and didly squat was achieved.
Probably for all the immigrants the stupid governments let into the country
 
Maybe Albo wants us seniors to experience the life he lived in growing up in a housing community.
That might be ok but look at the light at the end if the tunnel……
WE’LL ALL END UP MILLIONAIRES….just like him !!!!!!
I bet he won’t like that🤣

He & his government are just a circus & need to be abolished.😡😡😡😡
 
'The maximum full Age Pension for a single person is $1149 per fortnight, and for a couple, it's $1732.20 as of March 20, 2025.'
Everything always quotes the maximum age pension. I'd like to know the average age pension. We're getting $410 below the max prob due to deeming rates on our downsize leftover that's rapidly disappearing. How about others?
 
I'm just glad that I took my parents advice as a youngen, as did my 2 other siblings.
I.e., "What ever you do, make sure that you start saving to buy a house".
Thankfully this is what we all did.

Would you believe, my dad took me to the bank when I was about 17 to see if I could get a housing loan to buy a house at the bottom of our street. I have to laugh a bit as I was only earning about 13 pounds a week back then with only a couple hundred pounds in the bank.
You guessed it, a knock back from them. I couldn't blame them. The intention was to rent it out.
Oh well, at least we tried.
 
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Know the feeling, as a retired, non-homeowner, pensioner. Rents through the roof and pensions nowhere near keeping up. Unfortunately, staying with family is the only temporary solution. Sad truth!
 
Where does the $1742 figure come from? I'm on the pension and I get somewhere near $1000. My wife isn't old enough to get the pension so she had to go onto jobseeker. Labor doesn't give a damn about us, they'd rather bring in immigrants to take up the hoousing stock which could've helped Australians live in a proper home. At 75, I'm still paying off a mortgage, it's tough with all the other bills but we seem to be able to make it through to the next pension.
 
'The maximum full Age Pension for a single person is $1149 per fortnight, and for a couple, it's $1732.20 as of March 20, 2025.'
Everything always quotes the maximum age pension. I'd like to know the average age pension. We're getting $410 below the max prob due to deeming rates on our downsize leftover that's rapidly disappearing. How about others?
My pension is around $1100.
 

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