Disability and mortgage default: an Australian study

Debates on human rights and discrimination regarding housing and disability need to emphasise community care and inclusion as principles for improving policy. A qualitative study of Australian mortgage default reveals special difficulties for households with a member with a disability; that is, illness, impairment or injury limiting everyday activities and enduring for several months. Interviews showed that such households adopted similar strategies to other mortgagors with serious financial difficulties but tended to have fewer and less attractive options. Given the crisis in Australian disability welfare services and the 2010-2011 Productivity Commission inquiry recommending major reforms, these findings can inform policy.