Vol. 525 No. 3
242 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the housing needs of single middle-aged people; if he has any special arrangement to assist such homeless people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24858/00]
The results of the assessment of housing needs undertaken by local authorities at the end of March 1999 revealed that single person households, including middle aged persons, account for 29% of the net need for local authority housing. Local authorities are required under section 20 of the Housing Act, 1988, when providing houses, to have regard to their latest assessment of needs and any needs subsequently identified and to seek to maintain a reasonable balance between the needs of the different categories of persons identified. Local authorities were again advised, in new social housing design guidelines issued last September, of the need to provide a mix of dwellings based primarily on the results of their most recent assessment of housing needs and the characteristics of households to be accommodated in their housing schemes. They were also advised that regard should be had to current best estimates regarding the size and type of households likely to be seeking housing in the future and of the need to ensure that a reasonable mix of dwelling types and sizes is maintained, both in the immediate locality and in the housing stock as a whole.
