Tag: Homeless Network Scotland

More choice for people experiencing homelessness

People experiencing homelessness in Scotland will have the ability to settle and access support wherever they choose under legislation coming into force today.

People can currently be asked to demonstrate their local connection to the area where they present as homeless. If they are unable to do so, councils can refer them to another area where they do have a local link, such as somewhere they or their family members have lived or worked.

The new legislation suspends that power for Scottish local authorities, giving people freedom about where they settle and access services. It aims to help them integrate more fully into the local community and to reduce repeat homelessness.

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “Local connection requirements have been recognised as a barrier to accessing homelessness services which is why we have chosen to remove them.

“Most people who are homeless want to live in a community where they are already settled, but this legislation allows them to move somewhere new if they want to – whether that’s to access support, take advantage of job opportunities or simply to have a fresh start.

“This puts rights for homeless households on a par with those for people who own or rent their homes, ensuring they have access to consistent services wherever they are in Scotland.

“I know that there are housing pressures in some local authorities but that, ultimately, they share our ambition of ending homelessness. This legislation will help ensure people can find a settled home as quickly as possible in an area of their choosing.”

Alison Watson, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “We hugely welcome the news that this legislation has been passed. It is important progress towards realising the UN right to adequate housing: ensuring people are empowered to make informed decisions on where they would like to apply as homeless and that dignity is embedded in our homelessness system.

“This much anticipated change is one that we have been long calling for, and is another milestone in securing progressive rights to housing. We believe home is everything, and only building more social homes will bring the housing emergency to a permanent end, but it’s vital that people know their rights and are empowered to defend them.”

Ginny Cooper, from Homeless Network Scotland’s Change Team, said: “We are pleased to learn about the changes being made to local connection legislation, and see it as an important shift towards giving people experiencing homelessness more choice in where they decide to build their lives.

“Giving people the option to relocate will improve their opportunities to create new relationships within communities where they are able to thrive.”

Latest homelessness figures: ‘still work to do’

The annual update on homelessness statistics covering 2019-20 has been released by Scotland’s Chief Statistician.

Findings for that period show:

  • There were 36,855 applications for homelessness assistance. This was an increase of 84 (0%) compared with the 36,771 applications made in 2018/19.
  • There were 31,333 households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness. This is an increase of 1,097 (4%) compared to 30,236 in 2018/19.
  • These households contained 51,365 people, including 35,654 adults and 15,711 children.
  • There were 11,665 households in temporary accommodation at 31st March 2020, an increase of 676 (6%) compared to 10,989 at 31st March 2019.
  • There were 7,280 children in temporary accommodation at 31st March 2020, an increase of 485 (7%) compared to 6,795 at 31st March 2019.
  • Homelessness applications that closed in 2019/20 that used temporary accommodation spent 184 days in temporary accommodation on average.
  • There were 4,595 cases of homeless households not being offered temporary accommodation in 2019/20. 3,835 of these were in Glasgow.
  • There were 500 breaches of the unsuitable accommodation order in 2019/20, compared to 645 in 2018/19. 375 of these were in Edinburgh.
  • Of homelessness cases that closed in 2019/20, 82% (20,806 out of 27,002) of homeless households secured settled accommodation in 2019/20, increasing from 63% in 2002/03. Other outcomes included ‘Other’ (8%), ‘Returned to previous/present accommodation’ (5%), ‘Moved in with friends/relatives’ (5%) and ‘Hostel’ (1%).

The full statistical publication is available on the Scottish Government website.

Commenting on the latest statistics, Maggie Brunjes, Chief of Executive of Homeless Network Scotland, said: “We know homelessness is not always prevented or responded to quickly enough and today’s figures from 2019/20 show there is still work to do, despite such a determined policy environment in Scotland. 

“The system itself is outdated and too often doesn’t reflect what actually works and what matters. This is changing but change on the ground can be slow and the pandemic has heaped uncertainty onto an already complex problem. 

“The causes of homelessness are predictable and most often rooted in disadvantage, which restricts people’s options. The figures also highlight housing supply and housing access issues and increasing the supply of suitable homes for families and individuals is pressing.  

“Effective prevention can stop homelessness before it starts and a top-level group is working on how we can get better at this. If someone’s homelessness is not prevented that person should be accommodated quickly in normal, settled housing with the right support – this is the focus of Scotland’s rapid rehousing and Housing First approach. 

“The statistics released today do not include the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on homelessness: the ‘overnight’ success in lifting people out of rough sleeping, a ban on evictions and urgent measures by charities, councils and government to plan ahead for this winter.

“Nor do they fully reflect the first year of Scotland’s ground-breaking rapid rehousing plans coming into effect. However, the figures are a reminder that the big, structural systems change needed to end homelessness, which is well underway, must continue at pace.” 

NOTE: The figures in this publication report data up until 31st March 2020, so this only crosses over with around a week of coronavirus restrictions and changes in practices being in place. Therefore, changes in trends in homeless data as result of coronavirus will be extremely minimal over this reporting period.