Can you exist without a fixed address?
Lesley Leece runs a non-profit organisation that collects mail for people who are homeless, and she says without an address people struggle.
"If you don't have any identification, if you don't have an address, you pretty much don't exist in our society," Ms Leece said.
It's a quandary tens of thousands of Queenslanders now face.
A new report, from the Queensland Council of Social Service and The Town of Nowhere campaign, found the number of homeless in the state has shot up more than 20 per cent in five years — almost triple the increase nationally.
What happens to the mail?
Every year, Brisbane's 3rd Space organisation holds thousands of letters for people without an address.
"[It's about] giving people a place where their important mail can come so that they don't end up in situations where they haven't responded to something," Ms Leece said.
But it’s just "one piece of the puzzle" to helping somebody back on their feet, she said.
"If they pick up a letter that has come from a government department, and they don't understand it, or they are upset by it, we have people on site who can then talk to them about that and help them."
The centre also links people to services like Centrelink, NDIS, lawyers, support workers and health professionals.
But many of those will ask for an address.
What other services need an address?
We may be increasingly paperless, but an address — and proof of it — still underpins everything from identification to school enrolment.
"If you've lost a driver's licence, and that's been taken away from you, and that's equally challenging then trying to replace that where you don't have a fixed address either," St Vincent de Paul Queensland CEO Kevin Mercer said.
"And if you don't have ID, it's very hard to get access to income or rental supports," he said.
You can access Centrelink, Medicare and child support without an address, but you'll still need somewhere for them to send your mail.
"Our staff will assist people who indicate they no longer have a home address or whose accommodation is temporary or unstable, to organise an alternate correspondence address," Services Australia general manager Hank Jongen said.
"Alternative addresses can include a post office box, 'care of' local post office, a friend or a local service provider."
An address is required when applying for a tax file number. But a "care of" postal address can be supplied to the Australian Taxation Office so that it can be mailed out.
The department also advises people to keep their details updated.
Can you get a license?
Under Queensland legislation, you must be a resident of Queensland for a Queensland driver's license or photo ID, and have the details to show it.
But if somebody can't produce this, Queensland Transport and Main Roads can work with them on a "case-by-case basis" to look at other options, a spokesperson said.
You also need an address to receive your physical card, although you can choose an alternative like a friend or family member's.
What about school?
Proof of address is typically needed for a child to be enrolled in school, according to the Queensland Department of Education.
"But principals will work with students and families directly to ensure children can still enrol if they are unable to provide that proof due to experiencing homelessness or having no fixed address," the spokesperson said.
Where can I get my mail?
A lot of charities, like 3rd Space and St Vincent de Paul, let people use their address for mail.
Australia Post also offers free PO boxes for people experiencing domestic violence.
You can apply at any post office by filling out a PO box or mail redirection application, and providing supplementing documents like an intervention order or statutory declaration.
That service is available nationwide and for up to 22 months.
An address is required for applying for a tax file number.
But a 'care of' postal address can be supplied to the Australian Taxation Office so the department can mail a written tax file number.
The department also advises people to keep their details updated.
What about banking?
Some banks allow people with no fixed address to apply for a new bank account.
But people will still need to provide valid identification documents to open the account, including an Australian or foreign passport, Australian driver's license and/or Medicare card.
Other documents can also be presented in person to open an account.
It is also important for people to update their address details, including when they have become homeless, so banks can discuss the best way to communicate with them and for the account's security.
