The Government is being told it'll have to force landlords to accept rent allowance if it wants to end the homelessness crisis.

The Father Peter McVerry Trust says there's no incentive for landlords to rent to families on social welfare when the state allowance is so low.

The charity wants the Minister for Social protection to raise the rent caps, but it also says the coalition needs to give landlords a reason to accept rent allowance.

One in five families in this country is now in the private rental market and CEO of the Peter Mc Verry Trust, Pat Doyle, says the competition is too stiff for many people: