More than 570 Cork people saved from homelessness in first quarter of 2025

Some 572 people in Cork were saved from homelessness in the first three months of 2025 by housing charity Threshold, but the charity warns that 374 new households presented as being at risk of homelessness in the same period.

Some 252 households were safeguarded from homelessness in Cork between the start of January and end of March, 109 in the city and 143 in the county.

This includes 145 adults in the city and 189 in the county, as well as 110 children in the city and 128 children in the county, a total of 334 adults and 238 children that Threshold advisors helped to stay in their homes or ed to find alternative housing.

However, the charity also identified 151 new households at risk in Cork city and 223 in Cork county.

Overall, Threshold worked with 1,735 households in Cork in the first three months of the year, 890 in Cork city and 845 in the county.

Among the top 10 issues for new cases opened by Threshold in Cork by far the most common cause was tenancy termination, responsible for 75% of cases in Cork city and 80% in the county.

This was followed by people seeking help accessing social housing, which was the reason for 8% of new cases in the city and 6% in the county, while rent arrears were the reason in 3% of new cases across both city and county.

Other reasons, responsible for 4% or less of cases, were rent arrears, a rent increase, threat of eviction, an illegal eviction, HAP or rent supplement istration issues, discrimination, and difficulties getting private rented accommodation.

The Echo revealed last week that Threshold has helped 1,362 people in Cork who have received a notice of termination since January 2024, 297 of which were in the first three months of this year, higher than any three-month period last year.

Reasons for termination show that many landlords are leaving the rental market; in 58.3% of cases the notice of termination was because the landlord was selling, followed by 17% due to the landlord or their family moving in.

Nationally, Threshold prevented 882 households from entering homelessness, meaning 29% of homelessness preventions occurred in Cork, despite the county being 11% of the population of Ireland.

Threshold’s national advocacy manager, Ann-Marie O’Reilly, said: “While tenancy terminations continue to cause concern in 2025, it is encouraging to see people reaching out to Threshold for and guidance around their rights as renters.”