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.
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).
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.
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
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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.