Retirement Living Council finally finds political ally on CRA reform

The peak body for retirement village operators has for years been trying to gain traction on lifting the rate of the Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA).

Across Australia, 3.9% of independent living units are priced under the Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) threshold ($242,000 at 1 January 2024).

Now the Retirement Living Council has found a political ally to try and lift the CRA in independent Senator David Pocock.

Fresh data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows rental stress among Australians aged over 75 has surged by 116% since 2013.

Senator Pocock told News Corp: “Every single report of the Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee that I got the Government to legislate has recommended a substantial increase in CRA.”

“I have been urging the Government for years to listen to the experts and increase base rates of social security payments as well as the rate of CRA to lift people above the poverty line and out of housing stress. This costs money but means we don’t have Australians living in poverty and would save us money in other areas.”

New CRA data “a blaring siren”

RLC Executive Director Daniel Gannon said the new CRA data “isn’t a red flag but a blaring siren”.

“Even with CRA, 55,000 older Australians remain in rental stress, while without it, that figure would triple to 180,000,” he said.

AIHW data also reveals CRA usage among people aged 65-plus has jumped 70% over the same period, confirming that older Australians are now the fastest-growing group relying on the scheme to avoid homelessness.

The Retirement Living Council is urging the Federal Government to review CRA settings.

“This isn’t a tweak‑around‑the‑edges problem. Rent assistance is broken, outdated and miles behind reality, and every delay is pushing more older Australians towards homelessness,” Daniel said.

“Without meaningful reform, older Australians will continue to fall through the cracks as rents outpace assistance, care needs escalate, and housing shortages deepen.”

CRA use surges 70%

The AIHW’s November 2025 Commonwealth Rent Assistance in Australia: quarterly data shows:

• CRA usage among people aged 65-plus has surged 70%, rising from 233,380 recipients in 2013 to 396,965 in 2025.
• The number of renters aged 75-plus who receive CRA but remain in rental stress has exploded from 25,485 in 2013 to 55,030 in 2025 – an increase of 116%.
• The number of renters aged 75-plus who would be in rental stress if they weren’t receiving CRA surged from 57,415 in 2013 to 125,185 in 2025 – an increase of 118%.
• CRA usage among people aged 24 and younger has plunged 41% over the same period – a reduction of 41,625 young renters.
• Rental stress among Australians aged 75-plus who receive Commonwealth Rent Assistance has surged across every state since 2013.
• WA recorded the sharpest rise among major states at 125%, while NSW and Queensland followed closely at 120% and 118% respectively.
• Tasmania also saw a significant increase of 139%, albeit from a smaller base.
• The NT saw the most dramatic percentage increase at 223%, albeit from a small base, and the ACT also spiked by 123%.
• Even SA, with the lowest growth rate, still experienced an 85% increase, underscoring that this is a nationwide trend accelerating well beyond population growth.