Unable to afford rent, pensioner reveals worrying last resort: living in a car

The cost of living continues to rise, and with it, the burden on those who are already struggling to make ends meet. The reality of the situation is crushing — for those on fixed incomes, every dollar counts.

It's a heartbreaking dilemma that many people face every day: pay the bills or buy basic necessities.

Even pensioners, who have worked hard all their lives and deserve to enjoy their retirement, are not being spared. They are barely managing to survive on their fortnightly income, and now, even that is not enough.



Take Sandi Butler, for example. She's a pensioner living on the Gold Coast, and her rent has just gone up by 20 per cent, from $400 to $510. That may not sound like a lot, but it means she's now spending her entire weekly pension on rent alone. She has no money left over for food, bills, or any other essentials.

And to make matters even worse, the government supplement she's receiving will only last for three months. After that, she'll be on her own. It's a terrifying thought for someone who's already struggling to get by.


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As the cost of living continues to soar across the country, retirees are bearing the brunt of the burden. Credit: Unsplash/Jeremy Wong.



When Sandi spoke on a current affairs program about her situation, her distress was palpable. She never thought she'd be in this position, and it's taking a toll on her mental health. The stress is overwhelming, but she's doing her best to stay strong and keep going.

'At my time of life, it's something that I never thought that I would be doing,' she said.



The government's plan to slightly increase the pension by $37.50 (for singles) a fortnight was also met with fury and disappointment. To her, it's an insult and a 'slap in the face'.

The increase won't even make a dent in the soaring cost of her rent, let alone provide her with any financial relief. It's a devastating blow for someone who has worked hard all her life and deserves better in her retirement years.

In a previous article, we discussed what the recent slight increase in the pension can cover. If you're interested in learning more, you can find the article here.


Credit: 9 News Australia.


This sentiment is not unique, as thousands of pensioners across Australia share Ms Butler's plight. 'Too many people are just ending up on the streets,' she said.

The 81-year-old went on to say that it feels like her age group has become a burden for the government, and she's imploring them to start thinking about the Australian people instead of 'playing games' with their lives.



As each day passes, Sandi's situation becomes direr, and the possibility of having to live out of her car looms closer. It's a harrowing thought, one that no one should ever have to contemplate. But for Sandi, it's becoming a stark reality.

Sandi's situation is a stark reminder of the dire circumstances many pensioners in Australia are facing — they should be enjoying their golden years, not worrying about whether they'll be able to afford to pay their rent, or keep a roof over their heads.

Key Takeaways

  • Renters across the country are feeling the sting of rising rent costs.
  • Sandi Butler's rent went up by more than 20% from $400 to $510 a week.
  • People on the age pension will receive an increase of $37.50 a fortnight (singles) from March 20.
  • Ms Butler is faced with the possibility of having to live out of her car if she is unable to afford the bills.

The story of Sandi Butler is unfortunately not an isolated incident, and we reported a similar story just last month. At only 53 years old, Cathy has already become a victim of this escalating crisis, a reality that no one should ever have to face.

The devastating reality of homelessness became Cathy's only option, and she was forced to make the difficult decision to leave her home (and her cat) behind. With nowhere else to turn, she began living in her car, a situation becoming worryingly more common. Read the full story here in this article.



The last census data shows that the fastest-growing group of homeless Australians is made up of women aged 55 and over. These women, who should be enjoying their golden years, are instead left to fend for themselves on the streets, struggling to find a place to call home.

The CEO of Older Women's Network (OWN), Yumi Lee, has shed light on the root causes of this devastating trend. She believes that the gender pay gap, along with society's undervaluation of women's hard work, has left women disproportionately impacted.

It is a tragic truth that women who have spent their lives working hard and contributing to society are now left with nothing to show for it.


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Women aged 55 and over were reportedly the fastest-growing group of homeless Australians. Credit: Unsplash/Christian Langballe.



The plight of these women is made all the more heartbreaking because many of them have not had the chance to accumulate savings and superannuation, leaving them with no safety net to fall back on.

Retirement, a time that should be filled with joy and relaxation, has become a time of poverty and housing insecurity for many. It is a heartbreaking reminder of the ongoing inequality in our society, and the urgent need for change.

We stand with our community of seniors and pensioners, and we're committed to ensuring that they have the support they need to stay safe, healthy, and financially secure.



