A new report from Finder* has revealed that 6% of Australians have stepped in to help a relative or friend with a deposit or rent in the past 12 months – a stark reflection of how deeply housing affordability is now embedded in family financial dynamics.
While once reserved for milestone moments like weddings or house deposits, financial support between relatives is now covering everyday essentials.
Finder’s nationally representative survey of 1,017 adults found that 36% (equivalent to 7.7 million people) gave financial support to a family member or friend in the past year.
The top reasons included help with rent, groceries, utility bills (30%), unexpected medical costs (17%), and debt repayments (12%).
Real estate professionals are likely already seeing the ripple effects: extended decision-making timelines, multi-generational financial arrangements, and an increasing reliance on the so-called “Bank of Mum and Dad” not just for first-home buyers, but for renters too.
“Parents used to help out adult kids with deposits and weddings. Now it’s groceries and overdue bills,” said Finder’s personal finance expert, Sarah Megginson.
“Australians are quietly becoming the safety net for their families – often at the expense of their own security.”
Other findings show that 12% of respondents gave money to their parents, 10% helped their adult children, and 9% supported siblings.
Notably, 6% provided financial help without knowing what it was for, a potential red flag when dealing with high-stakes expenses like rent, loans, or mortgages.
*Methodology
- Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,017 respondents from June 2025.
