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A homeless person lies on a park bench in Bucharest, Romania, on the 2nd local time. / AP, Yonhap

A local study revealed that as Europe's homeless population continues to rise, older adults account for an increasingly large share of the total.

According to local media outlet Ouest-France, the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA) and the Housing Foundation released the Overview of Housing Exclusion in Europe report on the 15th local time, pointing out that homelessness is on an upward trajectory in most European countries, with a particularly marked increase in the proportion of elderly homeless individuals.

The report estimates Europe's homeless population at approximately 1.4 million, with at least 170,000 believed to be aged 60 and over. The two organizations behind the publication expressed grave concern not only over the overall swell in homeless numbers but also over the rising share of elderly people among them.

Among the 23 European countries with confirmed statistics, 17 recorded an increase in homelessness in recent years. In France, the homeless population jumped roughly 2.9-fold from 110,894 in 2009 to 318,185 in 2024.

Portugal saw its count increase about 3.3-fold from 4,414 in 2017 to 14,476 in 2024, while Ireland saw a roughly 4.5-fold surge from 3,738 in 2014 to 17,447 this year.

Among European nations, Finland in Northern Europe had been the only one to register a steady decline since 1987, yet the trend recently reversed due to government budget cuts and other factors. Finland's homeless population grew by about 33% between 2023 and 2025.

In certain countries, the share of older adults among the homeless has expanded dramatically. In Hungary, the proportion of homeless individuals aged 60 and over climbed from 13% in 2011 to 44% in the latest survey, ranking highest, followed by Poland at a significant 32.5%.

Factors such as retirement and the death of a spouse are cited as key drivers behind the rise in elderly homelessness. Analysis suggests that individuals frequently face worsening financial conditions due to sharp income drops following retirement or the loss of a partner.

The annual Overview of Housing Exclusion in Europe report offers a comprehensive assessment of housing poverty across European nations and serves to recommend policy development to the European Union (EU) to address the issue.

                                                                                                             Lim Yu-jung