Every SCS Homes tenant has kept their home this year, as record homelessness figures put pressure on ministers
Every tenancy in Simon Community Scotland’s SCS Homes project has been sustained this year, charity reveals
Across Scotland, 83% of Housing First tenancies are still in place 12 months after they start
The latest Scottish Government report on homelessness to 31st March 2026 highlighted that there were 41,443 homelessness applications, a slight increase of 197 compared to 2024–25
A record 10,715 children are living in temporary accommodation in Scotland
SCS Homes owns 32 homes in Edinburgh for people moving through Housing First, and every tenant has a named support worker and wider team support
Kirsty, who has been affected by homelessness since she was a teenager, shares her story in a new film for This is Community, the campaign marking 60 years of Simon Community Scotland
Every tenant in Simon Community Scotland’s SCS Homes has kept their home this year, while more people in Scotland are living in temporary accommodation than ever before.
Scottish Government figures show 19,004 households, including 10,715 children, were in temporary accommodation as of March 2026, the highest on record.
New YouGov polling found 58% of adults want the Government to do more.
SCS Homes takes a different approach.
The charity owns 32 homes across Edinburgh and lets them at affordable rents to people moving through the Housing First programme. Each tenant has a dedicated support worker who offers support tailored to each individual situation.
Charlie West, SCS Homes & Support Coordinator at Simon Community Scotland, said: “SCS Homes are more than just a roof over someone’s head, our homes offer stability, security and a fresh start.
“Alongside a home, each person has a dedicated support worker who offers ongoing, person-centred support.
“That helps people sustain their tenancy, build confidence, develop independent living skills and connect with the wider community. We also help open doors to other services, opportunities and support networks.
“We believe success isn’t just about ending homelessness. It’s about helping people maintain a home, become part of their community and build a life they can be proud of.”
Kirstyis one of the people living in an SCS Home. For a long time, she didn’t know where she would be sleeping from one night to the next.
The night before she moved in, she almost talked herself out of it. Her support worker, Melissa, was there, and that made the difference.
Melissa kept turning up afterwards too, helping with ordinary things – like getting the flooring sorted, until the flat started to feel like Kirsty’s own.
Kirsty said: “Not knowing where you’re sleeping from night to night, that’s tiring. I kept myself clean, and I kept myself out of trouble, and I got this place. And that’s just changed my life.
“I’ve got all my family. I’ve got everything back. I am the happiest woman ever.”
Melissabrings her own story to the job. She said: “I’ve got lived experience as well with addiction.
“Being able to share that with people I support is a good thing, because it can give people who are in active addiction a bit of hope that actually, you can do this.”
Kirsty’s film is the latest in This is Community, Simon Community Scotland’s 60th anniversary campaign.
SCS Homes began in 2021 with £5m of social investment from the Social and Sustainable Housing Fund, managed by Social and Sustainable Capital. £1 million of which came from the University of Edinburgh. Homes are let at local housing allowance rents.
£2 million funding boost for housing payment scheme
A scheme helping low-income households avoid homelessness will receive an additional £2 million this year.
The Discretionary Housing Payment scheme provides direct financial support to low-income households struggling with housing costs and helps people to retain their tenancy in the rented sector.
The additional funding takes this year’s investment in the scheme to a record £117 million. This will help an estimated 100,000 households in Scotland sustain their tenancies. The scheme is the main way the Scottish Government mitigates the impacts of the UK Government’s ‘bedroom tax’ and benefit cap.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Our Discretionary Housing Payments are a vital lifeline to families at risk of losing their home and help protect people from the UK Government’s damaging bedroom tax and benefit cap policies.
“Our scheme is delivering and providing direct support to low-income households – helping to reduce poverty, safeguard tenancies and prevent homelessness. In Scotland, we offer a level of support not available elsewhere in the UK, and our different approach is working.
“However, the UK Government’s decision to freeze the support given to private renters at 2024 levels means people are struggling to pay their housing costs – this is driving homelessness and putting families at serious risk.
“I am extremely disappointed the Chancellor chose not to use his Budget to end the freeze and give households the breathing space they desperately need.”
Almost £1m to support ‘ask and act’ projects ahead of implementation of new legislation
Projects helping to prevent homelessness across Scotland will continue until the end of this financial year following additional Scottish Government funding of £945,000.
