Tenancy support prevents homelessness, Mission Australia says

New research from Mission Australia shows tenancy support effectively prevents homelessness by helping people to stay living in their homes, reigniting the national charity’s urgent call for more government investment in prevention services to help end homelessness in Australia.

98% of participants remained safely housed

Mission Australia’s Tenancy Support Impact Summary - Safe and secure homes: Stopping homelessness before it begins examined the impact of five years of the organisation’s tenancy support services. The study found that by providing tailored support at the point in time it was needed, almost all (98%) of the people who accessed these services remained living in their homes and avoided homelessness. The snapshot shows early, targeted tenancy support not only prevents homelessness but improves people’s wellbeing and builds their capacity and stability while giving them hope for the future.

Demand for support surges as need grows

Demand for Mission Australia’s tenancy support services has surged to an all-time high, with a 52% increase in people seeking assistance between 2023 and 2024. The fastest growing groups of people seeking support over the last 12 months are employed people, young people, or those escaping family and domestic violence.

Other key findings include:

• Four in five people who received support reported improved overall wellbeing.
• Many who received support experienced better mental health and less stress, often linked to having a safe, secure home.
• While most relied on income support payments, one in seven people accessing tenancy support services over the last 12 months were employed, showing housing insecurity impacts a wide range of people across Australia.

Early intervention must be prioritised

“This snapshot confirms that early intervention tenancy support is one of the most effective ways Australia can prevent homelessness. A safe, secure and truly affordable home is more than just shelter, it’s the foundation people need to build their lives, find hope and plan for their future.

“More people than ever are asking for our help to remain living in their homes or to move into safer, more secure housing. This new research shows that Mission Australia’s tenancy support services work incredibly well to help people get the support they need, before they lose their home and are pushed into homelessness.

“The people we work with say the right help at the right time not only keeps them living in their homes but also helps them feel happier, healthier and more connected to their communities. That sense of safety and stability makes all the difference.

Up to 3.2 million people in Australia are at risk of homelessness, often just one life shock - like a rent increase, job loss or eviction - away from losing their home. Early support gives people the chance to avoid the trauma and hardship of homelessness and the stress of navigating Australia’s broken housing system.

“When people become homeless, they face huge barriers to finding a safe, secure home. Rents have skyrocketed, rental properties are scarce, and social housing waitlists stretch for years.

“This snapshot sends a clear message: governments must invest in proven services that keep people housed and significantly boost the supply of genuinely affordable housing if we are to have any hope of ending Australia’s homelessness crisis.

“Our homelessness system sees too much time and resources spent on supporting people in crisis rather than on preventing them from reaching that point in their lives. By intervening early to prevent homelessness, we’re both supporting people to stay living in their homes and reducing the cost to governments.

A call for national investment in prevention

“Mission Australia is calling for a $500 million Homelessness Prevention Transformation Fund to expand targeted programs and drive policy reforms to stop homelessness before it starts. This includes investment in tenancy support services like ours, which provide tailored, person-centred support to help people stay safely housed and avoid homelessness altogether.

“Homelessness is solvable. With the right support, investment and collective action, together we can end homelessness in Australia.”