Anglicare Tasmania's Snapshot: 'Rental affordability at an all-time low'

The Snapshot states rental affordability for households on income support has fallen to its lowest level since its annual survey began 18 years ago.

Anglicare's Rental Affordability Snapshot reviews properties listed for rent on a weekend in March.

It then assesses if they are affordable and appropriate for households on low and fixed incomes, such as the Age Pension, JobSeeker and Youth Allowance.

Based on the findings, Anglicare calls on the Tasmanian government to:

Anglicare Social Action and Research Centre (SARC) Coordinator, economist Mary Bennett, said rapid rises in the cost of living and rents had severely limited the housing options of the 134,390 individuals and families reliant on income support in Tasmania and other minimum wage earners.

"There were 1,127 properties listed for long-term residential lease across Tasmania on the Snapshot weekend, a modest 9% increase from last year," Ms Bennett said.

"However, there has been a 58% fall in listings since 2013, and these properties include sharehouses when sharing is often inappropriate due to a person's disability or stage in life."

The Snapshot showed that none of the 1,127 properties listed were affordable and appropriate for single people living on income support who wanted to live independently.

"It shows that only families with two working parents can afford a rental in Tasmania, and even then, they may need to move into a new community away from their support network, employment and school," Ms Bennett said.

The Snapshot also showed:

Only one room in a sharehouse in the entire State was affordable for a single person on JobSeeker, and none were affordable for people on Youth Allowance.

The 27 affordable properties for people on the Age Pension were all rooms in sharehouses except for two units in Rosebery.

Only two units in the entire State were affordable for single people reliant on a Disability Support Pension, and they were unlikely to be appropriate because of their remote location.

Only 17 properties were affordable for couples with a Disability or Age Pension, and six of these were in remote or rural locations.

Only 12 properties statewide were affordable for families with two children relying on JobSeeker payment, three-quarters of which were in remote locations.

"We already know that people waiting for social housing are experiencing homelessness.

"Now we know that many people who can afford the small number of affordable properties in the private rental market are being out-competed and pushed into homelessness, too," Ms Bennett said

She says these include young people, families with young children, people living with a disability and older people.

"At both a state and federal level, the governments need to build more social housing," Ms Bennett said.