New figures released for World Homeless Day have laid bare the devastating intersection between mental health, family violence, and homelessness in New South Wales.
Homelessness Australia’s latest analysis reveals a sharp rise in the number of people seeking homelessness support across the state, with domestic and family violence emerging as the leading cause. The data comes as both World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day are marked globally, underscoring the growing crisis at the heart of Australia’s housing and health systems.
In June 2025 alone, 8,410 people in New South Wales sought help because of family and domestic violence, up from 7,963 the year before. Of those, 6,306 were women. Nationally, family and domestic violence was the leading cause of homelessness, followed by eviction, financial difficulty, and housing affordability stress.
In the New England, a Salvation Army report identified homelessness and mental health as two of the three top concerns in the region, and NSW Police statistics consistently report rates of domestic and other violence far higher than the state average.
Homelessness Australia Chief Executive Officer Kate Colvin said the figures were a stark reminder that governments had failed to address the root causes of homelessness.
“Australians have been calling attention to domestic and family violence and the housing crisis for years. We have sounded the alarm again and again over the risks to safety when survivors have nowhere to go to escape violence,” she said.
“This data clearly shows that governments have not done enough to stop rising homelessness and protect victim survivors of violence.”
Across Australia, people seeking help because of family and domestic violence increased by 13 per cent between June 2023 and June 2025, while those turning to homelessness services due to housing affordability stress jumped 8.1 per cent.
The report highlights the compounding impact of the cost-of-living crisis, stagnant wages, and a chronic lack of affordable housing — pressures that leave many Australians living on the edge.
Homelessness Australia is urging the federal government to use the upcoming Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook to fund meaningful action to reverse the trend.
The organisation is calling for more early intervention programs, increased income support, and an accelerated rollout of social housing, alongside better resourcing for frontline homelessness services.
“Practical and impactful measures should include preventing more people from becoming homeless in the first place by delivering early intervention programs, increased income support and more social homes,” Ms Colvin said.
She also urged governments to ensure that rising demand for homelessness services is met with adequate resources so that people in crisis can access the help they need when they need it.
With the release of the data coinciding with World Mental Health Day, Ms Colvin warned that the psychological toll of homelessness was immense.
“The stress and risks of homelessness take a devastating toll on people’s mental health,” she said. “A secure home and the support people need to keep it are the foundation for positive wellbeing for all of us. We have so much to gain if we take action now.”
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