To ask the Minister for Communities to detail his plans to address reports that a third of those who are homeless in Northern Ireland are under 18 years of age.

This issue is an operational matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I have sought the requested information from the Chief Executive and been advised that:

“The Housing Executive’s approach to supporting households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness, including those homeless households who have children under the age of 18, is outlined in the Homelessness Strategy 2022-27 which can be found at https://www.nihe.gov.uk/getattachment/73313718-aa0e-4aae-b122-6573dcab88c7/Ending-Homelessness-Together-Homelessness-Strategy-2022-27.pdf.

The accompanying Year 3 Action plan which can be found here https://www.nihe.gov.uk/getattachment/ed2fb456-411c-409d-90dd-93d5fb387b09/Homelessness-Strategy-Year-3-Action-Plan.pdf contains a commitment that the Housing Executive ‘…will publish our Youth Homelessness Action Plan and we will work with key partners to implement the actions outlined within.’

The Youth Homelessness Action Plan aims to provide a coordinated response to ensure the Housing Executive addresses the challenges posed by youth homelessness with a focus on prevention, support and accommodation options. The Housing Executive’s Youth Homelessness Action Plan is due to be published in November 2024. While the Youth Homelessness Action Plan has yet to be published, delivery on the 18 actions, within it, has commenced.”

For any future queries relating to operational matters, you may wish to contact the NIHE directly. Making direct contact with the ALB will ensure that you receive the information in the shortest possible timeframe and make best use of public resources.