Young Australians' mental health and cognitive skills are in decline, while a smaller share of Australians receive government income support payments, according to new research from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. The survey, which has tracked over 17,000 people for 25 years, released its 2024 data, revealing a stark picture of deteriorating well-being for the working class.
Self-reported mental health for women across most age groups has declined since 2001, particularly for young women aged 15 to 24. The trend among men is similar, with younger age groups reporting declining mental health across decades, although levels are overall higher than for women. Only men aged 65 and over bucked this general trend, seeing an increase in their self-reported mental health.
The proportion of young people living with their parents has climbed since the turn of the century. This increase is greatest for 18- to 21-year-olds, lifting to 85 per cent. Most of that growth happened up until the mid-2010s and has remained fairly stable since.
In the survey's cognitive tests, average performance declined for Australians aged 15 to 24 in both the backwards digits span test and the symbol digits modalities test. Older Australians performed better on those tests compared with 2012. Those aged 45 and older did better on average on both tests across time.
The survey found a significant reduction in government income support. About 13 per cent of 18- to 64-year-olds now receive income support, a sharp drop from 24 per cent 25 years ago. Australians aged 65 and over rely more on benefits, but that share has also dropped across the survey period, indicating a systematic withdrawal of state support.
The Human Toll of Austerity
The share of Australians over 15 who experienced food insecurity increased in four years. More people reported they could not obtain adequate food in the past year because of a lack of money. This reflects a deepening crisis of basic needs.
Housing stress has consistently been higher for single parents with children. It has also surged for single older men and couples with children in recent years. The burden of housing costs falls disproportionately on those with the least accumulated wealth.
Relationship quality increases with age, but not before it drops in the 30s and 40s. Women consistently report lower relationship quality than men across their lifetimes. Even at the lowest point for women, the average rating for relationship quality is about four out of five.
The percentage of people above the at-risk threshold for problematic social media use was greatest for teenagers. This figure steadily declined across older ages, pointing to specific pressures on younger generations.
Capital's Contradictions
Average hourly earnings for workers have risen since 2001, despite a surge and dip around the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the gender pay gap has persisted, with women earning less on average. This rise in earnings has not translated into improved living conditions for many, revealing the limits of wage growth under the current system.
The percentage of people with a university degree has risen across decades for all ages and genders. This rise has been much faster for women, with the biggest gender gap emerging in the 35-44 age groups. Yet, increased education has not shielded workers from declining mental health or economic precarity.
Both mothers and fathers have taken more paid parental leave. Women took more than four months on average in 2024, while fathers took four weeks. The report suggests these increases could be due to the federal government extending paid parental leave during this period, a minor concession that fails to address the broader structural issues impacting Australian workers.