Hoarding costing Australia $1.8 billion per year, report finds

Health and welfare experts from around the world have gathered in Sydney for a conference aimed at tackling Australia’s hoarding problem, which is believed to be costing the country about $1.8 billion per year.

File. (AAP)

It's been recognised as a psychiatric condition which affects up to 600 thousand Australians but until recently, no-one took it too seriously.

Now more than 200 health and welfare experts from around the world have gathered in Sydney for a national conference on hoarding.

Catholic Community Services NSW/ACT has released a report claiming hoarding is costing the Australian economy about $1.8 billion every year.

It has brought together psychiatrists and welfare experts from around Australia, the United States and Sweden to discuss how best to tackle the problem.

Catholic Community Services' Hoarding and Squalor Program Manager Mercy Splitt said Australia urgently needed a national policy on hoarding.

She said hoarding could often lead to serious safety risks with Fire and Rescue NSW reporting that one in three fire deaths this year involved hoarding.

"Hoarding disorder is one of the most complex and stigmatised social issues that we face", Ms Splitt said.

"Yet Australia does not have a cohesive approach to tackling a problem that can put people at risk of fire, eviction, isolation and homelessness."

The conference wraps up on Friday.