Not one room available in WA for those on JobSeeker, youth allowance or disability pension
Western Australia's affordable housing crisis has hit a grim new low, with a new analysis of rentals in the state suggesting anyone on JobSeeker, youth allowance or the disability pension was totally locked out of every single private rental in the state.
Anglicare WA's Rental Affordability Snapshot, released on Wednesday, looked at the 3523 private rentals available on March 15 and 16 and found the median rental cost was up 5 per cent from last year to $680 per week.
Of these houses, there were none affordable for people living with government income support – including single rooms.
There were four affordable listings for a couple with two children with income support, but only one for single parents.
West Australians on aged pensions only had seven properties in their price range.
For single West Australians on the minimum wage, there were only 14 affordable rentals and 42 that were affordable for a single parent with two children.
Anglicare considers a property 'affordable' if it requires less than 30 per cent of a household income.
Paying more than that is considered as being in household stress, and spending more than 50 per cent of a household's income on housing is considered severe housing stress.
The snapshot found the lower-priced rentals were mostly for single rooms in share houses, but even those were pricey, ranging from $200 to $450 per week.
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