Members, we want to hear from you! What are your thoughts on this heartbreaking story? Have you or someone you know been impacted by the housing crisis or the struggles faced by seniors and pensioners?

We also have to ask, how much do you think the Age Pension should be?

We believe that by sharing our stories and experiences, we can come together to find solutions and make a difference. So please, let us know in the comments what you think and share your experience!
 
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I think the problem is that people are fixed in their mind about where they want to live and also are unwilling to share. I have a friend who was living in her car and I asked 'Have you considered a share house or renting a room with another older lady?" and her response was "I dont want to share". I cannot understand this sentiment. Also there are lots of affordable rentals in country towns. See here, for example: https://www.realestate.com.au/rent/in-roma,+qld+4455/list-1 Roma has a hospital, lots of infastructure and is a centre for the arts. I think people just need to change their mindset.
Totally agree. My eldest daughter just turned 46 , has 3 kids and is a single mum. I had told her years ago to do a course even correspondence..but no it was too hard. Now she is renting is Sydney and I told her she should be looking out where her brother and sister live, Casula and St Helens Park the rent is half the price. But no they don't want to move yet she can't afford the rent. She is one that could have made her life easier but she lives for today not the future.

She is my eldest child and envies her siblings who are all teachers or nurses . She could have also done something but refused to
 
I think it's disgusting,,old people who most likely worked in factories to help with finances ,leaving their young children before school with a non family member at a small charge for those mornings,,those mums must have felt like a failure not having enough money to get them through,even with the husband's wage,it was a really hard time paying for a home but not everyone had the money to buy a home,the biggest expense of their lives...I also think it's a disgrace politicians and their many hanger's on including the wife or husband roam the world claiming to be on a learning excursion or talks with leaders of other countries while the elderly or families are homeless ,,that massive amount in fares ,accomodation ,meals and anything else they want,,it's supposed to be work not a holiday,,,,what happened to the use of Skype during Covid,,it served them well so why can't it be used again,,my heart aches for those Aussie's who can't afford a meal or a warm comfortable place to put their head down at night,,surely that's not to much to ask is it
I had 13 kids yet also worked and this I did around my kids.

My daughter has 3 kids and she works 5 hours 4 nights a week while hubby watches the kids. He works from 5am to 5pm 5 days aweek plus every 2nd Saturday so they can pay their house off. You do what you have to do for your future
 
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that is true ,,I worked after the kids went to school and my husband worked two jobs as well plus grew a mini market garden and sold to a few shops ,,one shop asked if it would work for us buying stock we used to pay the account which helped so much,,I would have my pantry full of staples by the end of growing season,,,we would buy by the carton if it was something we used a lot ,,,it was long hours and tiring work but in the end it put a permanent roof over our heads
 
I think the problem is that people are fixed in their mind about where they want to live and also are unwilling to share. I have a friend who was living in her car and I asked 'Have you considered a share house or renting a room with another older lady?" and her response was "I dont want to share". I cannot understand this sentiment. Also there are lots of affordable rentals in country towns. See here, for example: https://www.realestate.com.au/rent/in-roma,+qld+4455/list-1 Roma has a hospital, lots of infastructure and is a centre for the arts. I think people just need to change their mindset.
Your are dead right, people have to give some condsideration to where they want to live for the moment, if you cannot afford 500 or 600 dollars a week in a suburb (which is a rip off anyway) then maybe you should consider another cheaper alternative. I used to move around when I was a youngen and struggling, did me good, learnt stuff, lived in the real world and met some good people, you have to adapt to your conditions.
 
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I think the problem is that people are fixed in their mind about where they want to live and also are unwilling to share. I have a friend who was living in her car and I asked 'Have you considered a share house or renting a room with another older lady?" and her response was "I dont want to share". I cannot understand this sentiment. Also there are lots of affordable rentals in country towns. See here, for example: https://www.realestate.com.au/rent/in-roma,+qld+4455/list-1 Roma has a hospital, lots of infastructure and is a centre for the arts. I think people just need to change their mindset.
I hear you but moving away from everything you know and understand can be a very scary thing for a lot of people. People are happy to put up with a lot of hardships if they are surrounded by things and places that are familiar to them. The thoughts of starting over somewhere else can be intimidating. :(
 
I hear you but moving away from everything you know and understand can be a very scary thing for a lot of people. People are happy to put up with a lot of hardships if they are surrounded by things and places that are familiar to them. The thoughts of starting over somewhere else can be intimidating. :(
Agree with that as some people don't like a change as it's too daunting. I know 2 single women who are retired. They moved away to different areas in the country in order to buy a house without a mortgage. They selected areas where they have essential services like supermarkets, hospitals, doctors etc. Their children often visit them & vice versa.
 
