Call on the Australian Government to count homelessness deaths
No one should die invisible — yet in Australia, people experiencing homelessness are losing their lives decades earlier than the general population, and without a national system to count or track these preventable deaths, their stories remain hidden.
Join us in calling on the Australian Government to implement a national homelessness deaths and life expectancy gap reporting framework.
Every year, hundreds of Australians die while experiencing homelessness, with an average age of just 44 years. These deaths are mostly preventable, yet they stay hidden because Australia lacks a national reporting system.
We urge the Australian Government to promptly implement a national framework for reporting homelessness deaths and life expectancy gaps.
Research indicates that at least 424 people died sleeping rough in 2020, but the actual number is likely much higher1. Life expectancy can be cut short by up to 33 years due to chronic illness, violence, lack of housing, and barriers to healthcare.2
Other countries, like the United Kingdom, already track deaths due to homelessness to help shape solutions.3
Australia is only now beginning to collate this data.
In the past 12 months, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released two important reports:
Adults: People receiving SHS support in their last year of life – shows many clients of Specialist Homelessness Services die prematurely, highlighting unmet health and housing needs.
Children: Children with a history of SHS support who have died – found 520 children with past homelessness support died over the past decade, accounting for 1 in 13 of all child deaths in that period; suicide was the leading cause for ages 12–17.
We ask the Government to:
- Count homelessness deaths nationally
- Track life expectancy gaps for people experiencing homelessness
- Use the data to push for urgent housing and health reforms
The deaths of people experiencing homelessness are not inevitable; they result from inadequate housing, limited support services, and a lack of action on policies. Behind each number is a person whose life ended too soon.
Behind every number is a life lost too soon. Sign the petition now and help stop this silent tragedy.
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Thank you for your support.
A3HN | Australian Health, Housing & Homelessness Network 