Homelessness is not inevitable but the number of people facing homelessness in Wales remains high. We have the power to change this. Together, we can turn the tide.
Every day here at Crisis in Wales, we see the traumatic impact of homelessness. Homelessness can affect all aspects of people’s lives - our mental and physical wellbeing, work, education and our relationships.
Everyone needs a safe and stable space to call home but across every part of Wales, the number of people facing homelessness has been rising. Our latest research shows that without urgent action, homelessness in Wales could rise another 24% by 2041.
It doesn't have to be this way. We know it is possible to create a Wales where early support helps to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place, where people experiencing homelessness can get the help they need, and where people can access affordable homes.
With the right system changes, we can build a future where everyone in Wales has a safe, secure place to live.
Ahead of the May 2026 Senedd election, Crisis set out clear calls to action for the next Senedd term within our manifesto:
Darllenwch ein manifesto (Cymraeg)
We know that ending homelessness in Wales is possible. But it requires political commitments to:
Crisis was pleased to see that, across their own manifestos, all major political parties recognised the need to create more homes in Wales ahead of the election and that many made specific commitments on homelessness too.
Now we’re calling on all elected Members of the Senedd to make ending homelessness a priority. But we can’t do it without you.
Last year, councils recorded nearly 13,300 households who were homeless in Wales. And there will be more that weren’t recorded. (Welsh Government Statistics)
Research shows that, unless we take bold action, homelessness in Wales could rise by 24% by 2041. (The Homelessness Monitor: Wales, Crisis and Heriot-Watt University, 2025)
Every month, around 11,000 people in Wales are living in temporary accommodation. This can be for months on end - without basic cooking and laundry facilities. And people often have no idea when they’ll get a stable home. (Welsh Government Statistics)
Around 94,000 households across Wales are waiting for a social home. This can take years. (Shelter Cymru “Waiting for a Home”, 2025)
Crisis has long been calling for changes to the law on homelessness to help prevent homelessness and improve support.
On 10 February 2026, we celebrated as a new homelessness law was given the green light with a unanimous vote in the Senedd.
This new law reflects many of the recommendations made by the Expert Review Panel on homelessness, which Crisis co-ordinated in 2022. It holds the potential to be life-changing.
Crisis will now be calling on the Welsh Government to invest in the new law and ensure it is as effective as possible in helping to work towards ending homelessness in Wales.
While efforts have been made to increase affordable homes, Wales still desperately needs more social housing. Thousands of people face long waiting lists, with many forced into temporary accommodation or unsuitable private rentals. Without enough social homes, people are more likely to experience housing instability and homelessness.
Social housing is critical for preventing homelessness, providing stability for people and reducing pressure on local services.
The new Welsh Government must commit to further ambitious social housebuilding targets, which meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness. There must be sustained funding, and we must ensure social homes are genuinely affordable and accessible to those who need them most. With the right political commitment, we can build the homes Wales urgently needs and stop more people being pushed into homelessness.
Here at Crisis we’re dedicated to campaigning for the changes needed to end homelessness – both in Cardiff Bay and at Westminster. While housing and homelessness are devolved to the Senedd, a number of areas reserved to the UK Government are pushing people in Wales towards homelessness.
We recently celebrated a big campaign win with the UK Government committing to scrap the Vagrancy Act – an ancient law across England and Wales that criminalises people for sleeping rough. This 200 year old act punishes people for trying to stay safe and does nothing to address the causes of homelessness. In 2026 it will finally be repealed.
Welfare support and benefit decisions are also made by the UK Government. Crisis’ research has shown that less than 1% of homes listed for rent in Wales would be affordable for someone relying on housing benefit. We will continue to campaign for the UK Government to unfreeze housing benefit to protect people in Wales and across the UK from homelessness.