Most essential workers locked out of almost every rental, new research finds

Essential workers are being locked out of almost all rentals in the private market, according to new research.

Anglicare Australia’s latest Rental Affordability Snapshot found professionals in 10 out of 16 essential occupations could afford fewer than one per cent of rental listings.

The social advocacy group surveyed 48,776 rental listings across Australia from March 14 to 15 this year.

The research found nurses could afford just 1.1 per cent of rental listings, while aged care workers could afford 1.7 per cent. 

Only 0.8 per cent of listings were considered affordable for cleaners.

About 0.7 per cent of homes were affordable for hospitality workers and 0.9 per cent for retail workers.

The report found that rents rose 7.4 per cent over the past year, while wages increased by 3.2 per cent.

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Housing campaign Everybody’s Home urged the federal government to build more public and community housing at scale, and work with states to limit rent increases in light of the report.

Everybody’s Home spokesperson Maiy Azize said pay rises alone would not help the rental crisis.

“It’s alarming that nurses, cleaners, aged care workers and the many others who keep our communities moving can barely find a single rental in the country they can afford,” Azizie said.

“Rents are rising more than twice as fast as wages and even if they get a pay rise, these full-time workers are working harder every year just to watch rental affordability slip away.

“The government made a major start by reining in investor tax breaks that fuelled the crisis over decades, but now we need action that will help renters right across the country.

“This means making homes affordable for people to rent by building public and community homes that people can afford, and limiting rent increases.”

Azizie said building public and community homes would stop essential workers being pushed further away from their workplaces and communities.

“Our housing system must be fair and affordable for everyone so that our communities keep running, and all workers are in a safe, decent and affordable home,” Azizie said.