homelessness
Report: Number of homeless people increased significantly
A person lies under a sleeping bag in the city center. According to new calculations, the number of homeless people in Germany rose significantly last year. photo
© Marijan Murat/dpa
In 2022, significantly more people in Germany than a year before were living on the streets, in emergency accommodation or with friends. According to experts, inflation and rising rents are putting more and more households under strain.
The reasons for homelessness are diverse. According to calculations, the majority of non-German homeless people have never had an apartment in Germany – the main trigger was their escape. However, among homeless people with German citizenship, most lose their apartment due to termination (57 percent). Other important triggers are rent and energy debts at 21 percent, conflicts in the living environment at 20 percent and separation or divorce at 16 percent.
The managing director of BAG W, Werena Rosenke, warned that inflation, increased costs and rising rents would put a strain on low-income households. “This leads to (energy) poverty, rent arrears and loss of housing,” she said. “Groups particularly at risk are low-income one-person households, single parents and couples with many children.”
In its calculations, the BAG W not only includes homeless people who are housed institutionally, such as in emergency accommodation, but also those who are temporarily staying with friends and relatives, and those who live on the streets without any accommodation at all – i.e. homeless .