Anglicare's 2026 Snapshot Reveals Dire Situation
Only one in 70 rental properties is affordable for minimum wage earners across Sydney and the Illawarra, according to Anglicare Sydney’s 2026 Rental Affordability Snapshot released on 30th April.
This report highlights the severe challenges faced by low-income earners in securing affordable housing. It reveals that full-time work is insufficient for many to find a suitable place to live. Over the weekend of 14th-15th March, just 3 of 12,155 advertised rentals were affordable for a single parent with two children, and only 7 were affordable for a single person.
Rob Stokes, Group Executive of Housing at Anglicare, stated, “The great Australian dream used to be having a house to call your own, near family and friends, and close to work. Now people are lucky to find a rental that doesn’t immediately tip them into financial distress.”
Decline in Affordable Rentals
The affordability of rentals has plummeted by 86 per cent over five years. In 2021, there were over 1,300 properties that minimum wage earners could afford; now, that number is just 184. For households relying on income support, including the Parenting Payment, Jobseeker, and Disability Support Pension, no affordable rentals were available.
The Age Pension offered a slight advantage, with 8 affordable properties for a couple and only 2 for a single person. Meanwhile, in areas like Blacktown and the South West, just 3 to 5% of rentals were affordable for minimum wage earners.
Anglicare’s research indicated that in ten out of eighteen areas across Greater Sydney and the Illawarra, there were no affordable rentals for those on income support. This paints a grim picture for families and individuals relying on such support.
Mr Stokes urged the government to address the crisis, saying, “Sydney is the most expensive rental market in the country and Anglicare is calling on the government to use this Budget cycle to make a meaningful difference to protect what is a human right, to have a safe and secure place to live.”
Anglicare calls for reforms to increase the supply of social housing, enhance financial support for renters, and prioritise vulnerable groups. The full Rental Affordability Snapshot 2026 is available online. the report underscores the urgency of addressing the housing crisis, especially in light of the drastic drop in affordable listings from over 1,300 in 2021 to just 184 in 2026.
