Guide to applying for housing assistance

Income from Centrelink

If you receive a pension or allowance from Services Australia (Centrelink) and are at least 15 years old, you can use the income confirmation service.

This free service lets us access your income and assets information directly from Centrelink. This means you don’t have to provide proof of your Centrelink income each time we assess your eligibility.

If you or a household member earns other income, such as wages, you still need to provide proof of this income to us before we can assess your application.

To sign up for this service:

1. complete the Income confirmation service consent authority form (PDF, 119 KB)
2. return the form to your nearest Housing Service Centre. Do not return the form to Centrelink.

You can also get the form from your nearest Housing Service Centre.

Once you're signed up for the service, we send your details to Centrelink electronically. Centrelink sends us information that’s on your Centrelink income and asset statement, including:

• current or past payment details
• any dependents
• Centrelink deductions
• income details
• assets details.

We use the information that Centrelink sends us only to assess your eligibility for housing assistance.

We will ask you for information about other income if required.

You can withdraw from the service any time by contacting your nearest Housing Service Centre.

If you choose not to use this service, you’ll need to provide your income and assets information each time we ask for it.

Failing to provide this information will affect your eligibility for social housing.

Proof of other income

Income support payments:

• income and assets statement from Services Australia (Centrelink) or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Earned income (wages, salaries, casual, overtime, bonuses and fringe benefits):

• employer’s declaration form (PDF, 692 KB)
• wage information on your employer’s official letterhead
• wage slips for proving casual income over 4 weeks.

Self-employment:

• the previous year’s Notice of Assessment from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Other income types:

• a WorkCover payment advice letter or payment slip to prove workers compensation income
• a written statement from your superannuation company to prove payments from super funds or investments after you've retired
• a letter or advice proving the payment and frequency of overseas pensions if you don’t also receive payment from Centrelink
• a recent quarterly bank statement showing interest earned from a personal or business financial institution, such as a bank, credit union or building society account.

Property ownership

If you or a household member owns or part-owns any of these property types in Australia or overseas, you must provide evidence of ownership with your housing assistance application:

• residential property, including a house, flat, unit or townhouse
• vacant land, including rural
• land with a mobile home, cabin, caravan, donga or live-aboard boat on it for use as a residence
• a manufactured or transportable home
• improved or unimproved commercial or industrial property
• property held in a trust.

Evidence of property ownership includes:

• mortgage documents
• contract of sale
• title documents.

Your evidence of ownership must include:

• the type of property owned or part-owned (e.g. house, land, commercial)
• the property address
• whether the property is fully owned or part-owned, including inherited properties
• the share of the property owned or part-owned (e.g. 30%)
• the property's estimated value
• the legal names of the people who own or part-own the property
• the date the property was purchased
• if mortgaged, the debt owing on the property.

Liquid assets

Liquid assets include:

• money
• shares, bonds, debentures or managed investments
• property trusts
• superannuation payouts (if the person has reached preservation age)
• the value of caravans, mobile homes and live-aboard boats.

You must provide evidence of all liquid assets that you and your household own. This could include:

• your most recent quarterly bank statement
• a Centrelink income and assets statement
• written advice showing the amount and frequency of any overseas pension
• a WorkCover payment advice letter or payment slip that shows a compensation payout
• a letter from a solicitor confirming any lump sum payout
• for people over preservation age, a written statement from a superannuation fund showing the total sum of a super account or investment
• a written statement from a financial institution showing the total sum held in shares, bonds, debentures or managed investments
• for assets held in trust, a copy of the ‘trust deed’ or similar legal document that identifies all assets owned by the trust,  the beneficiaries and the percentage of share
• a current document showing the value of the caravan, mobile home, cabin, donga or live-aboard boat (e.g. receipt of sale, valuation less than 1 year old, value listed on insurance documents).

For more information and help with providing evidence to support your application, contact your nearest Housing Service Centre.

You must lodge 2 original and valid (not expired) proof-of-identification documents with your application.

At least 1 of the documents must be a primary identification document.

Primary documents

• Full birth certificate or extract of birth certificate or birth card as provided by other State or Territory registries
• Driver licence with photo (physical card or digital version)
• Queensland weapons licence
• Marine Licence
• Citizenship or Naturalisation certificate
• Passport
• Industry Authority ID with photo
• Photo identification card, Adult proof of age card or 18+ card (physical card or digital version)
• Keypass ID card with photo (physical card or digital version)
• Queensland Corrective Services—Proof of identity form (if you're applying for assistance while living in a correctional facility located in Queensland)
• Permanent Resident Evidence (PRE) ImmiCard issued by the Department of Home Affairs

If you can't provide any primary identification, provide 2 forms of secondary identification.

