The true extent of homelessness in NI

The latest in a series of homelessness monitors, produced by Crisis and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, was launched yesterday in Belfast. The event marked the first of the reports into homelessness in Northern Ireland and is part of a bigger project researching the impact of policy and economic developments on homelessness in each of the countries in the UK.

The research was undertaken following concerns that the economic downturn and government public spending reforms have had a negative impact on homelessness.

The report looks at:

• The historical and international context of homelessness.
• The economic factors which may impact on homelessness following the 2007 economic downturn.
• The Government and Northern Ireland Executive policies on homelessness and welfare reform.
• Trends in homelessness.

Some of the key points from the Northern Ireland report are:

• One in eighteen of all adults in NI say that they have experienced some degree of homelessness.
• Statutory homelessness has remained at historically high levels since 2005/06.
• The use of temporary accommodation has been consistently increased; there was an increase of 11% in its use in 2012/13.
• Levels of persons being accepted as statutorily homeless are higher in NI than the rest of the UK (13.4 per 1,000 households compared with 2.3 in England).
• Pressure on the social housing stock is a concern with a decrease in the number of annual lettings to new tenants falling from more an 10,000 in the 1990s to approximately 7,700 by 2011/12.

The report calls on the Northern Ireland Assembly to take action to ensure that the most vulnerable in society are protected as NI is likely to see risking levels  of homelessness.

Leslie Morphy, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “This report is an early warning signal. It is critical that the Northern Ireland Assembly monitors homelessness and safeguards services in this time of radical change. There must be a safety net to protect the most vulnerable. Crisis is concerned that for many people struggling on low incomes, these changes could be the tipping point that places them at risk of homelessness.”

Today’s report is not the end of this project. Research will continue into homelessness in NI until 2015.