A new report from our peak body colleagues at the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) highlights the growing and unequal impacts of extreme heat on people in low-income living in poorly performing homes.  

The Heat in Homes research shows that the vast majority of respondents are living in homes that become dangerously hot in summer, with many unable to afford adequate cooling due to energy costs. 

The findings are stark: 75% of respondents are struggling to keep their homes cool (up from 54% in 2025), and 77% are struggling to pay energy bills. The health impacts are serious, with 93% reporting disrupted sleep and 17% seeking medical care due to heat. 

Renters are particularly affected. 86% of people who rent their home struggle to stay cool, and nearly half are too afraid to request improvements for fear of rent increases or eviction. First Nations households, people with disability and low-income communities face even greater risks. 

The consequences are severe: people are skipping meals, going without medication, and even seeking medical care due to heat-related illness. Renters, First Nations communities, people on income support and those in social housing are disproportionately affected, reflecting the intersection of energy hardship, housing quality and climate change.  

The report reinforces a clear message for housing policy: poor thermal performance is not just a comfort issue, but a health and equity issue. Shelter NSW and the national Shelter network stands with ACOSS in calling for urgent investment in energy upgrades to low-income housing, stronger minimum standards, and targeted support to ensure all households can live in safe, climate-resilient homes. 

The evidence of the impact of sub-standard housing stock on health, wellbeing, productivity, and climate adaptation is growing and becoming too hard to ignore. The findings of Heat in Homes are further reinforced by another report from renting advocacy organisation Better Renting.  

The Boiling Point report reaches similar conclusions about the growing risks of extreme heat in poorly performing homes. Together, the evidence points to a systemic failure to ensure safe indoor temperatures for renters and low-income households. Both reports highlight the urgent need for minimum energy performance standards in rental housing. They also underline the importance of targeted retrofit programs for existing homes. Without action, climate change will continue to deepen housing inequality and health risks. Ensuring all homes are safe, efficient and liveable must be central to housing policy. 

In our view, these findings underline the importance of improving housing quality alongside supply, ensuring that all homes are not only affordable, but healthy, efficient and able to withstand a dangerously warming climate. 

At the state level, Shelter NSW will continue to advocate for the expansion and broadening of the Social Housing Energy Performance Initiative (SHEPI), as detailed in our pre-budget submission, as well as complementary regulatory measures such as the implementation of mandatory minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties.