Homelessness rate up more than 30% in past year, figures show

Charities are warning that homelessness is becoming comparable to a “life sentence” after the latest monthly report showed 10,492 people were in emergency accommodation in June, just 22 fewer than the highest monthly figure ever recorded in October 2019.

The total for last month represents a 31 per cent increase compared with June 2021.

The report from the Department of Housing shows that 167 more people were homeless in June compared with May. A total of 1,385 families were recorded as homeless in June, including 3,071 children.

Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien described the continuing increase in the numbers accessing emergency accommodation as a “serious concern” but stressed that the Government, local authorities and those in the NGO sectors were making every effort to reduce homelessness.

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However, the Simon Communities of Ireland are calling on the Government to take urgent action, outlined in their pre-budget submission, to move beyond crisis. Recommendations include bringing 5,000 vacant properties back into use, through the Repair and Lease Scheme, for people in homelessness and on the social housing waiting list as well as increasing funding towards homeless prevention and reforming HAP rates.

Wayne Stanley, head of policy and communications at the Simon Community of Ireland, said their first priority is to see government grasp the opportunity that our high vacancy rate affords us “[in order] to give relief to some of those men, women and children struggling in homelessness or the thousands more in hidden homelessness. These actions will also build greater capacity in local authorities and create some breathing space in the social housing system while the direct build homes committed to in the Government’s strategy, Housing for All, come online.”

Urgent intervention

Caoimhe O’Connell, Spokesperson for Dublin Simon Community, said homelessness was becoming “tantamount to a life sentence”.

“Urgent intervention is required to mitigate the long-term impact on the lives of those currently in the system and those who are barely clinging on to their homes as the cost of living and housing crises continue to squeeze them out.”

Focus Ireland said emergency homeless accommodation was now full, resulting in rising “hidden homelessness” where people have to stay in precarious and unsuitable accommodation.

Focus Ireland director of advocacy Mike Allen said local authorities across the country are being driven into ever desperate attempts to open new homeless shelters.

“When we know that emergency accommodation is not the answer, housing is the answer.”

Mr Allen said that although successive budgets had increased the total expenditure on homelessness, Focus Ireland research had shown that three-quarters of expenditure was on emergency/crisis “passive” measures to provide immediate shelter, instead of “active” measures to achieve long-term, stable housing.

“The proportion of expenditure on active measures which alter the circumstances of the person at risk of or experiencing homelessness, has declined year on year. It is vital that we ensure our budgetary priorities are directed towards active homeless measures, such as prevention and building public homes, while also ensuring that emergency accommodation is available to those in need.”

Separately, Social Democrats housing spokesman Cian O’Callaghan said child homelessness was up 41 per cent since this time last year.

“These figures are a shocking indictment of the Government’s failed housing policy. These figures do not include people sleeping rough on our streets, in tents and on couches. There is a complete lack of urgency by the Government in their approach to housing.”