At least 400,000 minors are homeless in the European Union and the United Kingdom, with millions more living in substandard housing, according to an estimate published on Thursday by FEANTSA (the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless).
The report estimates that 399,561 children are either homeless, in emergency accommodation, or housed in shelters. To calculate this figure, the authors analysed census data on homeless children from countries that track such statistics.
By combining figures from six countries (Germany, Belgium, France, Ireland, Portugal and Czechia) deemed reliable and comparable, they estimated that 0.421% of minors live on the streets or in emergency housing.
"This figure is an estimate, but it is chilling. An entire generation is facing a precarious future," said Sarah Coupechoux, Europe Project Manager at the Abbé Pierre Foundation.
Nearly 14.5 million European children were living in homes with leaks, damp foundations, or mould in 2023, according to the 2024 edition of the report 'An Overview of Poor Housing in Europe'.
In the European Union, a quarter of minors and more than a fifth of children under six lived in overcrowded housing in 2023. Over five million households with children were unable to afford an adequately heated home.
The report estimates that across all age groups, 1.2 million people in the EU are either homeless, in emergency accommodation, or in shelters.
