Recommendations to transform temporary accommodation, including getting the right support in place from day one and giving more power to front-line workers, have been accepted by the Scottish Government.
The Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group has made 21 recommendations on transforming temporary accommodation. The Scottish Government has accepted 15 in principle. A further six, relating to the devolution of funding from the UK Government for temporary accommodation, will be analysed further in partnership with local authorities.
Other recommendations that have been accepted include promoting the widest possible range of options for securing a settled home, setting up personal housing plans for those at risk of homelessness and introducing legally enforceable quality and support standards for temporary accommodation.
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “I welcome the third set of recommendations from the action group and I’m very grateful for the work the group has done to engage with people who have experienced homelessness, front line workers and colleagues working across the sector.
“These recommendations focus on preventing the need for temporary accommodation in the first place, ensuring the right support and standards are in place where it is needed and will play a vital role in meeting our commitment to end homelessness and transform temporary accommodation, backed by our £50 million fund.”
Jon Sparkes, Chair of the group and Chief Executive of national homelessness charity Crisis, said: “Temporary accommodation should be a short-term response to each person’s homelessness before they quickly move into a permanent and secure place to call home. At the heart of our recommendations are measures to prevent homelessness in the first place, ensure support is available and wider options for more settled housing.
“There should also be legally enforceable standards and a time limit on housing that doesn’t meet basic needs. To implement these changes, the funding system should be fairer and we look forward to working with the Minister and his colleagues on taking plans forward.”
The action group has made two previous sets of recommendations on tackling rough sleeping over winterand ending rough sleeping for good. The group’s final set of recommendations will be on ending homelessness altogether.
The full list of recommendations on transforming temporary accommodation is available online.
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