Homelessness reaches highest level in over a decade

Rising homelessness in Scotland is a “source of great national shame”, campaigners have said as new figures show the problem is at its worst in over a decade.

The latest statistics show 40,685 homelessness applications were made in 2023-24, up four per cent from the year before and the highest since 2011-12.

The number of households living in temporary accommodation reached record levels, standing at 16,330 at the end of March, up nine per cent from the year before.

And the number of children in temporary accommodation is also the highest in the series, increasing five per over the year to 10,110.

Housing charity Shelter Scotland has blasted politicians for allowing children to pay “the highest price for politician’s failure to get a grip on the housing emergency”.

Director Alison Watson said: “Once again Scotland has broken unwelcome records, and the sad fact is that’s becoming the norm whenever these statistics are published. It’s hard to escape the conclusion that we’re seeing homelessness by design; politicians know what needs to be done but have consistently failed to deliver. 

“Today is a grim reminder of the reality of Scotland’s housing emergency; more and more children losing their homes every day, getting stuck in the homelessness system, trapped in miserable temporary accommodation for ever increasing lengths of time.  

“Every level of government has played a part in allowing the housing emergency to get to this disgraceful point, so politicians at every level of government have a moral duty to act.”

The figures also showed 33,619 households were assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness in 2023-24, an increase of three per cent from the year before.

There were 31,870 live applications at the end of the financial year in March 2024, up by more than 2,000 from the year before. This is the highest in the time series.

Housing minister Paul McLennan said the figures were “deeply concerning”.

He added: “They demonstrate the scale of the challenge we face in tackling the housing emergency and I am determined to work with partners to reverse this trend.”

The average time spent in accommodation was 226 days, one day higher than 2022-23.

The number of households reporting rough sleeping the night before making a homelessness application also increase from 1,493 to 1,916.

Scottish Labour has said the figures are a “damning indictment” of the Scottish Government. Housing spokesperson Mark Griffin said: “No amount of SNP spin and deflection can mask the fact that they let homelessness soar and left over 10,000 kids without a permanent home.  

 “Instead of dealing with the housing emergency taking grip in Scotland, the SNP fanned its flamed by slashing the affordable housing budget and letting housebuilding plummet.”

The Scottish Conservatives have already blamed the rising figures on “disgraceful inaction” form Scottish ministers.

Shadow housing secretary Miles Briggs said: “These figures should be an urgent wake-up call for this SNP Government. They need to stop sitting on their hands, and outline how they will finally tackle this emergency, which is leaving more and more Scots without a permanent place to call home.”

The Scottish Government is currently pushing the Housing Bill through parliament, which is designed to prevent homelessness and increase protections for tenants.

Charity Crisis has said this bill is “urgent” to stop more people becoming homeless, but it also called on the government to increase investment in support services and housing.

Chief executive Matt Downie said: “We need urgent action to stop more people from experiencing the trauma and indignity of homelessness.

“That means investing in social housing and support services, so people can move out of emergency accommodation and end their homelessness for good, and it means pushing on with plans in the Housing Bill, to prevent more people being forced into the system in the first place.”