The Homelessness Prevention Pilots test approaches to early intervention and prevention. This fund will help organisations deliver ‘ask and act’ measures – new duties proposed in the Housing (Scotland) Bill that require public bodies to ask about a person’s housing situation early – and take action to prevent homelessness before it happens.
The extra funding is in addition to £4 million announced for the pilots in August last year and the extension will help maintain prevention capacity while final evaluation findings are completed and considered.
Social Justice and Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville will visit an ‘ask and act’ pilot project in Edinburgh’s Wester Hailes today. Crisis, which is a partner in the project, has also published a report setting out what successful prevention looks like and how to get there.
Ms Somerville said: “Preventing homelessness before it happens is one of the most important steps we can take to improve people’s lives.
“The work being carried out through these pilots is helping us understand how services can work together to identify risk earlier, intervene sooner and provide the support people need to stay in their homes and that is why I am pleased to confirm funding to extend them until March.
“This extension will ensure that valuable learning continues, that specialist expertise is retained, and that partners are supported as we prepare for the implementation of Scotland’s new homelessness prevention duties.
“Our aim is clear: to shift from managing homelessness crises to preventing them in the first place. We are investing more than £213 million this year – partly through the local government settlement – on homelessness measures aimed at delivering better outcomes for individuals, families and communities across Scotland.
“We have a shared ambition with Crisis to end homelessness, it is helpful to see the Changing Course report it has published today, which estimates the costs and the benefits of our new homelessness prevention duties.”
Maeve McGoldrick, Head of Policy at Crisis Scotland said: “Crisis Scotland genuinely welcomes today’s announcement as a strong message that preventing homelessness is a top priority for government.
“The prevention pilots show what is possible when services step in early, and from our frontline experience in Wester Hailes we have seen people keep their home when they would otherwise have been pushed towards homelessness.
“Extending the funding for the next few months provides much needed continuity to all services involved in this innovative work. Importantly, it also allows time to plan for the important next stage: scaling up the learning and best practice across Scotland, in time for national commencement in 2028.”
Scottish charity Right There has welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to extend funding for homelessness prevention pilots but highlights that early intervention and prevention must become the norm when dealing with homelessness.
Janet Haugh, CEO of Right Theresaid: “Today’s funding announcement is a very positive signal that the Scottish Government is taking prevention seriously when it comes to homelessness, and while we support any measure to address homelessness in a preventative manner we know that housing is not the sole cause of the problem.
“We need to move towards a more holistic approach that addresses issues such as poverty, mental health, addiction, and family breakdown which all contribute to people losing their homes, if we are serious about ending homelessness for good.”
The Scottish Government has today announced almost £1m to extend pilot projects to help organisations deliver ‘act and ask’ measures brought in under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2026 once the legislation is implemented.
The measures will impose duties requiring public bodies to ask about a person’s housing situation with the aim of being able to take action before homelessness occurs.
Janet Haughadded: “As a nation we are very good at dealing with crises but not so good at putting measures in place to prevent them in the first place.
“We welcome the extension to fund ‘ask and act’ pilots and we hope this will be part of a long term preventative strategy which will address the root causes of homelessness and signal a move away from jumping from one crisis to the next.”
Ask and act measures are expected to commence nationally in 2028.
Burnham confident every rough sleeper will have route off the street by Christmas as funding doubles
Prime Minister sets out confidence that everyone sleeping rough will be offered route off the street before Christmas, backed by a further £432 million to sustain support beyond this winter
New funding to be outlined funding to be confirmed at the Budget on Wednesday, taking total investment behind the Prime Minister’s commitment to £874 million
First-ever Rough Sleeping Summit at Downing Street brings together businesses, charities and local leaders to mobilise action, with major organisations pledging homes, jobs and practical support
The Prime Minister yesterday set out his confidence that everyone sleeping rough will be offered a route off the street or wider support before Christmas, as he announced a further £432 million to help deliver the ambition and sustain support for years to come.
The additional funding, to be set out at the Budget later this week, reflects the Prime Minister’s determination to make tackling rough sleeping a national priority. It will extend support beyond March 2027 and through to the end of this Parliament, taking total investment behind his commitment to £874 million.
