Improving the outcomes for older women at risk of homelessness

Older single women are the fastest growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness in Australia. Why is this? And what are the drivers for better outcomes for these women? For older women experiencing or at risk of homelessness, a primary root cause is structural gender inequality; with low paid work, or time taken out of the formal workforce to focus on caring responsibilities, translating to low superannuation balances at retirement age. Coupled with the high cost of housing, declining home ownership, and decades of underinvestment in social and affordable housing, risk factors for older women become a perfect storm.