Homeless families up 55% since January

A leading homeless charity has described the 55% increase in the number of families in emergency accommodation since the start of the year as “truly devastating”.

Simon Communities national spokeswoman Niamh Randall said latesthomeless figures from the Department of Environment was further evidence of the housing crisis.

During one week in June, there were 3,258 adults, 620 families and 1,318 children in emergency accommodation throughout the country.