This paper acts as a presentation of 2006 research carried out on 1525 individuals (1383 male and 142 female) residing in 39 homeless shelters scattered around 13 provinces of the Republic of Poland. The main reason of homelessness turned out to be unemployment (571 individuals i.e. 37,44% of the whole). It was characteristic that 68,3% of women and 82,0% of men above the age of 40 were not only homeless but also unemployed. In fact, it was proved that the elderly, who had been made redundant in the past, found it more diffi cult to fi nd a proper job. The research also showed that the unemployment and homelessness act as factors restraining people from getting married and setting up families (34,69%) as well as the reason for marital failure.