It marks the next stage of the pledge the Prime Minister made on his first day in Downing Street: to stop accepting rough sleeping as a fact of life and unite the country behind a mission to end it.
Urgent action is already under way, with specialist outreach teams and new bedspaces operating in Coventry, and further provision being rolled out in places including Plymouth and Camden over the coming weeks. Backed by the initial £442 million, the programme is focused on ensuring everyone who needs it is offered a route off the streets before Christmas.
Yesterday’s additional investment will ensure that support does not end when winter does, providing continuity for frontline services and helping people move into settled accommodation and rebuild their lives.
But government cannot end rough sleeping alone. That is why the Prime Minister hosted the first-ever Rough Sleeping Summit at Downing Street, bringing together businesses, charities, housing providers and local leaders to mobilise the resources, expertise and commitment needed to deliver lasting change.
Organisations attending the summit are making significant new commitments.
The National Housing Federation will work with housing associations to identify at least 2,000 potential homes and bedspaces, including empty properties that could be brought back into use. Virgin Media O2 will provide practical digital support to frontline organisations, while L’Oréal Group will launch a pioneering Social Salon partnership with St Mungo’s and Haircuts4Homeless.
Together, these commitments will help people access not just a safe place to stay, but the homes, employment opportunities and support they need to build a more secure future.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Rough sleeping isn’t a fact of life. It’s a thing governments either choose to accept or don’t.
“Well I don’t accept it. That’s why we’re doubling funding so that people aren’t just offered a safe route off the streets this winter but have that same support right through the rest of this Parliament too.
“But we can’t do it alone. If we’re going to end rough sleeping, we need every part of society behind us on this. So today we’re bringing together businesses, charities and local leaders in Downing Street to make sure this is a solution that lasts.”
Secretary of State for Housing Angela Rayner said: “This is a big ambition – we know that. But we will not back down from making sure everyone has the offer of a route off the streets this Christmas.
“This summit is about bringing every part of society together behind that mission. Ending homelessness is not only a moral imperative – it will make our communities and our country better off.”
“The first step is giving people a roof over their head and freedom from the nightly struggle to find somewhere safe to sleep. But Christmas is only the beginning and that’s why we will keep working together to tackle the root causes of homelessness and end rough sleeping for good.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey said: “No one should ever have to sleep rough, which is why we are doubling our investment to more people and providing a chance to break the cycle and end sleeping on the streets of our country – not just this Christmas, but for the years to come.”
Monday’s Summit brought organisations from across society together to play their part, with new pledges including:
National Housing Federation working with housing associations to identify at least 2000 potential homes and bedspaces, including empty homes for people moving off the streets, working closely with local authorities.
Social Bite forming a new partnership with the government to expand its modular supported accommodation model, combining a settled home with intensive and community-based support.
Salvation Army working with their housing association Salvation Army Homes and public-sector partners to develop social housing, modular accommodation and move-on options, including provision for people with complex needs for whom mainstream accommodation may not be suitable.
UnLtd / Key Fund partnering with government to help social ventures create sustainable jobs for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Virgin Media O2 providing new support around devices, data and connectivity, in partnership with charity Refuge, helping women and their children affected by domestic abuse and experiencing homelessness stay connected to services and support.
IKEA combining direct funding, advocacy, employment programmes, community partnerships, and customer and public awareness-raising campaigns to tackle both the immediate impacts and underlying causes of homelessness.
L’Oreal Group launching an innovative ‘Social Salon’ partnership in the UK with St Mungo’s andHaircuts4Homeless, supporting rough sleepers with wellbeing provision.
Morrisons Foundation pledging to launch the Good Food Fund, providing £500,000 in grants to support communities to tackle food insecurity where it hits hardest, including supporting charities providing relief to people who are sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness, in support of the Prime Minister’s drive.
ReGenerate launching a partnership with Liverpool City Region, in coordination with the Liverpool Mayor’s new Homelessness Taskforce, to find ways in which businesses can do even more to tackle homelessness such as through driving pathways into employment across the region
Comic Relief committing further resources to tackle homelessness and housing insecurity, helping to raise public support and awareness in 2027.
Landsec offering access to its screens at Piccadilly and others across its retail portfolio to amplify homelessness charities and causes nationwide.