Secondary documents

• Apprenticeship indenture papers
• Australian marriage certificate
• Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Notice of Assessment
• Credit or debit card with signature
• Documents from Services Australia (Centrelink) showing your name and customer reference number (CRN), including:
  • letters
  • a valid Pension Concession Card or Health Care Card
  • Low Income Health Care Card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (physical card or digital version) available through the Services Australia Express Plus app.
• Divorce papers
• Green Medicare card
• Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) Gold Card
• Life insurance policies
• Occupational registration documents
• Other recognised photographic ID (e.g. security identification)
• Bank, credit union or building society statement showing recent transactions
• Student card with photo
• Referrals or reports from incorporated organisations, such as:
  • social welfare bodies
  • trade unions
  • employers
  • schools
• Letter of identification issued by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service
• Proof of identity form or card issued by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Council
• A reference from a board member of an Aboriginal Land Council or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation confirming the identity of an applicant who cannot provide primary identification
• A reference from a police officer, health professional or community Elder on official letterhead which establishes an applicant’s social footprint in the community where the applicant cannot provide primary identification
• Immigration papers or other official documents issued by the Department of Home Affairs

Note: An 'incorporated' organisation is an organisation set up as a legal entity (i.e. a 'corporation' or 'company'). It can be a private or public business, non-profit organisation, sports club or government organisation.

If you have a medical condition or disability that affects your housing needs, you need to provide information about this with your application. This helps us work with you to find a housing option that's appropriate for you and your household’s disability and medical needs.

Provide information about:

• the nature of the disability and/or medical condition
• your household’s specific requirements
• the reason that your current housing is inappropriate.

If the physical amenity of your current housing doesn't meet your needs, you can provide:

• a letter from an NDIS support provider or local area coordinator
• a medical report from your doctor (PDF, 858.4 KB) that outlines the seriousness of the disability/medical condition and why your current housing is inappropriate
• written advice from an occupational therapist, or a health or support provider, about the nature of the disability or medical condition, why your current housing is inappropriate and how it restricts your, or your household's daily living activities
• a support statement (PDF, 806.3 KB) completed by you or your advocate, and/or each support worker/health professional separately, which outlines your situation and needs.

If your current housing lacks essential facilities or shared facilities, you can provide confirmation from a relevant community or support agency that the living conditions are inappropriate due to a lack of essential facilities.

These may include:

• cooking facilities
• bathroom facilities
• water supply
• electricity for a hot water system, lighting and batteries in smoke detectors.

If your current housing has health and safety issues (i.e. structural condition or size of property), you can provide:

• documentation from the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) that shows any action taken to fix the situation under the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008
• a report from a qualified tradesperson and/or building inspector that details the property's structural condition/issues and confirms that it doesn't meet legal health and safety standards.

If you need to move, you must provide evidence of the reason.

Current housing is not near essential services or transport

If your current housing isn't located near essential services or transport, provide information that explains:

• the nature of the medical condition or disability and the specific health or support requirements
• why the current location is inappropriate, including distance from health or support services
• the ability to travel to other locations to access these services.

This information should be provided by:

• an NDIS support provider or local area coordinator
• an occupational therapist
• a health or support provider.

Access to/custody of child, shared care of child or foster care arrangements

If your current housing doesn't enable access to/custody of child, shared care of child or foster care arrangements, you should provide:

• information from the Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services confirming the conditions for the return of a child to your or a household member's care
• information from Legal Aid confirming the return of the child to your or a household member's care
• a copy of a court order outlining access visit arrangements for the child or children
• any other relevant legal documents, or an affidavit or statutory declaration completed by both caregivers that outlines access visit arrangements for the child or children.

Proximity to domestic and family violence or sexual violence perpetrator

If you have safety concerns, please talk to us by contacting a Housing Service Centre in person or over the phone.

Family, social and community connections

If your current housing is far from family, social and community connections, provide an affidavit or statutory declaration from a family member or informal support provider that confirms:

• the need for the support
• the current home’s distance from the support services
• the household’s ability to travel to receive the necessary family, social and community connections.

Education or training services

If your current housing is far from your current education or training location, provide details from the registered education or training provider confirming:

• enrolment details
• period of course or enrolment
• location of education or training facility or service
• your ability to travel to access the education or training service.

Employment

If the location of your current housing prevents you accepting an employment offer, provide information from the employer, recruitment agency or government agency about the need to move. (The employment must be at least 20 hours per week.)

If your job needs you to transfer to another location, provide information from your employer confirming that you need to transfer to another work location to maintain your employment.

Moving closer to family

If your family is split across more than one location and you need appropriate housing, provide:

• information from a community support agency or emergency care provider that confirms your circumstances
• information from your landlord, family or friends that confirms the circumstances and the reason that your current housing arrangement is inappropriate.

Cultural reasons

If you need to move for cultural reasons, provide information that explains the circumstances. This information may be from:

• an Elder of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community
• community health or support agency
• police.

