Loneliness is an epidemic in Australia. In 2020 almost 1.2 million people (14.6 per cent of the population) across New South Wales reported feeling lonely. Loneliness especially affects the young, the old, and those living alone. The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre estimated that loneliness is costing Australia $2.7 billion each year.

At the Sydney Summit, held by the Committee for Sydney in February, our team proposed one solution to ameliorate both the rental affordability crisis and loneliness epidemic in Australia: intergenerational renting. In other words, connect young people who need a room with the elderly who need company. SGS Senior Associate, Jo Noesgaard told the audience at the Summit:

“We can use the 13 million empty rooms across Australia to increase rental supply opportunities and connect older people with younger people, improving social connections.”

The premise is simple: older people living alone rent their room for an affordable price to a younger person, who may in return, provide company and hep with basic chores. The rent won’t be live-in care, but support with gardening, shopping, and cooking, for example, could be exchanged for an affordable place to live.

The idea might sound quaint, but our research shows that of two million empty rooms in Sydney, 550,000 are within 1km of a train station. In fact, 20,000 are within 1km of Kings Cross and Edgecliff stations. Leaving empty rooms in prime locations that could be rented out at affordable prices.

Outside of the proposed benefits, making a situation like this work is another matter. Connecting young and older people, in a safe and secure way, seems like no easy feat but it can be done. As Jo Noesgaard, SGS Senior Associate points out:

“Some small existing programs do this already, so we know it can work. We want to push this idea to the next level".