I agree, this square that constantly pops up, blocking what you are typing, so that you can't see typing errors etc. When you delete it, it constantly pops again.
Many times I have just given up in frustration.

Oh And, I mentioned the annoyance of the number of ads on the SDC pages on my computer a while back and NOW they have just about made the reading of the pages on my iPad impossible 🤬
 
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My sister had to leave the house she had been renting for 8 years when the owner sold it. She has been looking for another rental for over 12 months, but is only on jobseeker as she can’t work due to a work injury. No way can she afford the high rents. She is still looking for another house and has several agencies who are supposed to help older vulnerable people helping look but can’t find anything. She is currently living in a shed on a friends property, limited solar power, using a generator which is costing heaps of money with the price of fuel, no floor coverings, cement floor, shower in annexe to shed, composting toilet, limited tank water etc etc. when it rains parts of the shed flood. Plenty of rats, snakes, spiders to contend with, she lost one of her dogs to snakebite and had a $4000 vet bill to pay off for treatment to 2 more from the same snake biting all three. But she feels lucky she is not in her car or under a bridge in a tent. It is really annoying that there are so many empty department of housing houses and units in the town I live in, empty because they don’t meet the high expectations of a lot of people. Surely if you are desperate for a house you should be happy if you have a roof over your head, indoor plumbing, a kitchen to cook in, bedrooms to sleep in, it doesn’t have to be a modern u beaut up market house. I think a lot of people are too demanding, fussy and ungrateful to live in anything that they don’t think is top market.
 
I don't mean to be cruel but this is the very reason my husband and I purchased out house.
It was dam hard saving for a deposit and going without luxury items but we were doing this for our future.

While all of our friends and family went on overseas trips we took 1 week holidays up or down the coast

While all our friends purchased expensive luxurious cars we stuck with our old faithful

While our friends n family went out to expensive restaurants we chose picnics.

We thought twice what we bought but eventually we saved enough for a deposit for our house all while paying rent as well . We then worked hard and stuck to our budget and had our house paid off in 20 years. This was so hard but we did it .

And now most of our friends abd family are either still paying off a mortgage or paying rent because they lived for the moment and not the future.

We have many precious happy memories but all done on a budget.
When we bought our 1st home, a HomesWest weatherboard rental for $21,000 in the late 1970's we had to borrow the deposit as part of the Home Loan. $1,500 was available then to first home buyers, but because we had only saved for about 18 months, we didn't qualify for more than a few hundred dollars.

In 1982 after building an extension, putting up a garage, painting the exterior & interior, painting the cement roof tiles & much garden work we sold to move closer to my new job, before paying off the home. We built another home & were only able to pay off this loan with payouts from work injuries. I regret not being able to give our children what we wanted to but in the long run l believe they have done o.k. in life & are now better off than us.

All too often l have seen young people who want everything at once, a new home, a new car & a very busy social life & then have problems paying a Home Loan.
 
When we bought our 1st home, a HomesWest weatherboard rental for $21,000 in the late 1970's we had to borrow the deposit as part of the Home Loan. $1,500 was available then to first home buyers, but because we had only saved for about 18 months, we didn't qualify for more than a few hundred dollars.

In 1982 after building an extension, putting up a garage, painting the exterior & interior, painting the cement roof tiles & much garden work we sold to move closer to my new job, before paying off the home. We built another home & were only able to pay off this loan with payouts from work injuries. I regret not being able to give our children what we wanted to but in the long run l believe they have done o.k. in life & are now better off than us.

All too often l have seen young people who want everything at once, a new home, a new car & a very busy social life & then have problems paying a Home Loan.
Totally agree people want everything NOW . We would pay everything into out mortgage, only had a little savings but knew if a real emergency came up we could withdraw from mortgage but never did.

