This Australian survey explores people’s experience of heat in homes. It highlights the connections between housing quality, energy affordability, climate change and health impacts. It found 75% of respondents said they struggle to cool their homes, a significant increase from 54% in 2025. 

The need for greater government intervention and support to help people stay safe in their homes during worsening summer heat has reached a critical point, especially for people experiencing financial and social disadvantage, including First Nations people, renters, people on the lowest income support payments and people with disability or chronic health condition. The report makes 18 recommendations.

Key findings

• 91% of people said their home gets too hot in summer.
• 75% struggle to cool their homes, up from 54% in 2025.
• 97% of renters said their home gets too hot compared with 68% of owners.
• 86% of renters struggle to cool their homes compared with 32% of owners.
• 95% of First Nations people said their home gets too hot, compared with 89% of non-First Nations people.
• 93% of households with a disability or chronic illness said their home gets too hot.
• 51% went without food, medicine or other essentials to pay energy bills.

Key recommendations

• Improve energy performance and climate resilience of homes.
• The Federal Government should directly fund renewable energy subsidies.
• State and territory Governments should undertake energy concessions reform to better meet people’s energy needs and changing circumstances.
• The Commonwealth, state, territory and local Governments should prioritise a work program on heatwaves and fund the provision of and access to cool spaces to go to during hot weather.