June 2022 Monthly Homeless Report and Homeless Quarterly Progress Report Quarter 2 2022 published

• 10,492 homeless recorded in June – a 1.6% increase on previous month
• 1,211 adults and their dependants exited, or were prevented, from entering emergency accommodation in Q2 2022, a total of 2,439 in 2022 so far
• the number of new families presenting to homeless services has fallen by 10% on Quarter 1 levels
• the number of new families entering emergency accommodation has decreased from Quarter 1 by almost 14%

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has today (29 July 2022) published the Monthly Homeless Report for June 2022 and the Homeless Quarterly Progress Report for Quarter 2 2022.

The Monthly Homeless Report for June 2022 shows that 10,492 individuals were accessing emergency accommodation, an increase of 167 (1.6%) on the May 2022 total. There were 7,421 homeless adults recorded in June. 1,385 families were recorded as homeless, including 3,071 children (under-18). The continued increases are a serious cause for concern for the government.

The report shows that during Q2 2022, a total of 1,211 adults and their dependants exited, or were prevented from entering emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy being created. This represents a decrease of 1% on Quarter 1 2022. 2,439 adults exited or were prevented from entering emergency accommodation up to the end Q2 2022, a decrease of 11% on the corresponding period in 2021.

The Quarterly Progress report also shows the number of new families presenting to homeless services and the numbers entering and exiting emergency accommodation on a national basis. Quarter 2 shows a 10% decrease in the number of families presenting when compared to Quarter 1 (from 728 to 654). The report also shows that the number of new families entering emergency accommodation has fallen when compared to Quarter 1 by almost 14% (from 466 to 402).

In the Dublin region, family presentations were down 22% on the corresponding period in 2021 (from 443 to 346). Of the families presenting, 38% of these families were prevented from having to enter emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy having been created. 97 families exited emergency accommodation into a tenancy in the quarter, a 56% decrease on the 220 families who exited homelessness in the Dublin region in Q2 2021.

The Quarterly Report also shows that the majority of both single and family households accessing emergency accommodation on the last night of the quarter have been in emergency accommodation for less than 6 months (2,604 of 5,035 single households and 713 of 1,382 family households respectively).

The report also shows progress on the new Housing First National Implementation Plan 2022-2026, a key response to ending long-term homelessness among those with complex health and mental health needs. The Housing First Programme provides the most vulnerable of our homeless population with a home for life as well as with key wraparound health and social supports.

A total of 51 new supported tenancies commenced in Q2 2022. Through the programme, there are 737 high-support need individuals, who were formerly rough sleepers or long-term users of emergency accommodation, housed and supported in their own homes.

Commenting on the details contained in the reports published today, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, said:

Under Housing for All, the government’s national housing plan to 2030, the government is committed to providing 47,600 new-build social homes by the end of 2026, and 90,000 social homes by 2030. In terms of social housing delivery:

• last year, 9,183 new social homes were provided, a 17% increase on 2020
• this year, there is a target to deliver 9,000 new-build social homes, which will be delivered by local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies. The government has allocated a record €4 billion in Exchequer funding for housing this year. Minister O’Brien has been consistent in saying we need to decrease our reliance on market subsidies but that we will only do that through significantly scaling up our social housing supply. Housing for All commits the government to delivering 90,000 social homes between now and the end of 2030, including 9,000 new build homes this year
• overall, in 2021, over 23,000 households on local authority housing lists had their housing needs met. The 2021 Summary of Social Housing Assessments showed that 59,247 households were assessed as being qualified for and in need of social housing support (as of 17 November 2021). This figure is down 2,633 (4.3%) from 61,880 households on 2 November 2020. This figure also represents a total decrease of 32,353 (35.3%) since 2016
• the government continues to ensure vacant social housing units are brought back into use as quickly as possible through the Voids Programme. Investment of over €90 million since the start of 2020 has brought some 6,000 units back into use. Further significant funding is being provided for a new voids programme this year
• the HAP scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q4 2021, over 100,000 HAP tenancies had been created since the scheme commenced. More than 61,900 households are actively in receipt of HAP support and over 33,000 separate landlords and agents provide accommodation to households supported by the scheme. The HAP scheme continues to be an important social housing support and remains a part of the suite of social housing options currently available across the country
• Minister O’Brien recently increased the HAP discretion rate to 35% and expanded the couple’s rate to single persons. This will secure and expand more tenancies and prevent new entries to homelessness.

In terms of overall housing supply, the government, through Housing for All, targets 24,600 homes being built this year. To the end of June this year, just under 25,000 new homes were completed, the highest rolling 12-month average over the past decade

• in the 12 months to June 2022, Commencement Notices for 29,343 new homes were received. On a rolling 12-month basis, the total number of commencements received is 7.6% higher than the previous 12-month period of July 2020 to June 2021 (27,264)
• latest CSO figures show planning permissions for all residential dwellings are up 22.7% in the year ending Q1 2022 (44,491) when compared to the same time period to Q1 2021 (36,252)
• in response to the challenges arising from constrained housing availability, local authorities have been encouraged to be as proactive as possible to re-use vacant properties through the use of the voids funding programme, local authorities’ own resources as well as the Buy & Renew and Repair & Lease Schemes. Local authorities have been asked to ensure that homeless households are afforded the priority their local authorities allocation scheme affords them when allocating tenancies
• the department is supporting local authorities to acquire homes for social housing for priority purposes, including acquisitions which support a household to exit homelessness, or with tenants in situ to prevent homelessness
• to enhance security of tenure for tenants, all new tenancies created on or after 11 June 2022 will become tenancies of unlimited duration once the tenancy has lasted more than six months and no valid notice of termination has been served on the tenant
• recently passed legislation extends the notice periods, by approximately two months, to be given to tenants when serving a notice of termination (where there has been no breach of tenant obligations) in tenancies of less than three years duration

The Minister reiterated his commitment to working towards eradicating homelessness by 2030. He said:

The Quarterly Progress Report is prepared by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, based on quarterly performance reports submitted by the nine regional lead authorities responsible for the administration of homeless services at local level.

Children have been clearly enumerated in the monthly homeless statistics since July 2021 so comparisons with previously published data must be qualified, given that they are not directly comparable.

The government continues to ensure vacant social housing units are brought back into use as quickly as possible through the voids programme. Investment of over €90 million since the start of 2020 has brought some 6,000 units back into use. Further significant funding is being provided this year. The return to use of vacant local authority will be allocated to those on social housing waiting lists, including those currently in emergency accommodation.

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme plays a vital role in housing eligible families and individuals. At the end of Q4 2021, over 100,000 HAP tenancies had been set-up since the scheme commenced. More than 61,900 households are actively in receipt of HAP support and over 33,000 separate landlords and agents provide accommodation to households supported by the scheme. The HAP scheme continues to be an effective and secure forms of social housing support and remains a part of the suite of social housing options currently available across the country.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage also funds Threshold’s National Tenancy Protection Service, which is instrumental in preventing homelessness in the first instance and supporting people to remain in their homes.