Caritas Highlights ‘Reality’ of Working Homeless in Luxembourg

On Tuesday 25 April 2023, Caritas Luxembourg published a position paper in which it lamented that some people are experiencing homelessness in the Grand Duchy despite being employed.

The position paper comes just a few days before Labour Day (1 May), a holiday designed to celebrate the contributions of workers. In this context, Caritas Luxembourg recalled that some workers in the Grand Duchy have to sleep on the streets, in their car or in emergency shelters despite being employed.

Caritas reported that this was “a reality” in Luxembourg and that the numbers of workers struggling with poverty is on the rise. The non-profit identified reasons such as high rents and the development of remote working on digital platforms, temporary work as well as clandestine work.

Caritas Luxembourg also identified two levels on which it felt political action was needed: the fight against in-work poverty and providing access to housing for marginalised people.

To tackle in-work poverty, according to the non-profit, the minimum social wage would need to be raised to the threshold of poverty and the reference budget. Otherwise, a single adult may not be able to cover living costs in the Grand Duchy. Control systems and the strengthening of labour law would be necessary as well, according to Caritas. Additionally, certain groups of third country nationals would need to be regularised and this would include facilitating access to the labour market for those who are qualified.

Concerning access to housing for the most marginalised people, Caritas Luxembourg stress stressed the role of the state and municipalities in the dissuasion of speculation, in increasing subsidies as well as controlling rents. The organisation called for the increase and diversification of supervised housing and for support for associations and foundations in their role as social housing providers. They proposed measures such as “Housing first”, encouraging private individuals but also communal administrations to provide stable housing for homeless people. This type of solution has been proven to work during the crisis when refugees from Ukraine had to find shelter in Luxembourg, according to the non-profit.

Caritas Luxembourg shared testimonies from Juan, a 42-year-old Spanish national, and João, a 36-year-old Portuguese national. Juan said: “Not finding a job in Spain, I came to Luxembourg about a year and a half ago. Arrived here, I quickly won several fixed-term employment contracts through a temporary agency, without having a domicile. However, I quickly realised that it is almost impossible to find accommodation here in Luxembourg without having a permanent work contract. I can't save money […] because I have to financially support my wife and my children who stayed in Spain. […] I have to sleep outside most nights and go back to my work, which is physically demanding, during the day”.

João, on the other hand, signed a contract in 2021 with a construction business that guaranteed accommodation. Upon not having received a salary, after three months, he had to look for another job. He said: “In February 2022, I signed a permanent contract in a carpentry workshop of a major Luxembourg brand. I was first accommodated at the Wanteraktioun, then in a smaller emergency shelter. Despite my permanent contract, I had great difficulty finding affordable housing in Luxembourg.” He reported having found a room in a cafe in August 2022 for €900, charges included.

Caritas Luxembourg argued that politicians must tackle this issue “resolutely” at the risk of seeing the increase of the phenomenon of poverty and homelessness among working individuals.