The Northern Irish Housing Executive has announced that a growing number of people in the province are experiencing "housing stress".

According to the 36th annual report from the NIHE, housing stress has risen by nearly 60 per cent over the past five years and new pressures on social housing are increasing, with waiting lists at the highest level since the 1970s.

The Housing Executive is focusing its efforts on protecting and promoting the interests of vulnerable people, as more single people, families and older applicants experience housing stress in Northern Ireland.

Brian Rowntree, NIHE chairman, explained: "Rising house prices have meant the attention is on first-time buyers but we must be careful that this is not at the expense of social rented housing.

"The lack of an adequate supply of decent social housing is ruining the life chances of children and adults and undermining communities. Building more homes to rent is essential. "

The NIHE is responsible for implementing the government''s housing policies and improving the quality and quantity of Housing Executive stock. The first mixed social housing scheme in Northern Ireland has been established in Enniskillen over the past year and more than 1,000 solar panels have been fitted to homes in the largest solar panel scheme throughout Europe.

Commenting on recent sharp house price rises in Northern Ireland, NIHE head of research, Joe Fry, recently suggested that price increases had been caused by increased interest from buy-to-let landlords as much as by shortage of supply.