This research recommends that housing assistance be provided under a tenure-neutral model. Currently households with similar needs receive fundamentally different levels and types of housing assistance depending on their housing tenure (i.e. owner, private renter, in social housing etc.) rather than needs.

The research found that large proportions of households with diverse demographic characteristics living in both ownership and rental tenures appear to be in housing need:

• Large numbers of lower income households who receive income support don't get enough financial assistance to alleviate financial strain
• High proportions of low to moderate income households who need assistance don't receive income support
• Housing assistance appears to most effectively offset financial strain for households with moderate to higher incomes who receive housing assistance.

The evidence suggests that demand-side responses to housing assistance in conjunction with a supply-side response for a more individualised model of housing assistance would promote better outcomes.