Belfast - Northern Ireland Housing Executive

Table 1: Key Demographic Statistics – Belfast
Demographics Census 2001 Census 2011
Children 60,261 (21.7%) 52,283 (18.6%)
Working age 168,305 (60.7%) 181,275 (64.5%)
Older people 48,825 (17.6%) 47,404 (16.9%)
Total Population 277,391 280,962
Households 119,553 120,595
Average Household Size 2.38 2.29
Source: NISRA
Census 2011 reports that migrant worker families from the former A8 countries
represented approximately 2.14% of the population of Belfast.
The local economy has been adversely affected by the recession. Figures from
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) show that the number of
people claiming unemployment related benefits has been increasing over the past
few years with currently 8.1% of the working age population claiming benefits in
Belfast. At March 2013, 17,191 Housing Executive tenants were claiming housing
benefit in Belfast. This number has remained fairly steady over the past number of
years.
The Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin, October
2012, notes that outputs last year were
approximately 40% lower than peak outputs in
2007. Job and self-employment opportunities in
the sector have fallen considerably; the number of
unemployment benefit claimants across Northern
Ireland from the construction sector has more than
doubled since 2007.
2.3 Housing market profile
The Belfast Metropolitan Housing Market Area (see Map 1
inset) analysis identified a number of housing issues which
present significant challenges in the current economic
climate. These include:
• Difficulty in accessing mortgage finance;
• Intermediate housing;
• Ongoing requirement for investment in, and regulation
of, the private rented sector;
• Homelessness;
• Fuel poverty;
• Low but rising unfitness levels;
17