Housing need research

Housing need assessment

This page gives information on the research informing our strategy and policy for assessing and meeting housing need.

Irish Traveller Accommodation Survey 2018/19

This report summarises the findings of the fourth comprehensive piece of research produced by the Housing Executive, examining Irish Travellers’ accommodation in Northern Ireland. The research provided important evidence to inform our Irish Travellers Accommodation Strategy 2020-25. 

We have also produced a series of infographics that provide a breakdown of key findings from the survey. These cover NI and each Local Government District - with the exception of North Down and Ards, and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Councils - due to the small number of Irish Travellers identified and interviewed in these areas.  

Mid and East Antrim and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Councils have also been combined due to the number of Irish Travellers identified..

Travellers' Accommodation Needs Assessment 2014 (March 2015)

This third comprehensive Travellers’ Accommodation Needs Assessment updates previous assessments carried out in 2002 and 2008. This research is carried out to assist strategic/operational managers in planning accommodation schemes for the Traveller community.

Demographic Change and Future Housing Need in Northern Ireland (November 2014)

• This report reviews the main demographic trends in Northern Ireland with particular reference to underlying economic and social factors affecting these trends. It explores views and attitudes to demographically driven models in housing need assessment and evaluates the Net Stock Model used by the Housing Executive since 1994.  
• It also provides an annual estimate of total new build requirements for social and private housing, assesses the potential for regional disaggregation of this estimate, evaluates models developed in GB for assessing the need for affordable housing and considers the need for supported (social) housing in the context of demographic change and government policy.  
• The report was written by Professor Chris Paris (University of Adelaide), in association with RSM McClure Watters (Consulting), John Palmer (North Harbour Consulting) and Dr Peter Williams (University of Cambridge)

Housing Need Assessment Formula Report

• This report presents the findings of a review of our Housing Need Assessment (HNA) formula used to create a "bottom up" estimate of the need for social housing in Northern Ireland.
• It was undertaken on our behalf by Dr Tony O'Sullivan, Newhaven Research, a housing research consultant with considerable UK wide experience of housing market analysis.
• Download the Review of housing need assessment formula for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (published November 2010).