Equality and Discrimination 2024

Experience of Discrimination in Housing Scenarios

Respondents were asked about whether they had experienced any discrimination in the two years prior to interview, looking for housing/accommodation, sustaining secure housing/accommodation, or in their communications with banks or other financial institutions regarding mortgages, home improvement loans, etc.

When this survey was last carried out in 2019, respondents were asked only of their experiences with regard to looking for housing or accommodation.

Non-Cisgender and Non-Heterosexual People Experience Higher Levels of Discrimination when Looking for Housing or Accommodation

At an overall level, 4% of respondents aged 18 years and over experienced discrimination of some form while looking for housing or accommodation in the two years prior to interview, up one percentage point from when the survey was last carried out in 2019. Discrimination while sustaining/maintaining secure housing or accommodation was experienced by 3% of respondents, while some 2% said they felt that they were discriminated against in their communications with banks and other financial institutions when for example applying for mortgages, getting mortgage approval, etc. Just 1% of respondents had experienced discrimination in the previous two years while they were looking for housing or accommodation, secondly while sustaining secure housing/accommodation, and thirdly in their communications with banks or other financial institutions regarding mortgages, etc. (See Table 7.1 and Equality and Discrimination 2019).

One in five (20%) bisexual people felt that they were discriminated against when looking for housing or accommodation, while one in ten (10%) gay/lesbian people cited similar discrimination. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation was also experienced in sustaining secure housing or accommodation. One in seven (14%) bisexual people said that they had experienced such discrimination compared with 3% of straight or heterosexual people.

Analysis of the survey data by sexual orientation shows that bisexual people were most discriminated against when looking for housing or accommodation at 20%, while one in ten (10%) gay/lesbian people cited similar discrimination. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation was also experienced in sustaining secure housing or accommodation. One in seven (14%) bisexual people had experienced such discrimination compared with 3% of straight or heterosexual people.

Analysing the data by gender identity shows that non-cisgender people experienced more discrimination while looking for housing or accommodation than cisgender people. One in ten (10%) transgender/non-binary people said they had experienced such discrimination in the two years prior to interview, compared with 4% of cisgender people.

Looking at discrimination experienced by ethnicity shows that people of Black Irish/Black African/other Black background experienced most discrimination when looking for housing or accommodation at 13%, while one in eight (12%) said they had been discriminated against while sustaining secure housing or accommodation. Almost one in ten (9%) Irish Travellers/Roma had been discriminated against when they were looking for housing or accommodation while 12% had experienced discrimination in sustaining secure housing or accommodation in the previous two years, compared with just 2% of people who described themselves as White Irish (See Table 7.1).

Note: Respondents could choose more than one setting for discrimination.

Younger People Most Likely to Experience Discrimination Looking for/Sustaining Housing or Accommodation

Analysis of the survey data by age group shows that younger people were more likely to experience discrimination while looking for housing or accommodation, and in sustaining secure housing or accommodation. One in twelve (8%) younger people aged 18 to 24 years, and 9% of 25 to 34 year olds had experienced discrimination while looking for housing or accommodation. The experience of discrimination for these age groups was slightly lower in sustaining secure housing or accommodation at 6%, but at the same time was higher than older age groups with just 1% of people aged 45 to 64 years experiencing this type of discrimination. People in these older age groups may for different reasons not be actively engaging with financial institutions to secure mortgages etc. or may be more likely to own their own homes or have secure accommodation (See Figure 7.1 and Table 7.2).

Socio-Economic Background and Race Top Two Grounds for Discrimination in Housing

Respondents who experienced discrimination in relation to housing were asked for the perceived grounds for the discrimination, whether they had been discriminated against while looking for housing/accommodation, sustaining secure housing/accommodation, or in their communications with banks or other financial institutions about mortgages etc., or all three settings. By far the most significant perceived ground for discrimination was one’s socio-economic background such as address, accent, level of education, type of housing, employment status, or any other similar circumstance 32%, closely followed by race (such as colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins) at 27%, and age (22%).

For one in eight (12%) respondents who had experienced discrimination in relation to accessing/securing housing/accommodation, the discrimination had occurred frequently, while for 44% of respondents who had experienced such discrimination, it had happened on a few occasions. Almost one in four (24%) said the discrimination they had experienced had a serious effect on their lives, while for almost four in ten (38%), the discrimination had some effect on their lives (See Table 7.3).