Laois homeless figures jumped over Christmas

There were 36 people recorded as homeless in Laois in December, according to the latest figures from the Department of Housing. 

The number of people availing of emergency accommodation from the local authority during the week of December 23 to 29 rose by 24% from the month previous when 29 people were recorded as homeless in the county. 

Across the midlands there were 41 families in local authority emergency accommodation. This included 47 adults and 67 children. 

There were 201 adults availing of emergency accommodation across the midlands during the week recorded in December. The majority were aged between 25 to 44 (101). There were 65 people aged between 45 and 64 and there were seven people aged over 65 homeless in the region. 

Nationally 14,864 individuals were in emergency accommodation in December, a decrease of 335 on November’s record of 15,199.This figure includes 10,354 adults and 4,510 children.

The figures do not include people sleeping rough, those that may be couch surfing or homeless in hospitals or prisons, or those who are in a shelter for asylum seekers, or domestic violence centres.