Nowhere to sleep — state crisis hotlines and applying for social housing
Nowhere to sleep tonight, or at risk of losing your home? State homelessness crisis hotlines, emergency and temporary accommodation, SHS, and how to qualify and apply for public and social housing, scheme by scheme.
Overview — when you have nowhere to sleep tonight
Who you contact first depends on your situation. If life is in danger, call 000. For family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). If you are struggling emotionally, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. If English is difficult, call TIS National on 131 450. This guide covers the state government crisis hotlines for finding somewhere to sleep tonight and applying for public and social housing, which is long-term housing for people on low incomes. Anyone can call a hotline for advice, information and referral, and the service provider decides whether accommodation is actually provided, but social housing is generally for citizens and permanent residents (PR).
What this guide covers — accommodation referral and social housing
If family and domestic violence is the cause, start with the family-domestic-violence-support guide. For private rental evictions and disputes, see the rent guide. For share house or boarding evictions, see the share-house-boarder-rights guide. For regular payments and Rent Assistance, see the centrelink guide. This guide covers only the big picture of temporary accommodation referral (including SHS) and applying for social housing. It explains separately when direct applications are restricted even for people with Permanent Residency (PR), and which hotlines temporary visa holders can also call.
State homelessness crisis hotlines and hours
Numbers that answer 24 hours a day are NSW Link2home 1800 152 152 (accommodation referral 9am–10pm; information and assessment at other times), VIC 1800 825 955 (outside business hours, calls are connected to Salvation Army Crisis Services, according to state government information), QLD Homeless Hotline 1800 474 753, SA Homeless Connect SA 1800 003 308 and TAS Housing Connect 1800 800 588.
WA, ACT and NT — hours and exceptions
In WA, Entrypoint Perth on 1800 124 684 (weekdays 9am–7pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am–5pm, closed on public holidays — check the operating hours on the Entrypoint official website) is the assessment and referral contact point, and outside business hours you can get information and referral from Crisis Care on 1800 199 008. In the ACT, FIRST Canberra on 1800 176 468 is open weekdays 8am–6pm and weekends 12:30pm–5pm, and is closed on public holidays. In the NT, call the Homelessness Central Intake Service on 1800 920 333, which the territory government introduced as a single contact point (it operates on weekdays; check the operating hours on the official website), and you can also use the ShelterMe service directory.
- In an emergency, call 000 first — if your safety is under threat or your life is in danger, call 000 before you look for any other number.
- Be specific about your situation — say whether you need somewhere to sleep tonight, how many people are with you, whether there are children and whether you are safe now.
- Check the time of day — even on the same number, at night you may get only information and assessment, with no accommodation referral (in NSW, 10pm–9am).
Numbers and operating hours can change, so check them again on each state government's official page. Anyone can try phoning for advice, information and referral, but the service provider decides whether accommodation is actually provided.
4 types of support — from accommodation to renting
Support comes in four forms, explained in order from tonight's accommodation to long-term housing. Payments (Crisis Payment and Rent Assistance) overlap with the centrelink guide, so only the requirements are outlined here.
Through the hotline, a service provider arranges a bed for the night or temporary accommodation. Whether you can use it, and for how long, is up to the provider, so it cannot be judged from your visa alone. Crisis Payment for people who have left home because of a fire, flood or similar is a separate payment.
These are specialist homelessness agencies that provide accommodation and support services with government funding. You are connected through a hotline or Ask Izzy, and the agency decides whether you are eligible. Using SHS is not itself a social security payment.
To move into public or community housing long term, apply to your state government's waiting list. Priority allocation categories need evidence, and QLD advises that an offer may take a long time or never come.
Each state government has bond and rent-in-advance assistance to help people move into a private rental (for example, SA Housing Trust and TAS Housing Connect). Ask the hotline about the conditions, and see the rent guide for bonds in general.
Tips for applying and using support
Finding somewhere to sleep tonight and applying for long-term social housing are two separate tracks. Work on both side by side.
- Hotline first — if you urgently need accommodation tonight, call the state crisis hotline and ask for a referral before you start a social housing application.
- Check eligibility first — look up the visa requirements on your state government's page, and if you have lost documents, ask the agency whether alternative evidence is accepted.
- Applications differ by state — in NSW you apply online or by phone (1800 422 322), and in WA you start with a Housing Options Assessment (a consultation).
- Stay in contact after you are on the list — report changes to your contact details, income or household within the time limit, and respond when the agency contacts you. If you do not respond, you may be removed from the list (QLD).
- Check Crisis Payment — if you have left home because of a fire or flood, are eligible for an income support payment and are in severe financial hardship, contact Centrelink within 7 days (confirm on the official page).
Common myths and mistakes
These misunderstandings often cause people to miss help they could get or to delay applying.
- The myth that 'PR means you can apply straight away' — during an Assurance of Support (AoS) period or a newly arrived residents waiting period, direct applications may be restricted even with PR (it differs by state).
