Overview
- The Department of Housing reported on Friday that 17,447 people were in Department‑funded emergency accommodation in May 2026, a fall of 101 from April.
- The May total breaks down to 11,864 adults and 5,583 children, with the month‑on‑month reduction coming largely from 80 fewer adults and 21 fewer children.
- Charities and opposition politicians said the small monthly dip masks wider increases over the past year, citing roughly 9% overall growth, 11% rise in child homelessness and 18% rise in family homelessness.
- The published monthly count covers only people in Department‑funded emergency accommodation and excludes rough sleepers and those staying in hospitals, asylum centres or domestic violence refuges, which campaigners say understates the true scale.
- Longer term, the number using emergency accommodation has trended upward over recent years and campaigners are urging an emergency package of measures to reduce entries into homelessness and speed exits for families and children heading into the summer.