The Faith and Homelessness Collective, mobilising action across a group of 100+ church leaders and leaders of faith-inspired homelessness and housing organisations to support the PM’s instruction to offer everyone a route off the streets this winter and prevention in the long-term.
Over 30 organisations and investors from the impact economy – representing billions of pounds – signalling support to the PM’s drive and working with Government to bring more investment into move-on homes, support the organisations that help people stay housed, open up jobs and training, and put more money into prevention.
A coalition of philanthropic funders signalling their commitment to millions of pounds of investment into preventing homelessness, including a £10 million commitment from Julia Rausing Trust, and Henry Smith Foundation providing £500,000 of match funding with Birmingham City Council, to support Greater Change in providing relational support to rough sleepers in the city.
COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, Cllr Maureen Chalmers, responded to the Scottish Government’s Homelessness Figures. She said:“Today’s published homelessness figures are disappointing and underline the scale of the housing challenges facing local communities across the country.
“While there are some slight improvements in some measures, too many individuals and families continue to experience homelessness.
“Councils are working tirelessly to prevent homelessness and support those in need, but housing demand continues to outstrip supply in many areas.
“Tackling this challenge requires sustained investment in affordable housing, a strong focus on prevention, and close partnership working across national and local government.
“Everyone deserves access to a safe, secure and affordable home, and councils remains committed to working with partners to make that ambition a reality.”
The number of children waking up without a home in Scotland has reached another record high and more than doubling in the last 10 years, new Scottish Government statistics show.
10,715 children are currently trapped in temporary accommodation, compared to 5,223 in 2015. People are waiting in temporary accommodation for years for a home and more people are sleeping rough. Instances of local authority homelessness services unlawfully breaching people’s housing rights have also significantly increased, up 32% to 21,800 since last year.
The figures show the sheer scale of Scotland’s broken housing system – the result of decades of underinvestment and the failure to build enough social homes, says Shelter Scotland.
The leading housing and homelessness charity says that the situation can be turned around, but only if building more social homes becomes a national mission supported by an exceptional level of funding. Areas that need it most like Glasgow must receive national investment from Scottish and UK Governments.
This new data comes after the First Minister promised to end the use of unsuitable temporary accommodation for children in the recent Programme for Government. The test now is whether real change will be felt by the thousands of families and children without a home.
Gordon Llewellyn-MacRae, Interim Director at Shelter Scotland said:“Scotland’s housing emergency has been decades in the making. Children are growing up in harmful conditions and families don’t know how long they will be stuck in limbo.
“Local authorities are under extreme pressure and are unlawfully turning people away who have a right to housing. That pressure is resulting in housing being weaponised with calls to roll back rights. It is utterly unacceptable.
“We know why it has happened- because we have failed to build enough social homes. The First Minister’s recent pledge to stop children being placed in harmful temporary accommodation is very welcome, showing he has listened to the demands of families. But we won’t celebrate just yet – promises mean nothing without action.
“The situation in Glasgow needs a national response. It needs investment from the Scottish and UK Governments until the asylum backlog declines and we must see the delivery of homes quicker to lift people – especially children – out of temporary accommodation.
“The good news is we know how to end the housing emergency and so do the Government. We need committed investment to deliver the social homes desperately and urgently needed. If the Government focuses More Homes Scotland on social housing, there’s a massive opportunity to change the trajectory.
“Families can’t wait any longer. It’s time to turn the tide and follow through with action, so we don’t allow more children to face the same fate for the next decade.”
Janet Haugh, CEO of Right There, said: “These figures should shock us all. More than 10,700 children are now growing up in temporary accommodation across Scotland, while rough sleeping continues to rise.
“Scotland cannot keep describing this as a housing emergency without responding like it is one.
“We need action, not platitudes. Prevention, affordable housing and early support must move from ambition to action.”
A new prevention-focused approach and rapid rehousing will be at the heart of work reduce homelessness in Scotland over the next five years.
The Scottish Government unveiled plans for a shift in approach from crisis management to prevention as part of this year’s Programme for Government.
