LOW income earners in Perth are battling harder to find homes to rent, new research by Anglicare shows.

The median price of a rental property in Perth has jumped 16 per cent to $520 per week, up from $450 per week in 2012.



Anglicare's Rental Affordability Snapshot 2013, released today, shows only five per cent of Perth's rental market is affordable for people on the minimum wage.



Couples on the minimum wage with children can only afford 2.6 per cent of rental properties, down from 7.8 per cent last year.



The situation is even worse for people on benefits or pensions, who can access less than one per cent of the city's rentals.



For young people trying to move out of home, it's particularly tough, chief executive Ian Carter says.



``Whether they are studying, on a benefit or a minimum wage entry level job, the market is far beyond their price range,'' Mr Carter said.



``For some young people, this lack of affordable accommodation can lead to couch surfing and homelessness.''

Affordable rentals are already staggeringly low last year, but are even less accessible this year, Mr Carter says.



``This is a genuine crisis,'' he said.



``Many people are being forced to strike a terrible bargain and accept a rent price that is far above what they can afford.''



Mr Carter suggested raising unemployment benefits and rental assistance payments, and creating more public housing.



The Australian Greens suggested expanding the National Rental Affordability Scheme, as well as a convert-to-rent program to turn empty properties into affordable rentals.



``This program would see 15,000 rentals refurbished nationally for just $350 million,'' the party's housing spokesman Senator Scott Ludlam said.



``This is a modest investment that would make a difference to the shortfall of 500,000 affordable and available rental properties in Australia right now.''