77% increase in people in housing stress in Derry/Strabane over past ten years

The latest figures show 8,797 people were classed as experiencing housing stress in the district at June 2024.

That’s up by 3,835 (77 per cent) from 4,962 people in September 2014.

Housing Executive data released by the housing minister Gordon Lyons to Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson also show there were 2,643 households in housing stress in Derry and Strabane in total in September 2014 but this had increased by 2,235 (85 per cent) to 4,878 in June of this year.

There were 6,260 applicant households in the district during the summer – up by 2,210 (55 per cent) from 4,050 in September 2014 and there were 10,940 people waiting to be rehoused up by 3,493 (47 per cent) from 7,447.

The information was released in response to an Assembly Question.

It shows that while the number of people in housing stress has increased significantly, there has been a decrease in allocations.

In September 2014 there were 856 allocations in Derry and Strabane with 1,852 people allocated in total.

But in June of this year these figures had decreased by 256 (30 per cent) to 600 allocations and by 750 (40 per cent) to 1,102 people allocated.

Mr. Lyons advised that the Housing Executive report quarterly on waiting list figures (end June, end September, end December and end Marh).

The September 2024 data is not yet available, so the latest available figures were provided (end June 2024).

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