Ó An Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitúil agus Oidhreachta
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The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, has today (28 January 2022) published the Monthly Homeless Report for December 2021 and the Homeless Quarterly Progress Report for the fourth quarter of 2021. 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.
The total number of homeless individuals is 8,917, a decrease of 182 (2%) on the total for November 2021. There had been increases in the number of persons in homeless emergency accommodation between June and November 2022, with the latest data now showing a fall in homelessness. Since its highest level in October 2019, the numbers of individuals in emergency accommodation has decreased by 1,597 (15%), from 10,514 to 8,917 currently.
Of the homeless adults recorded in December, 4,722 (73%) were single adults. This is a decrease of 41 (1%) on the 4,763 single adults recorded last month.
There were 1,077 families in emergency accommodation in December, a decrease of 31 (2.8%) on the 1,108 recorded in November 2021. The largest number of families recorded to date was 1,778 in July 2018. The figure for December 2021 is 701 (39%) lower than this.
A total of 2,451 children under 18 associated with these families were in emergency accommodation in December 2021. This is a decrease of 97 (3.8%) on the 2,548 recorded in November 2021. 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. Bearing this caveat in mind, the largest number of dependants recorded to date was 3,873 in September 2019 and there has been a reduction of 1,422 (37%) since then.
The Quarterly Progress report shows that during Quarter 4, a total of 1,191 adults and their dependants exited homelessness into tenancies or were prevented from entering emergency accommodation. Over the full course of 2021, a total of 5,234 exits from homelessness were achieved. This represents an 11% decrease on the 5,886 exits achieved over the corresponding period in 2020.
The significant factor in this decrease was a decline in availability of private rented properties available under the Housing Assistance Payment scheme. In the first quarter of 2021 there were 1,004 exits through this scheme, and this fell to 721 in Q4.
Exits from homelessness to local authority homes increased in the fourth quarter to 231 tenancies having reached a low of 76 in Q2 2021.
Family presentations in the Dublin region in Quarter 4 were up 2% on the corresponding period in 2020 (from 380 to 387). Over the full course of 2021, family presentations were up 62 (4%) on 2020 (from 1,544 to 1,606). However, the number of families entering emergency accommodation in the Dublin region in Quarter 4 was down 6% on the corresponding period in 2020 (from 180 to 170). Over the full course of 2021, 53% of families (857) presenting to homeless services in Dublin were prevented from entering emergency accommodation by way of a tenancy having been created.
December 2021 saw the conclusion of the Housing First National Implementation Plan which commenced in 2018. A total of 61 new supported tenancies commenced in Quarter 4 2021. Housing First provides a person with high support needs who is sleeping rough, or who has been a long-term user of homeless accommodation, with their own permanent home, as well as access to intensive and specialised support services. There are currently 680 high support need individuals, who were formerly rough sleepers or long-term users of emergency accommodation, housed and supported in their own homes under the Housing First Programme. It is now operational in every county in Ireland. Even if a tenancy fails, Housing First continues to support the individual to another tenancy. Housing First provides the most vulnerable of our homeless population with a home for life.
In September 2018, the National Implementation Plan for the programme was launched setting out a national target of 663 additional tenancies to be achieved nationwide by the end of 2021. The Quarterly Progress Report for Q4 2021 confirms that a total of 756 Housing First tenancies was achieved under the Plan over its lifetime.
2022 will now see a significant expansion of Housing First. A new National Implementation Plan for 2022-2026 was launched in December. It commits to a further 1,319 supported tenancies on top of those already in place.
Commenting on the details contained in the reports published today, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien T.D. said:
“Supply issues exacerbated by Covid-19 have impacted on homelessness in the second half of 2021, but thankfully we have now seen a decrease at the end of the year. Conditions are still challenging and will continue to be as we enter 2022. The latest reduction is welcome, but we have not yet fully reversed the recent trend. This will require significant work which I and the Government am committed to doing. Homelessness overall has been reduced from over 10,500 in late 2019 to where it is currently at less than 9,000.
We must now ramp up delivery of new housing across all tenures. Over 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable homes and 18,000 cost rental homes are to be delivered by 2030. The funding is there in 2022 and beyond to achieve this.
Co-operation through joined-up policy and action are key to addressing homelessness. A key initiative that I have now put in place is the National Homeless Action Committee, which I am chairing. This is a cross-departmental structure with all of the key Government agencies and bodies involved in addressing homelessness. It will drive delivery of homeless actions, including those under the Government’s Housing for All plan.
Membership of the Committee comprises key Government Departments and agencies dealing with Housing, Health, Education, Children, Social Protection, Justice and from the local government sector. Key voluntary organisations involved in tackling homelessness are also members.
At the first meeting on 20 December, it was agreed that immediate priority would be given to actions on Homelessness Prevention over the coming months. All members of the Action Committee are tasked with bringing forward measures in this area. The next meeting is to take place on 7th February and will progress this work.
The reports published today mark a significant milestone with the completion of the Housing First National Implementation Plan which ran from 2018 to 2021. The targets set were significantly exceeded and we have now delivered 756 new tenancies during that time. This programme is one of the key responses in ending long-term homelessness among those with complex health and mental health needs. It provides the most vulnerable of our homeless population with a home for life as well as with key wraparound health and social supports.
In December, we launched a new National Implementation Plan for the period to 2026, with an additional 1,319 supported tenancies are to be delivered. This will ensure that Housing First continues to operate and expand in every county of Ireland. It will involve an average of 264 new tenancies per annum, with the specific annual targets for each region now set out in the plan.
Having a joined-up approach between policy nationally and action locally is also critical. In December, I and my Department issued new guidance to local authorities on the preparation of local Homelessness Action Plans. This guidance is to support the implementation of Housing for All, in particular, the policy provisions and actions on homelessness.
Reducing and eventually eliminating homelessness will involve significant action by all sectors and the Government is committed to leading this national effort.”
Ends