Housing statistics illustrate impact of lockdown

The latest housing bulletin for Northern Ireland was published on 27 August 2020. This bulletin covers the period from April to June 2020 and provides insight into how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on housing. The statistics show

• a marked reduction in the number of full duty applicants discharged during this period (53) when compared with the previous period (136) and the same period in 2019/20 (452), presumably as a result of lockdown measures and difficulties that people would have faced trying to plan a move during this period
• "loss of rented accommodation" as a reason for presenting as homeless falling to the fifth most common reason for presenting as homeless to the Housing Executive
• a 61.2% decrease in completions of new dwellings when compared with the same quarter in 2019/20 

The bulletin, and accompanying statistical reports, can be found on the Department for Communities website.