Homeless women: no home at the end of the road

Single, older women in Australia are a group vulnerable to housing insecurity and at risk of homelessness in their old age. Wage inequality and childrearing have contributed to a decreased capacity to acquire housing equity and retirement savings. In addition, social changes that have enabled serial monogamy means there has been significant growth in the number and proportion of single, older women in the population. These women now face further disadvantage in the housing market as purchase prices and rental costs have risen, reflecting a number of factors including a shortage of housing supply.