I remember In the 80s the interest rates were high . We were locked into 13 % and others up to 18% . I laugh when I hear people complaining that today's interest rates are 4 % . Someone had said to me ' yeh but back then everything was cheap' I said yes but so were wages . If you compare wages , rent, mortgage ect it works out the same ratio as today.
 
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I have seen at least two women coming into my medical centre, their cars packed full of their belongings. I presume they are homeless because why else would you have all that you had stuffed in a car. This is an outrageos situation in the "lucky" country. I feel for women who have to do this. I know the government can't solve all the problems quickly, but we need more affordable public housing and I am sorry, I am going to be shot done here, why give preference to ex-prisioners over older women in getting housing. The situation has really as I see it gone to the "dogs". I wish my place was bigger than one room and i would share with one of these women. I don't think the government cares about older people in general. They see us as a burden on the tax purse and I really feel they want us to drop off, so they don't have to pay aged pensions or other pensions to the elderly or get the nursing homes into a decent, fully staffed situation where it is safe to go when we get to this time. I dread when it comes to me going into a nursing home because I know as a government bed, I will probably be treated badly.😱
I worked in aged care 30 years ago when they were mainly staffed by Australians with our values of cleanliness and order but gave it away in2020 when there were so many ethnic peole flooding aged care. They would constantly come to me saying..." They can't understand me...... so I had to go and do their job. Some English is shocking and some are lazy and unclean.A large majority spend their time going into residents bathrooms and checking their phones. The quality of care does not exist any where, from expensive so called 5star to old dingy nursing homes.
 
Totally agree people want everything NOW . We would pay everything into out mortgage, only had a little savings but knew if a real emergency came up we could withdraw from mortgage but never did.

I remember In the 80s the interest rates were high . We were locked into 13 % and others up to 18% . I laugh when I hear people complaining that today's interest rates are 4 % . Someone had said to me ' yeh but back then everything was cheap' I said yes but so were wages . If you compare wages , rent, mortgage ect it works out the same ratio as today.
Our interest rate was 17% in 1979 and we had a 60 thousand dollar mortgage, but we didn't buy anything for 10 years, we made do and had things fixed, drove the same old car and didn't have holidays. I'm glad now I saved and now own my own home, too many have to have hairdressers, nails, clothes, eating out and latest electronic equipment is a waste and if you add that up over 12 months there is a big saving. We did lots of free things like beach, hiking, picnics, days at the park and BBQs with friends.
 
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I worked in aged care 30 years ago when they were mainly staffed by Australians with our values of cleanliness and order but gave it away in2020 when there were so many ethnic peole flooding aged care. They would constantly come to me saying..." They can't understand me...... so I had to go and do their job. Some English is shocking and some are lazy and unclean.A large majority spend their time going into residents bathrooms and checking their phones. The quality of care does not exist any where, from expensive so called 5star to old dingy nursing homes.
I volunteered at an aged care facility a long time ago,,we had great fun ,the residents loved our games and talks about anything and everything ,,sadly the Leisure and Lifestyle co-ordinator left and was replaced by a very lazy person who wanted the volunteers to document the time into a room and time leaving the room and what went on while in the room,,,,sadly I left as did others but continued to visit special oldies ...one night a very dear friend who I came to love was close to passing ,,the nurse in charge rang for me to go in,,,there was only me and an adult child,,,I couldn't understand what the night duty nurse was saying,,she hung up so I had to ring her back,,I told her I couldn't understand what she said and asked her what I thought may be happening,,it was but I didn't get there in time,,,,I often talk to ex-staff who say they had to leave because of so many non- English now,,,,the poor old darlings often didn't have anyone to visit them and looked forward a little natter with the staff,,not anymore,,it is so sad and so unfair and a very long day for the residents..It should be mandatory that non- English speaking people have clear and fluent English when working with the public especially in hospitals and aged care but not likely to happen when they speak their native tongue all the time
 
There are several one bedroom units for rent on the Gold Coast, at $300 to $350 per week.
 