Unaffordable rent

If you spend 30% or more of your income on rent, provide evidence of the rent you currently pay. This can include:

• rent or board receipts
• current tenancy agreement
• information from your landlord or real estate agent confirming the weekly rent or board amount.

If you or a household member is experiencing domestic and family or sexual violence, contact us to talk about your situation.

Tell us if you need to leave your current housing immediately, and we'll connect you to support services.

You don’t need to provide evidence of your safety needs, but please tell us if you have any of these documents, as it helps us understand your needs:

• information from a domestic and family or sexual violence support service, hospital, community support agency or emergency care provider that confirms your circumstances
• information from a third party confirming your customer circumstances
• information from housing or community workers confirming your circumstances
• a domestic violence protection order
• a protection order
• a Family Court order
• confirmation from the Department of Child Safety, Seniors and Disability Services that you or a household member is at risk
• a peace and good behaviour order
• supporting evidence from police confirming that you or a household member is at risk.

You can choose which of the following types of housing you want to apply for.

The type of housing you may be offered, if you’re eligible, depends on what's available in your chosen areas and the number of bedrooms your household is entitled to.

Detached house – a house with 2 or more bedrooms on 1 block of land

Duplex – usually 2 units, with 1–3 bedrooms in each, divided by a common wall, on 1 block of land

Dual occupancy – 2 properties on 1 block of land

Cluster house – several attached or separate homes, with 2–4 bedrooms in each, within a housing development

Townhouse – 3 or more units next to each other, with 1–4 bedrooms in each, divided by common walls

Apartment / flat / unit – usually a complex of 2 or more storeys, with 1–3 bedrooms in each

Seniors’ unit – for people over the age of 55, usually in a complex of 1–2 storeys, with 1–2 bedrooms in each

Bedroom entitlements

We will work out how many bedrooms your household is entitled to based on the number, age and gender of the people in your household.

These are the bedroom entitlements:

Requesting fewer bedrooms

You can ask for housing with fewer bedrooms to increase your chance of getting a property sooner. However, we first need to agree that serious overcrowding won't occur.

To make this request, complete an Acceptance of smaller housing form (PDF, 995.2 KB) and take it to your nearest Housing Service Centre.

If you request and are offered the smaller housing, you won't be able to transfer to larger housing unless there are special circumstances.

How we assess bedroom entitlements

• Usually no more than 2 children of the same gender can share a bedroom. If the bedroom is big enough, 3 children of the same gender can share.
• If there's an age gap of 7 years or more between children of the same gender, each child gets their own bedroom.
• If someone in the property is 3 months pregnant or more (confirmed with a doctor’s certificate), enough bedrooms are provided to allow for a baby of either gender.
• Couples are given 1 bedroom only.
• Single people who are aged 18 or more when they apply and are housed will receive a separate bedroom.
• If someone in the property has regular and ongoing custody of children, these children are included in the assessment of bedroom entitlements. You must provide evidence of the custody arrangements.

If there are any changes to your household or housing need, you must tell us within 28 days.

We review your eligibility and housing need again while you're on the housing register and before we may consider you for an offer of housing.

You should also talk to your nearest Housing Service Centre if a household member needs an extra bedroom for:

• health, medical or disability–related equipment
• support needs
• a live-in carer.

Note: Housing offers will depend on the availability of housing in your chosen areas and the number of people ahead of you on the housing register with higher needs.

Your guardian, administrator, informal guardian, informal administrator or support person can help you with your application.

• Guardians manage the daily affairs of an adult with impaired decision-making capacity. They make personal and lifestyle decisions about things like medical treatment, housing, employment and support services.
• Administrators manage the financial, legal and property affairs of an adult with impaired decision-making capacity.
• Informal guardians/informal administrators support people with impaired decision-making through a private arrangement. They are often a close relative or friend. Please tell us if a close family member or friend is helping you make decisions about your personal or financial matters.

The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) makes decisions about the personal, health or financial affairs of an adult with impaired decision-making capacity.

QCAT may appoint a formal guardian or administrator to help the adult with decisions. The adult can have more than one guardian or administrator making decisions on their behalf. QCAT will clearly explain the decision-making powers  that the guardian or administrator has.

A guardian or administrator:

• must be over 18 years of age
• must not be a paid carer or health provider for the adult.

Formal guardians or administrators must complete a formal guardian and/or administrator details form (PDF, 961.2 KB) and attach a copy of QCAT’s order.

If we need to contact your guardian or administrator, we need to have their contact details and know what decisions they can make. We won't contact a guardian or administrator about your decisions unless they complete this form.

Informal guardians or administrators must complete an informal decision-maker details form (PDF, 998.9 KB) and return it to the nearest Housing Service Centre. We won't contact your informal guardian or administrator about your decisions unless they complete this form.

Your nearest Housing Service Centre also has these forms.

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