Australia spends more on tax breaks for landlords than social housing, homelessness and rent assistance combined

Research by Acoss shows tax concessions for landlords cost $12.3bn in 2025, while total expenditure on key housing assistance programs totalled $9.6bn. Photograph: Jesse Thompson/Getty Images

Australia spends billions of dollars more on tax breaks for property investors than on social housing, homelessness and rent assistance combined, according to research by the Australian Council of Social Service (Acoss).

The analysis comes as new data from the Productivity Commission reveals the share of homes dedicated to social housing has dropped to a record low 3.6%, from 5.7% in the 1990s.