One in five fear losing their home

The Simon Communities has sounded a warning call about a growing fear of homelessness among people struggling to meet mortgage and rental payments.

The nationwide housing charity said one in four people are now worried about the possibility of becoming homeless because of struggles to meet house payments, while one in five fear losing their home.

The warning came ahead of the charity’s annual Simon Week, which begins on September 29, and which this year has the theme ‘Stand and Deliver’ — an explicit call on the Government to bring in measures that will ensure Ireland meets its target of ending long-term homelessness by 2016.