A new study has revealed that only 1 per cent of listed rental properties in Australia will be affordable for singles receiving JobSeeker payments amid the coronavirus supplement cut.
Anglicare Australia executive director Kasy Chambers revealed that unemployed renters are facing a “ticking time bomb” should the Federal Government JobSeeker rates from September 25th.
As The Guardian report — at a reduced supplement rate, there would only be six affordable rental listings in Sydney, 15 in Melbourne, 28 in southern Queensland, three in Adelaide, 20 in Western Australia and 60 in Tasmania.
Anglicare defines a property as affordable if its rental cost is less than 30 per cent of a household’s income.
The coronavirus supplement introduced back in Aprileffectively added $550 a fortnight to income support for job seekers and those receiving student and parenting payments.
The Anglicare report revealed that following the supplement cut a single parent of two children on benefits, would only be able to afford 274 rentals, or 0.4% of the market. As opposed to the current 591 affordable rentals.
Whilst a couple on Jobseeker had slightly better odds, with 1,137 or 1.5% under the reduced rate — 3,971 properties (5.2%) are currently deemed affordable.
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Youth allowance recipients under 22 had only 625 affordable rentals (0.8%) or 473 share houses (0.6%) to choose from across the country under the current supplement. When cuts are made, this will reduce to 52 advertised properties. Grim.
Anglicare has called for the coronavirus supplement to be made permanent and extended to age and disability pensioners.
“If cuts to payments are phased-in – and if those who are most vulnerable are left out – people will be pushed even deeper into poverty and homelessness,” the report said.
The percentage of affordable houses across Australia has dropped in 14 categories of household types since March. “For people on the lowest incomes, rentals are even less affordable than they were back in March,” Ms Chambers confirmed.
