Single homeless adults 'overlooked', warns charity

Simon Communities of Ireland has warned that single adults have been largely overlooked in housing policy and homelessness responses, despite being the dominant demographic living in emergency accommodation.

The most recent figures from the Department of Housing show 61% of all adults living in emergency accommodation are classed as "single".

This figure includes childless couples, but very many adults are experiencing homelessness on their own.

"We simply won't end homelessness if we are not talking about this cohort and putting targeted resources behind it," said Ber Grogan, Executive Director of Simon Communities of Ireland.

As well as representing 61% of all adults in emergency accommodation, single adult homelessness has increased by 61% in the last five years, climbing from 4,501 in July 2021 to 7,244 in July 2026.

Tackling this is the focus of Simon Communities of Ireland's first national fundraising campaign: Homeless & Alone: One Big Push.