{"id":799065,"date":"2026-03-02T13:14:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T13:14:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/799065\/"},"modified":"2026-03-02T13:14:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T13:14:24","slug":"assembly-committee-says-multi-million-pound-spend-on-temporary-accommodation-is-driving-homelessness-crisis-northern-ireland-assembly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/799065\/","title":{"rendered":"Assembly Committee Says Multi-million Pound Spend on Temporary Accommodation is Driving Homelessness Crisis | Northern Ireland Assembly"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Assembly Committee has said the multi-million pound spend on temporary accommodation, as well as poor data and a lack of preventative planning, are driving the homelessness crisis here.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has set out its concerns and recommendations in a\u00a0Report on Homelessness in Northern Ireland\u00a0which is published last week.\u00a0 The report calls for a greater focus on prevention, a reduction in the use of hotels and B&Bs for temporary housing, the publication of clearer data and a \u2018single strategic vision\u2019 for homelessness.<\/p>\n

The report follows PAC\u2019s inquiry into homelessness which began in October 2025. Members heard evidence from the Department for Communities (DfC) and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) as well as a number of organisations from the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS).<\/p>\n

The Department for Communities is responsible for homelessness and housing policy here and the NIHE is tasked with responding to it.\u00a0*\u00a0In 2024-25, the Housing Executive spent \u00a375 million tackling homelessness.**<\/p>\n

Daniel McCrossan MLA, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee said: \u201cThe Committee is alarmed by the rising costs of temporary accommodation and the\u00a0impact long stays in housing like this has on the health and education of individuals and families.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe number of homeless households in Northern Ireland has risen by more than 10,000 in the last five years. We believe that the short-term and reactive nature of preventative work on homelessness is driving the crisis we see today.\u00a0 Our view is that an adequate supply of social and affordable housing is the key to tackling homelessness.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2018-19, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive spent \u00a37.6 million on temporary accommodation but in 2024-25 this figure soared to more than \u00a340 million***, with \u00a317 million of that amount spent on \u2018non-standard\u2019 hotels and B&Bs.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite being a key pillar of the Department\u2019s Homelessness Strategy, prevention has been consistently underfunded, as well as being short-term and reactive in nature.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are calling for a single strategic vision for homelessness to be developed and agreed between the Department and the Housing Executive, alongside a range of measures to assess long-term outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe poor data available also masks the true scale of the issue. In 2025 there were 32,000 homeless households on the Housing Executive\u2019s social housing waiting list – but the number of individuals affected was almost twice that at 61,000.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need more meaningful, people-focused data. We want the Department to ensure that, within the next six months, any published data on homelessness includes the number of people affected.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Committee welcomed plans by NIHE to ease its reliance on hotels and B&Bs with the purchase of 600 temporary accommodation units. However, Mr McCrossan said the Committee was surprised that officials could not provide more detail on timescales and locations.\u00a0 He said they were told only of the Department\u2019s \u2018ambition\u2019 to deliver 33,000 new social homes, rather than of any achievable and enforceable goals or targets.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The PAC Chair said: \u201cHomelessness is a complex issue which is much more than the absence of a physical home. For those who experience it, there can be long-term consequences for their health and education.<\/p>\n

\u201cDepartment officials told us the Homelessness Strategy was \u2018sound\u2019 but its delivery\u00a0had been impacted by a range of factors including Covid-19 and the cost-of-living\u00a0crisis. Witnesses from community and voluntary organisations disagreed and said that the roots went deeper than this.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile officials attributed a lack of preventative work entirely to funding constraints, others said that a legislative duty to prevent homelessness here would result in more money being made available and could help with better cross-sector collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n

Daniel McCrossan said that the practice of \u2018treating\u2019 homelessness with measures like temporary accommodation, rather than \u2018curing\u2019 it by investing in prevention, was shortsighted and had led to an increase in homelessness. He added that behind the figures were people and families facing real hardship.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cWe are recommending the Department works with the Housing Executive to explore options for a statutory duty in relation to homelessness prevention and that they bring forward proposals to the Minister for consideration within 12 months.\u201d<\/p>\n

For further information please contact Felicity Templeton, Assembly communications office on 07977 635930 \/\u00a0felicity.templeton@niassembly.gov.uk<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Notes to editors<\/p>\n

Read PAC\u2019s\u00a0Report on Homelessness in Northern Ireland\u00a0here:\u00a0https:\/\/lk.cmte.fyi\/rKTB<\/a><\/p>\n

*The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) is tasked with responding to homelessness and publishes a Homelessness Strategy every five years. The\u00a0Department for Communities (DfC) provides NIHE with funding for homelessness services and social housing new builds – which are mainly completed by housing associations.\u00a0 DfC\u2019s Homelessness Strategy has three key pillars: prioritising homelessness prevention, addressing homelessness by providing suitable housing \/ support services and supporting transition from homelessness into long-term housing.<\/p>\n

**See the PAC\u00a0Report on Homelessness in Northern Ireland\u00a0\u2013 paragraph 6<\/p>\n

***\u00a0See the PAC\u00a0Report on Homelessness in Northern Ireland\u00a0\u2013 paragraphs 6 and 18<\/p>\n