Further increase in people living in emergency accommodation

New figures released by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage show that the number of people living in emergency accommodation has increased again.

​The figures show that there are now 17,548 men, women, and children living in emergency accommodation in April, up 31 people since March.

​Sadly, in the last 12 months from April 2025, there has been an increase of 1,968 in emergency accommodation. This represents a 12.6% increase in 12 months.

​Broken down, there were 2,707 families, 5,604 children, 2,117 aged 18-24, and 265 over 65-year-olds.

​As well as this, the figures show a staggering 62.4% increase in single adults living in emergency accommodation compared to 2021.

​Executive Director of Simon Communities of Ireland, Ber Grogan, said: “While the overall numbers have increased yet again, we welcome the decrease in homelessness among single households as well as those who are over 65.

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“These are two cohorts of people experiencing homelessness whom the Simon Communities of Ireland have tirelessly advocated for.

Over the last two years, an average of four people a day have entered homelessness, and more people are spending longer in homeless accommodation due to a lack of move-on options.

“The long-term impacts on people’s physical and mental wellbeing are devastating and will have a direct impact on other departments' services, such as health and mental health.

“Since the changes to rent regulations were announced last summer, the Simon Communities of Ireland has been warning that the extortionate prices of rent, and not addressing the affordability of rents, would lead to higher numbers of people being forced to experience the trauma of homelessness.

“Headlines stating that 'rents rise' make it sound as though rents are increasing automatically, in a vacuum.

“The reality is that there are people behind the decisions to keep raising rents. More accurate headlines and debates in the Dáil would be 'landlords raise rents to the highest ever levels'.

“Why are large landlords exempt from putting forward solutions to end the homeless crisis when they are a direct cause of rising numbers?

“We will only end homelessness by having all stakeholders at the table. Unless the Government, local authorities, landlords and homeless services come together to address the issue, we will continue to see more people entering homelessness each month.”