SENIORS are being displaced to the fringes of Perth suburbs, but still struggling to find suitable, affordable houses, according to advocacy organisations.
Shelter WA executive officer Bronwyn Kitching said seniors struggled to get housing, particularly smaller one or two-bedroom apartments.
“The type of housing that’s built throughout the northern suburbs are family houses, not the type that single, older people can afford to buy,” she said.
She said there had been a concentration of aged care facilities in the area, but for people who did not need support to live in the community there was little suitable housing.
In addition, seniors who found they could afford housing only on the fringes faced challenges such as being disconnected from their families and not having easy access to medical care and amenities.
Seniors were also affected by rent levels, with more than 30 per cent of their income going to rent.
“Low income older people who don’t own their home pay a premium,” she said.
Stamp duty was high in WA for people wanting to downsize, according to National Seniors Australia WA policy group’s June MacDonald.
National Seniors has made a submission to the State Government which includes a request to review the concessional stamp duty scheme.
“The current rate of stamp duty in WA not only fails to recognise the benefits of downsizing but acts as a considerable disincentive,” the submission said.