Survey highlights extent of hidden homeless crisis

Almost one-third of people know someone who has recently experienced housing exclusion and is part of Ireland’s growing hidden homeless.

In a national survey by the Simon Communities, 27% said they knew a person or family staying in a household — on a temporary basis — without any tenancy or ownership rights.

The study found that awareness of someone living temporarily with another household is highest among those aged under 25 and living in Leinster.

In the 18 to 24-year-old age group, 46% of the survey respondents said they were aware of someone or a family living without a regular address.

This was followed by the 25 to 34 age group, where 37% said they are aware of someone in precarious accommodation.

The awareness of a person or family in temporary accommodation dropped to 16% among people aged over 55.

Simon also sought to establish if housing and homelessness will feature among issues for the voting public ahead of the next general election which is expected next year.

Health (41%) was the number one issue Irish people would like to see prioritised after the next general election. Housing and homelessness (28%) followed as the second most important issue with the environment/climate action (22%) coming in third.

Concern for government action on housing and homelessness is prevalent among all age groups but the greatest levels of concern were among those aged under-25 (32%), followed by those aged 35 to 44 (30%) and those aged over-55.

Head of policy and communications at Simon Communities Wayne Stanley said the survey showed that housing exclusion was “pervasive and within touching distance” of a third of the population.

“We know from the work of the Simon Communities in Ireland that too much of this is ‘hidden homelessness’. Ten years ago, homelessness was something that happened to people we did not know. It’s now a reality for family, friends and colleagues. Homelessness has moved from something that was outside the circle of the vast majority, to something that is in the circle of large sections of our national adult population.”

“In this survey, we aimed to identify awareness of housing exclusion, where people are staying in a household – and on a temporary basis – without any tenancy or ownership rights. Too often, this is ‘hidden homelessness’, where people are sleeping on a floor or a couch, and are only living day-to-day while caught in such precarious living,” he said.

Mr Stanley said that the result sent a clear message to anyone running for office in the next election.

“That message is that housing and tackling homelessness are election issues, and the electorate wants a government that is committed to delivering solutions,” he said.