Queen's University Belfast

Academic Institute

Declan Bradley

E073

People who experience homelessness are at greater risk of death, hospital admission related to substance misuse, and poor mental and physical health. Analysis of anonymised data (without personal details) recorded by public authorities can provide information that could lead to action to prevent homelessness or to improve services for people experiencing homelessness. The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland reported 4,306 households applying to be considered homeless between January and March 2021, 2,717 of which were accepted as homeless (or threatened with homelessness), in priority need and unintentionally homeless. The most common reason for homelessness (27%) was “accommodation not reasonable”; for three quarters of these, the underlying reason was physical health, disability or mental health. Eighteen people were observed to be sleeping rough in Northern Ireland’s most recent survey in autumn 2020. Our research questions are: what leads to people becoming homeless?; and what are the health consequences of experiencing homelessness? Safely accessing and analysing anonymised routine data in Northern Ireland (including focusing on children, young people and pregnant women) will help us understand the causes and consequences of homelessness. Our main analysis method will involve comparing people who experienced homelessness to other people from the same area, who have similar characteristics but did not experience homelessness. Our goal is that the information we produce will help inform policies to prevent and reduce harm from homelessness.

The results of our project will be shared with the public, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), accommodation providers, government departments and Health and Social Care services. The results can inform the policies of Northern Ireland Executive departments, NIHE, and healthcare services The findings of this study will be made available in the public domain, via the Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRCNI) website and to NIHE stakeholders directly through their Newsletter. In addition, findings will be presented at stakeholder events and to the Homeless stakeholder panel, a representative sub group of homeless service providers who provided feedback and provide advice to the research team

08/12/2021

TRE