Data Insight: Trends in homelessness in Northern Ireland
Categories: Data Insights, ADR Northern Ireland, Health & wellbeing, Housing & communities
25 August 2026
This Data Insight analyses a decade of administrative data from Northern Ireland (NI) to explore homelessness trends between 2012 and 2021.
We examined the proportion of the population who are named on applications for statutory homelessness assistance, show how this has evolved over time and uncover key differences across sex, age groups, level of deprivation, and where people live.
The data used in this study were developed as part of a wider project investigating the health of people experiencing homelessness.
Summary
This data linkage study used population-based administrative datasets to take a closer look at trends in homelessness in Northern Ireland (NI) over a decade. In total, 1 in 13 individuals aged 16+ years and living in NI were named on a homelessness application at least once in the decade between 2012 and 2021. In any calendar year, between 1.6% and 2.1% of the NI population are named on an active application.
Higher rates of homelessness were observed for some groups. For example, in any calendar year, between 3.4% and 4.4% of females aged 16 to 24 years in NI experienced homelessness, compared to 2.2 and 3.1% of males in the same age group. Individuals in urban deprived areas experienced higher annual prevalence of homelessness compared to other areas, with rates ranging between 3.5 and 5.3% in any calendar year.
Key findings
A decade in cross-section: Where was demand for homelessness support highest?
147,437 individuals (7.7%) in NI aged 16 years and over were named on an application for homelessness at least once between 2012 and 2021, accounting for a total of 193,183 presentations.
- Females made up the greatest share of total homelessness presentations, particularly in the younger age groups.
- The greatest share of presentations was from individuals living in less-deprived intermediate settlements.
- The most common reason for individuals presenting as homeless was “Accommodation not reasonable”.
Annual prevalence trends (2012 to 2021): Has the prevalence of homelessness within the NI population changed over time?
In contrast to the decade in cross-section – which looked at the breakdown of characteristics of all homeless presentations over a 10-year period – annual prevalence of homelessness shows the proportion of individuals in the NI population overall and within different sub-groups who were named on an application for homelessness support in any calendar year.
Overall, the yearly prevalence of individuals presenting as homeless increased until 2018, when it peaked at 2.1% of the population of NI being named on an active homelessness application (see Figure 1).
Furthermore, the yearly prevalence of statutory homelessness increased over the study period, whereas the prevalence of non-statutory homelessness declined.
Which groups have the highest proportion of individuals that present as homeless, and does this change over time?
Annual prevalence by sex and age group
The yearly prevalence of homelessness was consistently higher among females relative to males, particularly within younger demographic cohorts, with a more pronounced difference observed among individuals experiencing statutory homelessness (see full publication for graph). Among young females in NI aged 16 to 24 years old, between 3.4% and 4.4% were named on an active application for homelessness support each year, with notable peaks in 2014 and again in 2018. Among males in this age group, between 2.2% and 3.1% were named on an active homelessness application.
Annual prevalence by settlement type and area level deprivation
Although the greatest share of total homelessness presentations across the decade were by individuals living in less deprived intermediate settlements (towns and villages across NI), we saw that homelessness prevalence was highest among individuals living in the most deprived areas in urban settlements (Belfast/Derry), where between 3.5% and 5.3% were named on an active homelessness application in any calendar year over the study period (see full publication for graph). The most deprived areas within intermediate settlements also showed a relatively high prevalence of people experiencing homelessness (2.9%-3.8%), while the prevalence remained below 2% in all other areas.
Why it matters
This Data Insight provides an overview of the individual-level, linked administrative data which is being utilised for the ADR NI project Understanding the predictors and consequences of homelessness in Northern Ireland.
By investigating a decade of data (2012-2021), this study provides a detailed picture of individuals – not just households – who were named on applications to the Housing Executive, offering new insight into the operational demand placed on homelessness services.
Linking administrative data through a Northern Ireland–wide population spine enabled the identification of socio-demographic inequalities in homelessness experiences and how these evolved over time, providing robust longitudinal evidence on homelessness patterns.
