The Simon Communities of Ireland welcome the fall in homelessness at the end of 2020 but they remain concerned that these numbers will rise again throughout 2021.
According to the latest figures by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, there were 8,200 men, women and children in homeless emergency accommodation in Ireland during the last week of December 2020 compared to 8,484 in November 2020.
- 4,447 were single adults, an 8.6% increase on pre-pandemic levels in December 2019
- 970 families were homeless, a 37% fall on pre-pandemic levels in December 2019
Wayne Stanley, National Spokesperson for the Simon Communities of Ireland, said;
“While there has been a really welcome fall in the overall number of families in emergency accommodation in the past 12 months, the lowest number we’ve seen since March 2016, we continue to see that single person homelessness is at crisis levels.
With COVID numbers still high and a third lockdown set to continue, the Simon Communities are working will all stakeholder to support individuals and families out of homelessness, provide emergency accommodation where needed and assist people to avoid entering homelessness in the first instance.
We are deeply concerned that when Ireland exits this third lockdown period and the current moratorium on evictions is lifted, the lack of affordability in our housing system will see the numbers of people being pushed into homelessness increase again. As our Locked Out report this week showed prices in the private rental market remain consistently unaffordable, particularly for single people.
People have a right to a home and we have an opportunity to build on the positive collaboration that has seen family homelessness fall in 2020 and ensure 2021 is the year we turn the corner on homelessness for all.”
ENDS
For media queries and interview requests contact
Aileen Gaskin
P: 087 7724 717
E: communications@simoncommunity.com
About Simon Communities
The Simon Communities support over 18,000 men, women, and children. We have 50 years of experience providing homeless, housing and treatment services to people facing the trauma and stress of homelessness. We are a network of independent Communities based in Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, the Midlands, the Mid West, the North West and the South East, responding to local needs and supported by a National Office in the areas of policy, research, communications and best practice. We share common values and ethos in tackling homelessness and, informed by our grassroots services, we campaign for more effective policies and legislation regionally, nationally and at European level. Whatever the issue, Simon’s door is always open for as long as we are needed. For more information, please visit www.simon.ie.
Services include:
- Homelessness prevention, tenancy sustainment and resettlement.
- Street outreach, emergency accommodation and harm reduction.
- Housing with support and Housing First services.
- Homeless specific health and wellbeing services (counselling; addiction treatment and recovery; and mental health supports).
- Personal development, education, training, and employment services.
- Food banks, drop-in centres and soup runs.
