No place like home: How older women and seniors can access housing assistance in Queensland

Accessing safe and secure housing in Queensland shouldn’t be difficult – but an alarming national trend shows more and more older women struggle to afford adequate accommodation, having devoted crucial earning years to raising families and performing unpaid care work. Now they’re forced to play catch-up in a competitive rental market, without savings or rental histories. Fortunately, there are resources and services dedicated to helping older women in Queensland explore their housing options.

Jump to:

• Affordable housing options for older women
• Taking the first steps with Footprints
• Charting a roadmap to home
• Pathways to Home: A free, comprehensive resource
• It takes a village: How communities can help fight homelessness

They raised families, cared for others, built lives – and now, growing numbers of older women are facing homelessness.

For many, it comes without warning. The rent goes up. Utility bills spike. And suddenly, the life they knew is gone.

With little savings, limited super and few options, these women are slipping through the cracks of a housing system that wasn’t built with them in mind. In fact, older women are now the fastest-growing group of people at risk of housing distress and homelessness in Australia.

They might have expected to enjoy a peaceful, dignified retirement. Instead, they’re in crisis. And for many of these women, housing insecurity is a new and terrifying experience.

“The rental market is incredibly tough for people on the Age Pension,” explains Naomi Overton, Senior Manager of Homelessness at Footprints Community. Naomi works alongside at-risk older women in her role at Footprints, connecting clients to support services and advocating for stronger housing protections.

“These women might have spent years raising families or working in unpaid roles – and suddenly they’re at risk of homelessness, because they don’t have the financial stability or rental history that landlords are looking for.

“We see a lot of women who’ve gone through a major life change – like a relationship breakdown, the death of a partner, or health issues – and need a place to stay.”

Affordable housing options for older women

If you’re an older woman or senior struggling to afford safe, secure housing, you’re not alone.

In Queensland, those in housing crisis can apply for rental assistance from the government. There are two main types of rental assistance:

• Bond loans: Interest-free loans covering up to four weeks’ rent of a new property. You can also apply for a Bond Loan Plus to cover an extra two weeks’ rent, or a Bridging Bond Loan if you’re waiting to receive your current bond.

• Rental grants: A one-time-only payment of two weeks’ rent. Unlike a bond loan, a rental grant does not need to be repaid.

Check your eligibility and apply for a bond loan or rental grant.

Eligible seniors can access support for other housing costs, too. Rebates on electricity and gas bills, as well as council rates, help keep cost of living under control.

It may be practical to find a friend and split the cost of rent, utilities and other expenses – shared housing initiatives like Better Together Housing connect older women interested in sharing a home.

Public and community housing is another affordable long-term option, allowing older women to put down roots and plan for the future.

Taking the first steps with Footprints

Footprints Community is a not-for-profit organisation that supports and empowers Queensland’s most vulnerable populations. For more than 30 years, Footprints has shared its services and resources with vulnerable communities and individuals through the delivery of its specialised support programs.

Naomi is particularly proud of the Housing Older Women’s Support Service (HOWSS) program, which sprang up to meet what Footprints identified as an emerging crisis: A growing number of older women who struggle to find safe and secure housing.

“Many of the women we support never imagined they’d be in this position,” Naomi says. “They feel invisible, isolated or ashamed. They don’t want to be a burden, so they don’t talk about what they’re going through.”

HOWSS is powered by its dedicated volunteers, who can understand these hardships on a personal level as well as a professional one. Many volunteers were introduced to the program as clients and have lived experience with housing insecurity.

Using this combination of empathy and expertise, HOWSS helps older women understand and pursue their housing options. This involves navigating paperwork and connecting clients to legal and financial advice and tenancy information.

Naomi says the goal is “ensuring that older women receive the help they need to secure and maintain safe, affordable housing.”

“At HOWSS, we’ve created a space where women feel safe, respected, and in control of their choices,” she adds.

Charting a roadmap to home

“There are actually a number of housing assistance programs and services out there to help, but navigating them can feel like a maze,” Naomi says.

It’s a common complaint. The system is complex, and facing it alone can be overwhelming. That’s why HOWSS walks alongside its clients each step of the way, providing one-on-one practical support, compassion and understanding.

“Being at risk of homelessness really is overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time needing help,” says Naomi. “Having someone in your corner who genuinely cares makes all the difference.”

HOWSS works with each client individually, adjusting to suit their unique and specific needs. For women at immediate risk of homelessness, this can mean securing temporary accommodation or crisis support.

In the long term, HOWSS empowers older women to plan for accommodation they can count on. Some clients decide to downsize, or opt for aged care or community housing.

“We meet women where they’re at. Every woman’s journey is different, and the support reflects that,” Naomi says.

Pathways to Home: A free, comprehensive resource

Pathways to Home, formerly known as The Handy Guide for Older Women, is a vital, practical resource for older women exploring housing options in Queensland. Naomi calls it a “little guidebook of hope.”

Originally developed by The Lady Musgrave Trust in 2019, the guide was officially handed over to Footprints Community in 2023 to continue supporting older women at risk of homelessness.

“We’ve seen women flick through it and say things like, ‘I didn’t know I could get help with that,’ or ‘That’s a number I’ve been looking for but didn’t know where to start,’” Naomi says.

Now published by Footprints in two volumes, Pathways to Home is available both online and in print. It cuts through jargon to provide clear, accessible information where it’s needed most.

The first volume is designed for older women not in immediate crisis. It outlines available housing supports and services in Queensland, along with financial planning tips and helpful resources. HOWSS often uses it as a conversation starter – it “opens the door” to more in-depth conversations about a client’s housing situation and long-term goals.

The second volume focuses on women currently experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, with information on emergency supports, crisis contacts and personal safety advice.

“Older women tell us that it helps them feel seen,” Naomi says. “It’s really a tool of empowerment – something concrete in their hands that speaks directly to their issues.”

It takes a village: How communities can help fight homelessness

All too often, shame and embarrassment keeps those most at risk from reaching out when they’re in crisis – but Naomi says making room for these difficult conversations is key to the solution.

“The more we can raise awareness in our communities, the more we can prevent older women from falling through the cracks,” she says.

But, she counsels, “you don’t have to fix the problem yourself — just being someone who cares can be the first step toward change. Whether it’s sharing resources, referring someone to HOWSS, volunteering your time, or simply raising awareness in your own networks, it all makes a difference.”

The first step? Friends, family members and neighbours need to make time for the older women in their lives. They don’t have to start the conversation – first, build a safe space by checking in regularly and listening without judgment. A friendly face and a listening ear might be the gentle nudge needed to encourage an at-risk person to open up.

From there, it’s about making sure that older women living with housing insecurity know they haven’t been left behind. Footprints’ work with the HOWSS program helps older women find safe, secure accommodation – one step at a time.