European homelessness is rising sharply; statistics vary due to evolving definitions and data collection methods.
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Homelessness is increasing across Europe, with one report indicating a 43.8 percent rise in 2024, bringing the estimated number to 1.2 million from 890 thousand in 2023. Experts note that this increase may be partly due to an expanded definition of homelessness, which now includes situations like precarious housing or living without shelter. While some countries track only visible forms of homelessness, others use comprehensive typologies like ETHOS, which covers various states of housing insecurity. Statistical methods are limited as they often miss individuals living with relatives or in inaccessible locations. Despite these limitations, regular counts remain crucial for gathering specific data. The primary causes cited for worsening homelessness include ineffective prevention against losing housing, rising rents, and the real estate market being treated primarily as an investment. Other contributing factors include family breakdown, domestic violence, unemployment, long-term illness, mental health issues, debt, and evictions.