Our interest rate was 17% in 1979 and we had a 60 thousand dollar mortgage, but we didn't buy anything for 10 years, we made do and had things fixed, drove the same old car and didn't have holidays. I'm glad now I saved and now own my own home, too many have to have hairdressers, nails, clothes, eating out and latest electronic equipment is a waste and if you add that up over 12 months there is a big saving. We did lots of free things like beach, hiking, picnics, days at the park and BBQs with friends.
You did exactly what we did and beautiful memories were made. You will remember picnics but not eating at a restaurant
 
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I volunteered at an aged care facility a long time ago,,we had great fun ,the residents loved our games and talks about anything and everything ,,sadly the Leisure and Lifestyle co-ordinator left and was replaced by a very lazy person who wanted the volunteers to document the time into a room and time leaving the room and what went on while in the room,,,,sadly I left as did others but continued to visit special oldies ...one night a very dear friend who I came to love was close to passing ,,the nurse in charge rang for me to go in,,,there was only me and an adult child,,,I couldn't understand what the night duty nurse was saying,,she hung up so I had to ring her back,,I told her I couldn't understand what she said and asked her what I thought may be happening,,it was but I didn't get there in time,,,,I often talk to ex-staff who say they had to leave because of so many non- English now,,,,the poor old darlings often didn't have anyone to visit them and looked forward a little natter with the staff,,not anymore,,it is so sad and so unfair and a very long day for the residents..It should be mandatory that non- English speaking people have clear and fluent English when working with the public especially in hospitals and aged care but not likely to happen when they speak their native tongue all the time
I can tell you a lot of the elderly just sit and look out the window, they lose the incentive to live. Staff who are not very good at English have no time for them, they do the least in the allotted time. Often family don't visit. I used to sing the songs of the war years that all these people know when giving residents showers and often they would sing along, ethnics do not know these songs or anything about Australia, so they have no input in the residents life. yet the Government is going to let 200,000 a year in, I dread to think of going into an aged care facility. I guarantee you I will not go, I will suicide before they send me to one. I will choose to end my life ,my way.
 
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I worked in aged care 30 years ago when they were mainly staffed by Australians with our values of cleanliness and order but gave it away in2020 when there were so many ethnic peole flooding aged care. They would constantly come to me saying..." They can't understand me...... so I had to go and do their job. Some English is shocking and some are lazy and unclean.A large majority spend their time going into residents bathrooms and checking their phones. The quality of care does not exist any where, from expensive so called 5star to old dingy nursing homes.
I'm very confused, you say you worked in aged care 30 years ago but you gave it up in 2020? How does that work? Your criticism of ethnics is both racist and totally unnecessary. You should be ashamed of this post.
 
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Mr Chips,,,Linwar is NOT being racist,,how can telling the truth be racist ,,,,why are you confused,,it's pretty easy to understand,,,Linwar retired in 2020 after 30 years working in that field
 
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I can tell you a lot of the elderly just sit and look out the window, they lose the incentive to live. Staff who are not very good at English have no time for them, they do the least in the allotted time. Often family don't visit. I used to sing the songs of the war years that all these people know when giving residents showers and often they would sing along, ethnics do not know these songs or anything about Australia, so they have no input in the residents life. yet the Government is going to let 200,000 a year in, I dread to think of going into an aged care facility. I guarantee you I will not go, I will suicide before they send me to one. I will choose to end my life ,my way.
they are terrible places,,you are just a number giving them money,no interest in the resident,,some poor souls have no view,,some just watch the comings and goings in the hallway if the position of their bed allowed them to,,some who weren't bed bound would go and sit somewhere that had a lounge and chairs ,,usually very popular and only room for 4,,I don't know but those who did have a view may have paid more,,it was the saddest place I have been in ,,my darling friend was always hungry because the food was so bad,,,( one day the power was off so they were served cold food which should be cooked ,disgusting ) so I always took a heap in,,fruit ,crackers,cheese ,a bread roll with a piece of cold cut for dinner that night,,things that wouldn't go bad,,,It is wrong of the Government to bring so many ethnic people here when there is no homes,jobs ,(except for them ) and infrastructure ,,I can guarantee I won't be going into an aged care facility either,,I will stay in my own home until I can no longer cope then I will take things into my own hands
 
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Mr Chips,,,Linwar is NOT being racist,,how can telling the truth be racist ,,,,why are you confused,,it's pretty easy to understand,,,Linwar retired in 2020 after 30 years working in that field
He is definitely making racist comments such as "ethnic people flooding aged care" surely that is racist. I spent 48 years in my profession but that does not allow me to make racist comments of that sort. I certainly would not make comments about being Australian!
 

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