THE WELSH Liberal Democrats have called for stronger action to tackle homelessness in Wales, warning that the number of people relying on temporary accommodation has remained largely unchanged for more than two years.

The party cited the latest figures showing 10,818 people were living in temporary accommodation, with 1,287 occurrences of people being placed into temporary accommodation in October 2025.

Jane Dodds, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said the figures showed that existing policy was not delivering meaningful improvement.

She said: “These numbers have barely changed in over two years and homeless people are being let down by consecutive Welsh Governments. Legislation by itself is meaningless unless the Welsh Government also [backs it with the resources and action needed].”

Ms Dodds added: “We must help these hidden victims of the cost-of-living crisis who have been ignored by those in Cardiff Bay for far too long.”

The party said it would seek to address the situation through a major expansion of social housing, proposing the construction of 30,000 new social homes for rent.

Ms Dodds said: “The Welsh Liberal Democrats would build 30,000 new social homes for rent, ensuring that people on low incomes or with experience of homelessness can access a safe and secure home.”

Focus on rural pressures

The comments come amid growing concern about the pressures faced by councils across Wales, with rising demand for emergency accommodation and increasing costs to local authorities.

Sandra Jervis, the party’s lead candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, said rural areas faced particular challenges and claimed Ceredigion’s figures highlighted systemic issues.

She said: “The fact that Ceredigion has the highest number of homeless people in Wales outside of Cardiff shows the failure of our Plaid-led local authority.”

Ms Jervis added: “Rural homelessness presents unique challenges beyond the scarcity of homes, with a combination of poverty and inaccessibility to jobs and other services accumulating into a dreadful sense of isolation from the rest of society.”

Housing campaigners have previously warned that rural homelessness can be less visible than in cities, with people more likely to “sofa surf”, live in insecure private rentals, or face long distances to access support services — factors that can make the problem harder to identify and resolve quickly.

The Welsh Government has previously pointed to its homelessness prevention approach and housing investment programmes, while councils continue to warn that demand is outstripping supply — particularly for larger family homes and genuinely affordable rental properties.