Measures to tackle homelessness include:
an additional 1,500 Housing First tenancies, supporting people with complex care needs into permanent housing
continued roll-out of the Homelessness Prevention Fund of £50 million over 10 years
£1 million from the Homelessness Prevention Fund for the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Homeless Network Scotland to strengthen tenancy sustainment activity by registered social landlords in Glasgow
£2 million for the ‘fund to leave’ scheme to become permanent, offering support for women and children to leave an abusive partner.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing Shirley-Anne Somerville visited homelessness charity Simon Community Scotland in Edinburgh, which is involved in two Scottish Government prevention pilot projects.
One is in partnership with Police Scotland while the other is in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service – which will enable police officers and ambulance staff to identify housing instability and homelessness risk and provide tailored individual support.
Ms Somerville said: “The best way to end homelessness is to prevent it from happening in the first place. That is why we are shifting our approach from crisis management to prevention and rapid rehousing.
“We will do all we can over this Parliament to help people off the streets and end the use of unsafe and harmful temporary accommodation.
“I was pleased to meet staff and tenants at Simon Community Scotland Streetreads library to hear first-hand how their early identification of housing problems is helping to make a real difference to people’s lives. Their homelessness prevention pilots are generating valuable learning and knowledge transfer, and we want to replicate this across the country.
“Over the next five years we will drive progress through our £50 million Homelessness Prevention Fund, our Housing First programme which will provide 1,500 permanent tenancies for people experiencing homelessness, and our £2 million for the ‘fund to leave’ scheme which supports women to leave an abusive partner.
“Our record investment of up to £4.9 billion over the next five years will deliver around 36,000 affordable homes.”
Positive progress is being made on in tackling Edinburgh’s housing emergency, according to updates considered by the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on Tuesday (25 August 2026).
Since the Housing Emergency Action Plan was agreed in 2024, 1,473 affordable homes have been completed by the Council and partners, 1,144 sites started and 866 additional suitable temporary accommodation properties purchased.
There has also been a significant reduction in the number of families with children living in unsuitable temporary accommodation.
In addition the Ask and Act pilot scheme has been launched in Wester Hailes, which aims to prevent people from becoming homeless at the earliest opportunity by working with partners across the public and third sector.
Members also agreed to end the suspension of the Council’s allocations policy, put in place to prioritise people facing homelessness, following progress in reducing the number of void Council homes alongside an increase in the supply of suitable temporary accommodation. This follows the commitment of the Council to invest £1.6bn in affordable housing.
A new grant scheme will also provide eligible owners of empty homes with up to £20,000 to bring properties up to a lettable standard. In return, owners will be required to make the property available for Private Sector Leasing for a period of three or five years.
The grant scheme is intended to allow empty home owners who do not have the financial means to address necessary works to bring the home into use. In turn, this will contribute to the number of suitable temporary homes available, easing pressure on the current housing emergency. Overall up to £600k is to be granted through the scheme.
Councillor Tim Pogson, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “I’m encouraged by the progress being made to tackle Edinburgh’s housing emergency, with significantly fewer people not being provided with temporary accommodation, and a reduction in the number of children living in unsuitable accommodation.
“Everyone has the right to a safe and suitable place to call home. The pause on housing allocations has helped us prioritise those facing homelessness, while we work to increase the supply of temporary accommodation across the city.
“Bringing empty homes back into use is another important part of increasing the supply of housing. This funding will help owners meet the costs of essential works while, in return, making these homes available for private sector leasing for a 3 or 5 years.
“If you or a friend or relative own an empty home, I would urge you to find out more about how the support available.
“There is still much to be done, but I’m encouraged by the progress being made on the Housing Emergency Action Plan, which demonstrates tangible improvements being made.”
Efforts to increase suitable temporary accommodation include bringing houses back into use, purchasing properties and commissioning new temporary accommodation.
While in place, the suspension of the allocations policy allowed more than 350 households, including 200 families, to be moved out of unsuitable temporary accommodation and directly into a settled tenancy.
FM outlines progress made in first 100 days of government
Helping people with the cost of living, strengthening public services and growing the economy are the focus of policies delivered so far in the first 100 days of government, First Minister John Swinney has said.
Since appointing the Cabinet on 20th May, the Scottish Government’s action has included setting up the First Homes Fund to help first-time buyers with up to £10,000 support towards a deposit, investing in and expanding health and social care provision, and setting up initiatives to boost business.
Work is also underway on key commitments including expanding support for breakfast clubs, extending the £2 bus cap beyond the Highlands and Islands, the Welcome to School Bag which builds on the success of Scotland’s Baby Box and on mobile phones in schools.
