Services Australia is reminding those in uncertain housing that there’s a range of support available. · Matt King via Getty Images
Homelessness goes beyond sleeping rough on the street. It can also be staying in crisis accommodation, couch surfing, car camping and living in a severely overcrowded home.
It’s more common and more complex than many people realise. New data from Homelessness Australia found that between 2021-22 to 2023-24, there was a five per cent uptick in families with children turning to homelessness services for urgent help.
Nominally, this reflected a 4654-person increase, with 92,476 people seeking help from services in that period, with the number of families already homeless at the time of seeking help increasing by 11 per cent.
Whether you’re experiencing homelessness now or are at risk of it, you don’t have to go through it alone.
Across the nation, community organisations are doing vital, frontline work of supporting people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
From general crisis and support services, mental health facilities, drug and alcohol services and domestic violence services – these groups are often the first point of contact when someone needs help.
Services Australia is just one part of the broader system working to support people doing it tough.
If you’re aged between 22 and Age Pension age, and you’re actively looking for work (unless you’re sick or injured and can’t do your usual work or study for a short time), you may be eligible for JobSeeker Payment.
To qualify you must be an Australian resident, pass an income and assets test, be willing and able to work.
As of 20 March, 2025 a single person with no children could receive up to $781.10 per fortnight.
But the amount you get is going to depend on individual circumstances like whether you have a partner, children, and other sources of income.
The Rent Assistance payment can help with housing costs, even if you’re not on a formal rental agreement.
You might also be eligible if you’re paying accommodation costs:
Rent Assistance is paid as a regular payment alongside your main payment.
To qualify for this support, you must be receiving a payment from us, like JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Special Benefit, ABSTUDY Living Allowance or Parenting Payment.
According to recent Australian Bureau of Statistics data, many of these Services Australia payments were reported as the main source of income for people who were experiencing homelessness.
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If you’re unsure what you may be eligible for, you can use our Payment and Service Finder tool.
Crisis Payment is a one-off payment if you’re in financial hardship, experienced an extreme circumstance and get a qualifying payment.
There are different types of extreme circumstance.
For example, you may be forced to leave your home due to a fire, flood or family and domestic violence.
To find out if your situation is eligible, go to the Services Australia Crisis Payment page.
Remember, you don’t have to go it alone.
Visit the Services Australia homelessness page to find support that works for you or someone you care about.
We know financial support is only one piece of the puzzle.
That’s why Services Australia specialist staff work in and alongside community organisations.
Sometimes it’s through regular visits to community services where we help people access payments and services.
Hank Jongen is a General Manager and Agency Spokesperson for Services Australia – the agency responsible for delivering Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support services. · Services Australia
Sometimes, we work in organisations full-time to support people who might need more intensive support.
For people experiencing homelessness, staying on payments like JobSeeker can be hard when daily survival takes priority.
Missing reporting dates or not having phone or internet access can lead to their payment stopping.
That’s where our work with community organisations comes in. We can work with individuals to ensure they’re getting the right support, not just any support.
For example, if someone is dealing with a mental illness, disability or chronic conditions they may be eligible for other payments or support.
But without assistance, many never apply, or don’t know they can.
If you need assistance now, our social workers can also help you with information, support and short-term counselling as well as referrals to other services.
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