4,569 children living in temporary accommodation

Figures released by the Department for Communities in its Homeless Bulletin for January to June 2023 revealed 4,569 children were currently in temporary accommodations across the North.

Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan (SDLP) described the growing number of households in temporary and emergency accommodation as “disgraceful”.

He added: “Increasing pressure on the private rented sector to meet social housing demand, coupled with the absence of mortgage support, has inevitably led to an influx of homeless presentations.

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“It will come as no surprise, given the record-high 45,000 applicants on the social housing waiting list [in the North] that the numbers of children living temporary accommodation placements continues to grow.

“The highest rate of homeless presentations was in Derry and Strabane. That number has been pretty consistent year on year, showing that areas of high deprivation are bearing the brunt of the housing crisis.

“Worryingly, one of the key causes of homelessness is the loss of private rented accommodation- whether that’s down to affordability issues or repossession. Behind the thousands of placements are people and families with no home to call their own,” said Mr Durkan. 

Mr Durkan said some of the placements included B&B and hostel type accommodation, “where families with young children continue to face uncertainty unaware if they will be in a property for three weeks, three months or three years”.

He added: “This prevents people from setting down roots. In real terms, that is thousands of children unable to have friends over, establish friendships where they live or being able to have a set routine and stability that is necessary for children to thrive.

“It is shameful that right across the North families are being forced into short-term living arrangements because we simply have nowhere else to put them. Housing crisis has escalated to housing chaos where we have a generation of displaced children with nowhere to call home.

“Immediate intervention is required to mitigate against the perverse situation unfolding in the housing sector. This situation was forewarned yet necessary action was not taken when we had a minister in place and instead, solutions to the prevention of homelessness were kicked further down the road,” said Mr Durkan.

The Foyle MLA said the homeless situation was not created overnight.

He added: “However, the policy of putting off until tomorrow what needed to be addressed today, has seen thousands of families made homeless.

“The DUP’s continued boycott of the Executive in light of harrowing reports showing that vulnerable households are being hit hardest, is disgraceful.”