- Assuming 'there is no point calling on a temporary visa' — anyone can try for advice, information and referral; only the decision to provide accommodation rests with the service provider.
- Confusing emergency accommodation with social housing — temporary accommodation is a place to sleep right now, while social housing is a long-term scheme with a potentially long wait on the list.
- Mistaking Crisis Payment for help with rent or mortgage arrears — official guidance says it is not payable if you were evicted for not paying rent or a mortgage, or if you chose to move out yourself without an extreme circumstance.
- Giving inaccurate information or putting off reporting changes — knowingly giving false information is unlawful (QLD sets this out in legislation), and if your eligibility changes you may be removed from the list.
Useful official links
- Services Australia — Crisis Payment(opens in a new window)
Official Services Australia guidance on Crisis Payment: requirements by type, how the amount is set, and how to claim
- NSW Government — Homelessness(opens in a new window)
Link2home number and hours (24 hours; accommodation referral 9am–10pm) and NSW homelessness crisis support information
- Queensland Government — Homeless Hotline(opens in a new window)
Who can use the QLD Homeless Hotline, its 24-hour operation, and the interpreter number
- Homes NSW — Eligibility for social housing policy(opens in a new window)
Homes NSW social housing eligibility policy — citizenship and PR requirements, exceptions, evidence and reporting duties
- Infoxchange — Ask Izzy(opens in a new window)
Free search directory for homelessness and housing support services by area (run by Infoxchange)
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm on a temporary visa. Can I still call for emergency accommodation?▾
Anyone can call a crisis hotline for advice, information and referral. Whether accommodation is actually provided is decided by the service provider, so the outcome cannot be predicted in advance. Long-term social housing, on the other hand, is generally for citizens and permanent residents. If you need an interpreter, call TIS National on 131 450.
Who do I call if I have nowhere to sleep tonight?▾
If life is in danger, call 000. Otherwise, call the crisis hotline for the state you are in. NSW 1800 152 152, VIC 1800 825 955, QLD 1800 474 753, SA 1800 003 308 and TAS 1800 800 588 operate 24 hours a day. WA and ACT have set operating hours. In the NT, the Homelessness Central Intake Service on 1800 920 333 is the single contact point for the whole territory and operates on weekdays (check the operating hours on the official website).
If I have Permanent Residency (PR), can I apply for social housing?▾
In many states PR is the basic requirement, but having PR does not automatically mean you can apply. VIC and TAS advise that migrants within an Assurance of Support (AoS) period are not eligible, and VIC advises that PR holders subject to Centrelink's newly arrived residents waiting period also find it hard to apply directly. However, VIC advises that an application may be approved if the sponsorship has expired or broken down and you have your own independent income (for example, Centrelink Special Benefit). Accepted visas and residence, asset and income requirements also differ by state, so check your state government's page.
How long is the wait on the social housing waiting list?▾
No official waiting time can be promised. It depends on the area, household composition and priority allocation, and the QLD Government advises you may wait a long time or never receive an offer. So work on both tracks side by side: tonight through the hotline and SHS referral, and long-term housing through a waiting list application. Even after you are on the list, keep reporting changes and responding when the agency contacts you.
Can I get Crisis Payment to pay for accommodation?▾
It is not a payment toward accommodation costs. It is a one-off payment for people who have left home because of extreme circumstances such as a fire or flood and are in severe financial hardship. You must be eligible for an income support payment and make contact within 7 days of deciding you cannot return (confirm on the official page). The amount is equal to one week of your basic payment rate. You are not eligible if you were evicted for arrears, or have received, or could receive, a disaster payment for the same event. If family and domestic violence is the cause, see the family-domestic-violence-support guide.
If a family member under an Assurance of Support (AoS) receives Crisis Payment, does it have to be repaid?▾
Services Australia advises that during an Assurance of Support period the assurer (the supporter) must repay some income support payments received by the assuree (the person being supported), and that a Crisis Payment received together with such a payment must also be repaid. Check individual cases with Services Australia. Using SHS is not itself a social security payment. Families on parent visas should also see the parent-visa-visit guide.
Who do I contact if I can't pay my rent and face eviction?▾
You can ask a state crisis hotline for advice even when you are only at risk of losing your home. For tenancy disputes and the eviction process, see the rent guide. For eviction from a share house or boarding arrangement, see the share-house-boarder-rights guide. If family and domestic violence is the cause, contact 1800RESPECT and see the family-domestic-violence-support guide.
Eligibility for public and social housing
Social housing covers both public housing and community housing, and in most states citizens and permanent residents (PR) are the basic eligible group. Some states separately recognise certain protection visas or the New Zealand Special Category visa, but a temporary visa on its own (working holiday, student, work and so on) generally makes a long-term allocation difficult. Before you apply, check the three points below.
Many states have priority allocation categories, and whether you qualify is assessed from your supporting documents. Give your income and household details truthfully, and report any change within the time limit set by your state.