Meeting the Housing Needs of Vulnerable Homeless People in Northern Ireland

This policy review focuses on the use of the private rented sector in Northern Ireland to house vulnerable (chronically) homeless people. As the supply of social housing comes under intense pressure in Northern Ireland, the possibilities for using the private rented sector as an alternative source of accommodation for homeless people are now being explored. Use of the private rented sector to house chronically homeless people with high support needs, is controversial, as there are some concerns about housing management quality, affordability, security of tenure and the suitability for homeless people with high support needs. This policy review explores the results of recent policy research that examined the strengths and weaknesses of using the private rented sector to house this group of homeless people.