Charity in stark warning of looming ‘hidden' and even worse housing crisis

Barnardos has warned of a “hidden housing crisis” involving thousands of families who are not yet in emergency accommodation but who are too afraid to leave substandard accommodation out of fear they could become homeless.

In a briefing paper to be published today, the children’s charity outlines the stark experiences of many families, as conveyed to Barnardos staff.

It includes one Barnardos worker spotting a rat running around a kitchen, and a Cork family consisting of two adults and three children — one of whom is terminally ill — having to sleep in a car for three weeks while they waited to be placed in a hotel.