Data on homelessness and housing exclusion 2026: Denmark

Summary of key data and information

	Summary of key data and information
Official statistical definition of homelessness (Table 1)	Homelessness in Denmark is defined as “those who do not have their own (owned or rented) accommodation or room, but who are referred to temporary or who live temporarily without a contract with family, friends, or acquaintances. Homeless persons are also defined as without a place to stay for the coming night.”
Latest national estimates of homelessness (Table 2, Table 3)	5 989 individuals, representing 0.1% of the total population (2024)
	24% are women, 76% are men
	Point-in-time count, based on Mapping of Homelessness in Denmark
	ETHOS Light groups included	Included: ETHOS Light 1: Living on the streets, in public spaces ETHOS Light 2: Emergency accommodation (e.g. shelters) ETHOS Light 3: Accommodation for the homeless (e.g. hostels and women’s refuges) ETHOS Light 4: People in institutions ETHOS Light 6: Living temporarily with others in conventional housing (e.g. sofa-surfing) Not included: ETHOS Light 5: People in non-conventional dwellings (e.g. caravans, cars or tents)
	Notes: Each ETHOS Light group includes one or more sub-categories of living situations. ETHOS Light groups are considered as “included” in the data collection approach if at least one of the sub-categories is counted.
Legal framework to collect data on homelessness (Table 4)	There is no legal obligation to collect data on homelessness in Denmark.
Homelessness Strategy (Table 5)	National Homelessness Strategy: National Agreement on Affordable Housing and the Effort to Combat Homelessness
Approaches to collect data on homelessness (Table 6)	Mapping of Homelessness in Denmark: Biennial national survey of people experiencing homelessness (Table 6.1) National Client Registration System: Ongoing collection of information of people experiencing homelessness (Table 6.2).

Table 1. Official statistical definition of homelessness

Statistical definition

Homelessness

In the national Mapping of Homelessness in Denmark, homelessness is defined as follows: ‘’Homeless people are those who do not have their own (owned) or rented) accommodation or room, but who are referred to temporary or who live temporarily without a contract with family, friends or acquaintances. Homeless persons are also defined as without a place to stay for the coming night.” This definition is then operationalised into eight categories: 1. Overnight on the street, in a stairwell, in a shed or similar. 2. Overnights in a night heating room/residence with emergency accommodation or similar. 3. Overnights in emergency/temporary accommodation such as hostels and nursing homes. 4. Stays in a hotel, hostel or similar due to homelessness. 5. Lives temporarily and without a contract with family, friends or acquaintances. 6. Lives in temporary housing without a permanent contract. 7. Serving time under the Correctional Service, must be released within 1 month and lacks a housing solution. 8. Stays in hospital/treatment facilities, must be discharged within 1 month and lacks a housing solution. 9. Other things

Table 2. Data on people experiencing homelessness: Headline estimate, by living situation

Presented according to ETHOS Light Typology

Year	Headline estimate of homelessness (Individuals)	% of total population	ETHOS Light 1 People living rough	ETHOS Light 2 People in emergency accommodation	ETHOS Light 3 People in accommodation for the homeless	ETHOS Light 4 People living in institutions	ETHOS Light 5 People living in unconventional dwellings	ETHOS Light 6 People staying with family/friends
2017	6 635	0.12%	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
2022	5 789	0.10%	535	248	2 736	195	Not included	1 152
2024	5 989	0.10%	503	317	2 721	184	Not included	1 447
Metadata: Type of count: Point-in-time Data are comparable across years: Yes Included in headline estimate: Children: Yes Temporary accommodation for: Asylum seekers: No Refugees: No Victims/survivors of domestic violence: No

Note: Of the 5 989 individuals experiencing homelessness, the situation of 382 people was labelled “Other”, and for 289 individuals, the situation was not disclosed. The data do not include individuals without a permanent residence permit and/or a Danish Personal Identification Number (CPR number).

Source: OECD Questionnaire on Affordable and Social Housing (QuASH); Danish Centre for Social Science Research (2024), Mapping of Homelessness in Denmark.

