About affordable rental housing
Understand what affordable housing is and who can access it
Who needs affordable housing?
Many different people need affordable housing and for lots of different reasons. This may include people who work full- or part-time in lower paid jobs, where their household income is not high enough to pay market rent in the area in which they live and/or work. This is sometimes the case even for people working full-time in an essential service such as a police officer, a nurse or a childcare worker[1], particularly if they are just starting out in their career or supporting a family on only one income.
People may also need affordable housing because a change in their lives has impacted on their financial circumstances – for example, a household member has lost their job, a family has separated, a family moves to a single income household after a baby is born or a spouse has died.
Affordable housing is sometimes only needed for a short- or medium-term period, depending on the life changes a household is experiencing. Over time, the household’s circumstances or income may change again and some households may re-enter the private rental market or purchase a home. For example, the primary income earner may progress in their career or a family on one income moves to two incomes.