Housing crisis sees one in five people in Ireland living in poverty

The study has found that there are over 950,000 people living in poverty in Ireland after housing costs are factored in. File picture 

The impact of the housing crisis in Ireland is having a major impact on the country's overall poverty rate, with 371,000 extra people living in poverty because of housing costs. 

The amount of people living in poverty jumps from  11.6% to 19% after housing costs are factored in, and renters are being hit the hardest with 41.6% at risk of poverty month to month, a new study by Social Justice Ireland has revealed. 

The findings of their study 'Housing Costs and Poverty 2022' paint a grim picture of the impact of the housing crisis on people's financial wellbeing in Ireland today. 

The independent think-tank says its findings show that the actual number of people living in poverty in Ireland today is just short of one million at 952,185. 

Colette Bennet, an economic and social analyst at Social Justice Ireland said the study shows that "far from supporting families out of poverty, housing subsidies are so inadequate as to be allowing greater numbers into it". 

The poverty risk of households in receipt of housing subsidies continues to be the highest of all occupancy types. 

Covid-19 support payments acted as a buffer for many people, she said, but since these supports have been withdrawn by the government, renters are facing a "greater poverty risk".

The report analyses the impact of housing costs, including mortgage interest and rent, on the poverty rate of different types of households throughout 2021. 

Social Justice Ireland found that single parents are the worst affected of all households, with an increase in the poverty rate of 51% after housing payments. 

People living with long-standing health conditions are also badly affected, with the number of people living in poverty increasing from 39.1% to 53.8% after housing payments.