Table 3. Data on people experiencing homelessness: Headline estimate, by sub-group and living situation

Presented according to ETHOS Light Typology, 2024

	Single adults	Men	Women	Youth (aged <17)	Older people (aged 60 and over)	Families with children (# of households)
Headline estimate of homelessness	NA	4 557	1 408	34	500	NA
As percentage of total population experiencing homelessness	NA	76.80%	23.70%	0.59%	8.62%	NA
ETHOS Light 1: People living rough	NA	84	16	Not included	9	NA
ETHOS Light 2: People in emergency accommodation	NA	71	29	Not included	11	NA
ETHOS Light 3: People in accommodation for the homeless	NA	77	23	Not included	10	NA
ETHOS Light 4: People living in institutions	NA	167	33	Not included	8	NA
ETHOS Light 5: People living in unconventional dwellings	NA	Not included	Not included	Not included	Not Included	NA
ETHOS Light 6: People staying with family/friends	NA	74	26	Not included	4	NA
Metadata: Type of count: Point-in-time Included in headline estimate: Children: Yes Temporary accommodation for: Asylum seekers: No Refugees: No Victims/survivors of domestic violence: No

Note: Sub-groups are not mutually exclusive.

Source: OECD Questionnaire on Affordable and Social Housing (QuASH); Danish Centre for Social Science Research (2024), Mapping of Homelessness in Denmark.

Table 4. Legal framework to collect data on homelessness

	Legal framework
Law that governs data collection on homelessness	None.
Legal obligations	None.

Table 5. Homelessness strategy

	Homelessness strategies in place
National Homelessness Strategy	National Agreement on Affordable Housing and the Effort to Combat Homelessness
Regional and/or local homelessness strategies exist	No.

Table 6. Approaches to collect data on homelessness

6.1. Mapping of Homelessness in Denmark
Description National survey of homelessness over a week through social services, civil society organisations and local authorities. First, the Danish Centre for Social Science Research delimits the social services, civil society organisations and the local authorities to be targeted. Second, people experiencing homelessness using the targeted services fill out an individual questionnaire over the reference period.
Type of count generated Point-in-time	Methods Service‑based method Street Count
Lead authority(ies) Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing Danish Centre for Social Science Research	Source(s) of information Service providers interview people experiencing homelessness directly and then report the data.
Scope National scope	Depth of data Socio-demographic characteristics are taken into account, and the data is disaggregated by: sex, age, duration of homelessness, ethnic background, etc.).
Frequency Every two years (in 2021 it was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID‑19 pandemic).
ETHOS Light groups included: ETHOS Light 1: Living on the streets, in public spaces ETHOS Light 2: Emergency accommodation (e.g. shelters) ETHOS Light 3: Accommodation for the homeless (e.g. hostels and women’s refuges) ETHOS Light 4: People in institutions ETHOS Light 6: Living temporarily with others in conventional housing (e.g. sofa-surfing) Note: Each ETHOS Light group includes one or more sub-categories of living situations. ETHOS Light groups are considered as “included” in the data collection approach if at least one of the sub-categories is counted.
Notes and sources Official report
6.2. National client registration system
Description Danish authorities collect data on shelter use through the ‘’National Client Registration System’’, which provides data on the number of shelters stays and their length, as well as information about the users which are linked with other variables obtained through administrative data. Individuals accessing services must register their unique ‘’Central Personal Register (CRP) number’’, which serves as a personal identifier and allows for information to be collected on shelter use and length of stay. This system is used in conjunction with the Mapping of Homelessness in Denmark (See table 4.1.DNK).
Type of count generated Flow (period)	Methods Information management system on individuals experiencing homelessness
Lead authority(ies) National Social Appears Board in conjunction with other institutions (Statistics Denmark, etc.). Data usage is allowed by then Danish Data Protection agency.	Source(s) of information The shelters report the data to the authorities.
Scope National level	Depth of data Data on shelter use and stay is then crossed with sociodemographic variables (background variables) obtained from administrative data (which is facilitated by service providers)
Frequency Ongoing
ETHOS Light groups included: ETHOS Light 2: Emergency accommodation (e.g. shelters) Note: Each ETHOS Light group includes one or more sub-categories of living situations. ETHOS Light groups are considered as “included” in the data collection approach if at least one of the sub-categories is counted.

Please refer to the OECD Affordable Housing Database, indicator HC3.1.Population experiencing homelessness, https://www.oecd.org/content/oecd/en/data/datasets/oecd-affordable-housing-database.html.

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