|
Understanding Homelessness
The Changing Nature of Homelessness in Ireland
"It's a long day when you're homeless. It's lonely. There's nothing to do. There's nowhere to go" - Joanne, 23, homeless for 4 years
How many people are homeless?
The Department of the Environment estimates that in 2005, there were 2,399 homeless households in Ireland, with a further 9,212 households living in unfit accommodation, overcrowded accommodation or involuntarily sharing accommodation. The Department of the Environment also estimated that 25,045 people were not reasonably able to meet the cost of their accomodation.
In Dublin the number of homeless adults in March 2005 was 1,552 with 485 homeless dependents (22 of these dependents were over 18 years of age) across 1,361 households. 43% (n= 487) reported being homeless for more than three years. There were 185 rough sleepers with the remainder staying in emergency or insecure accommodation.
In this assessment there was a ratio of 2:1, men to women, among those who reported themselves as homeless. 46% reported their age as between 26 and 39 years old. Single person households form the vast majority (77%) of those experiencing homelessness. [1]
Why are so many homeless?
- Housing has become increasingly unaffordable - house prices and rent increased substantially in the last 10 years.
- Local authority housing in the past provided a safety net preventing those experiencing poverty and disadvantage from becoming homeless however in recent years there has been a waiting list of individuals and families who qualify to access such housing. According to the Housing Needs Assessment 2005 there are 43,684 households on the waiting lists for Local Authority Housing. This figure is almost 10% lower then the overall Housing Needs Assessment figure of 48,413 in 2002 however figures vary greatly from local authority to local authority e.g. Dublin City Council Local Authority had a decrease of 19% between 2002 and 2005 however Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Local Authority had an increase of 13% and Limerick City Council had an increase of 49% within this time period. [2]
- A number of people who reside in psychiatric hospitals or other institutions become homeless on discharge.
- Increased incidence of family breakdown also has an impact on levels of homelessness. Between 18 and 40% of homeless people say this was a cause of their homelessness. 24% of participants in one study reported family breakdown as the primary reason for first becoming homeless and 12% reported it as the highest secondary reason for first becoming homeless. [3]
- A Threshold report looking at the availability of rental accommodation indicates that the supply of bed sit type accommodation is falling. [4]
- It is estimated that 40% of people living in the private rental sector depend on rent supplement. This payment is often insufficient to meet the cost of rent with reports of people 'topping-up' payment from their own limited resources forgoing basic necessities and of people living in substandard accommodation. It is also argued that landlords can be reluctant to accept tenants on such payments. [5]
- There can be reluctance amongst homeless people to move into the Private Rented Sector (PRS) as they will then lose their place on the Council Housing List especially if they have been on this list for some time. This results in many families living for indefinite periods of time in Private Emergency Accommodation (B&B's) which is 'neither cost effective nor conducive to child rearing and family development'. [6]
What problems do homeless people have?
- The average age of death of those recoded as homeless on coroners reports varies between 42 and 53 years. [7]
- It is reported that between 25% and 50% of people who are homeless experience mental health problems [8][9][10][11]
- Incidence of drug taking among homeless people in Dublin is high with surveys showing figures for drug dependency ranging from 25% to 45%. [12]
- Estimates suggest that between 29% and 50% of people who are homeless are drinking above safe levels. [13][14]
SOURCES
1. Wafer , U (2006) Counted In 2005. Homeless Agency & SPSS Ireland
2. Dept of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2005) Local Authority Assessment of Social Housing Needs - March 2005. Government Stationary Office.
3. Lawless, M & C. Corr (2005) Drug Use Amongst the Homeless Population in Ireland. National Advisory Committee on Drugs & Merchants Quay Ireland
4. Threshold (2005) Seeking a Home on Rent Supplement: Experience in Cork City 2004. Threshold.
5. Threshold (2005)as cited above
6. Access Housing unit Threshold (2006) Couples and Families in B&Bs: Potential for AHU Referrals. Homeless Agency.
7. Crisis (2003) Homelessness Fact File. Crisis.
8. McKeown, K (1999) Mentally Ill and Homeless in Ireland Disability Federation of Ireland.
9. Feeney, A, H. McGee, T. Holohan & W. Shannon(2000) Health of Hostel-Dwelling Men in Dublin. Dublin: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Eastern Health Board.
10. Amnesty International (2003) Mental Illness-The Neglected Quarter-Homelessness. Amnesty International All Ireland Section.
11. Homeless Agency (2004) Making it Home: An Action Plan on Homelessness in Dublin 2004-2006. Homeless Agency.
12. O'Gorman, A (2002) Overview of Research on Drug Misuse Among the Homeless in Ireland. Paper presented at the conference "Homelessness and Problem Drug Use-Two Faces of Exclusion. Merchants Quay Ireland July 2002.
13. Holohan, T (1997) Health Status, Health Service Utilisation and Barriers to Health Service Utilisation among the Adult Homeless Population of Dublin: Eastern Health Board
14. Feeney et al (2002) as cited above
This fact sheet ©Merchants Quay Ireland 2006 |
The Changing Nature of Homelessness