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xHomelessness crisis affecting children in Northern Ireland
Date: 11th December 2024
Category:
General measures of implementation, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare
During Homelessness Awareness Week this year, alarming figures reveal a growing crisis in Northern Ireland, with over 5,000 children now living in temporary accommodation—a 99% increase in five years.
Of these children, 3,144 are under nine years old, including 482 infants under one year. Many others remain uncounted, hidden by housing insecurity and unstable living situations. A lack of social housing, underfunding, and the lasting effects of the pandemic have worsened the crisis. Families face prolonged stays in temporary accommodation, often unsuitable for children, as the housing shortage continues.
The Children’s Commissioner for Northern Ireland said:
“These figures are not just statistics—they represent real lives and futures at risk. It is entirely unacceptable and utterly heartbreaking that so many of our youngest children are without a safe, stable place to call home.
“I’m calling on the Minister for Communities to prioritise the introduction of homelessness prevention legislation and the Anti-Poverty Strategy, as well as providing adequate and sustainable budgets to support those facing homelessness or the risk thereof. These are vital steps toward addressing the systemic issues that contribute to homelessness.”