Government can’t treat homeless data as ‘business as usual’

Homeless charities have warned that the latest figures showing yet another new record number of homeless people in the country cannot be treated as “business as usual”.

Statistics published by the Department of Housing showed that, in June, there were 9,872 people homeless, including 3,824 children. It represents a slight increase on the corresponding figure for May which showed 9,846 people homeless, including 3,826 children.

The crisis shows little sign of easing, even though the Department also published provisional results of the 2018 Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA), which showed an annual fall in the number of people on the housing waiting list.