This unique and powerful report gives voice to the more than half a million older Australian women living in long-term income poverty. These women have given so much to the Australian economy during their younger lives as workers and carers but find themselves struggling to maintain their housing (often due to rising rent or rates) and being treated as a burden on the community rather than a wonderful and wise resource. Instead, it should be the time of their lives.

The impetus for commissioning this report came from a briefing session for philanthropy hosted by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation and Reichstein Foundation in 2014 to hear from the authors of the Deep and Persistent Disadvantage in Australia report, which was produced by the Productivity Commission as a Staff Working Paper. The statistics on older women and income poverty in the report were shocking. We decided to take the initiative of finding out more – and also looking for solutions. As part of this response we have recently funded a feasibility study as a consequence of this report and are continuing our work with the Transforming Housing Partnership supporting an increase in the supply of affordable housing.