3,000 homeless in South Down

3,000 homeless in South Down

11 June 2025

ALMOST 3,000 people in South Down are homeless, shock new figures have revealed.

The figures are contained in the latest edition of the Department for Communities housing bulletin which covers the first three months of the year.

The statistics show that the number of households with homelessness status in Northern Ireland 

continues to increase and that at the end of March 31, there were 49,083 households on the social housing waiting list, with 31,719 classed as homeless.

Over the past decade, the number of households on the social housing waiting list has increased by 25% from 39,338 in March 2015 to 49,083 in March 2025. 

Over the same period, the number of households with homelessness status has grown from 13,644 to 31,719 — an increase of 132% over the last decade.

In March last year, 29,394 households had homelessness status, with the number of households with this status increasing by 2,325 over the past year.

Belfast City Council has the highest number of households with homelessness status at 9,975.

South Down MLA Colin McGrath, has expressed deep concern over the growing homelessness crisis in Northern Ireland.

He said the number of people waiting for a social home or did not have a roof over their head was a “damning indictment of government failure to provide the most basic human need, that being a home.”

Mr McGrath said more than 4,000 people across his constituency were on the social housing waiting list, with over 3,300 in the urgent need category.

“These numbers are not just statistics,” he remarked. “They represent families, young people, care leavers, and children.

“With 5,378 currently living in temporary accommodation across Northern Ireland, the emotional and physical toll of homelessness is devastating, especially for children.”

Mr McGrath said every child deserved the chance to grow up in a secure and nurturing environment.

“A hotel room or temporary shelter, albeit a roof over their head, is not a home,” he continued.

“Ending homelessness isn’t just a housing issue but, rather, it’s a health issue, an education issue, and a welfare issue. We need to see a truly cross-departmental strategy that tackles root causes and accelerates the delivery of social homes.”

Mr McGrath praised the work of the Simon Community in South Down, whose services include emergency accommodation in Downpatrick.

But he warned that charities cannot shoulder this burden alone and urged the NI Executive to step up.

Nicola McCrudden, chief executive of Homeless Connect, said the latest homelessness figures had hit another record high. 

“Across every council area, too many families and individuals are finding themselves locked out of access to social and genuinely affordable housing,” she said.

“People have no other option but to enter the homelessness system with all the consequences this can have for them and their families.”

Ms McCrudden said there was widespread agreement across the political spectrum that more social homes needed to be built.

She said the Department for Communities had confirmed that the initial budget allocation for 2025/6 will only allow them to build up to 1,000 social housing new starts this year. 

“This is far short of the over 2,000 new starts needed this year to meet the target,” she continued.