Specialist homelessness services annual report 2021-22
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) have released the Specialist Homelessness Services Annual report 2020-22 which summarises the characteristics of clients receiving support from specialist homelessness services (SHS) including the services requested, outcomes achieved, and unmet requests for services.
National Detail
- The number of people assisted by SHS fell slightly in 2021-22, with almost 272,700 people seeking assistance, compared to almost 278,300 in 2020-21.
- The number of those receiving assistance has increased by an average of 1.8 per cent annually since 2011-12.
In Western Australia
- 24,700 clients were assisted in WA – 9 per cent of the national SHS population (272,700 total clients).
Of WA clients:
- 41 per cent of clients were homeless on first presentation, lower than the national rate (44 per cent).
- 9 in 10 (91 per cent) clients at risk of homelessness were assisted to maintain housing.
- Just less than one-quarter (24 per cent) of clients who were homeless were assisted into housing.
People Assisted:
In WA one in 111 people received homelessness assistance, lower than the national rate (one in 94). The top three reasons for clients seeking assistance were:
- family and domestic violence (39 per cent, compared with 37 per cent nationally)
- financial difficulties (34 per cent, compared with 39 per cent)
- housing affordability stress (24 per cent, compared with 31 per cent).
Reports
The full report can be found here. The WA Factsheet is available here.
