New NIHE Social Housing Data: Waiting List Figures Climbing, Endemic Housing Stress and Homelessness
As of end March, nearly 44,000 households were waiting for a home. Of the at least 24,717 children under 18 in those households, a minimum of 13,906 are growing up officially homeless.
New NIHE figures from end March 2021 reveal 43,971 households on the social housing waiting list – with at least 24,717 children under the age of 18 living in them. Overall, 69% of these households are considered by the Housing Executive to be in ‘housing stress’ – and these households have at least 16,713 children growing up in them. Over half of waiting list families have been recognised as Full Duty Applicant homeless, and they have nearly 14,000 children living in them.
Analysis of NIHE over time shows that current policy is failing to make a dent in this acute social housing need – letting down tens of thousands of people in our society, including some of the youngest and most vulnerable.