First Minister John Swinney said: “From day one, this government has been focused on the issues that matter most to people across Scotland – helping people with the cost of living, making our public services like the NHS stronger, and supporting our economy to prosper. My government will deliver on its promises to the people of Scotland.
“In our first 100 days, we have taken decisive action to support these priorities. That includes investing £90 million to bring down NHS outpatient waiting lists, boosting the social care workforce and opening new GP walk-in services.
“Our First Homes Fund is helping first time buyers to get on the property ladder, and launching the £50 million Homelessness Prevention Fund will make sure fewer people reach the point of crisis.
“To support our economic growth, we have established the National Council for Economic Growth and set up a fund to support island business impacted by travel disruption.
“As we near the end of the first 100 days of this government, we will continue to deliver action that will help improve people’s lives – including launching the consultation on the food price cap and delivering more school breakfast clubs to help families with essential costs.
My Programme for Government will then set out how we build on the progress to go further in improving lives and delivering change to build a stronger,fairer Scotland.”
It was great to welcome First Minister John Swinney MSP to the Edinburgh Social Bite Village to see first-hand the impact of our response to homelessness.
During his visit, the First Minister met with residents and staff to find out more about our innovative alternative to temporary accommodation.
FM John Swinney visits Social Bite’s Edinburgh Village – 19/08/26
Mr Swinney commented: “Social Bite, working with Cyrenians, is doing vital work to support people through crisis and help them rebuild their lives.
“I would like to express my gratitude to residents for welcoming me into their homes and giving me the opportunity to hear more about their experiences.”
We urge both the Scottish and UK Governments to explore adopting the Village Model in cities across the UK in a bid to address the nation’s homelessness crisis.
The Social Bite Village Model demonstrates how unused or derelict land can be transformed into high-quality, purpose-built communities, providing a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to traditional forms of temporary accommodation.
Find out more about building a Social Bite Village in your local area:
One month after making his first instruction as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham has announced the next steps in his national drive to end rough sleeping by announcing immediate action to offer everyone who needs it a route off the streets by Christmas, backed by increased funding of £442 million.
Everyone sleeping rough is to be offered a route off the streets this winter if they need it, the first major milestone in the Prime Minister’s commitment to end rough sleeping
Under a boosted £442 million package, areas with the greatest need will receive the largest share of support, to get people out of the cold this winter and give people facing long-term homelessness a settled home and the support to keep it
In a drive to bring everyone together to play their part, the Prime Minister is announcing a first of its kind national summit on tackling rough sleeping to take place in the Autumn.
One month after making his first instruction as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham today (Wednesday 19 August) has announced the next steps in his national drive to end rough sleeping by announcing immediate action to offer everyone who needs it a route off the streets by Christmas, backed by increased funding of £442 million.
New accommodation and support will be rolled out across England this winter, learning from innovative approaches put into place during the pandemic.
Alongside emergency accommodation to end the need for rough sleeping, the programme, fully funded within MHCLG budgets, will offer practical help with housing, health and other needs, helping people build a more stable future.
In addition, the Prime Minister has announced he will host a first of its kind national summit in the Autumn to bring together leaders from across society – from business, finance, charities, health, faith communities and more – to ask what role each of them can play in ending rough sleeping.
The new commitment to offer everyone a route off the streets this Christmas, along with boosted funding and a landmark summit, reflect the Prime Minister’s approach of bringing everyone together in a national drive to step up and play their part in ending rough sleeping – with everyone pulling in the same direction at a local level to make real change backed by funding at a national level.
The plans will not only change the lives of those being given somewhere to sleep and a foundation to rebuild their lives but have huge benefits for the whole country, as research from Crisis suggests preventing 40,000 people from becoming homeless for a year could save taxpayers around £370 million.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “No-one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station. But we’ve seen it for so long that it feels like Westminster has started to accept it.
“I won’t accept it. That’s why my first instruction as Prime Minister was to end rough sleeping. And it’s why today we’re getting started with a national drive to get everyone in for Christmas.
“We did it in the pandemic. We can do it again. But it needs all of us. Government will put the money in. But I’m asking leaders in communities and sectors across society to play their part locally too.
“Let’s get people out the cold. And let’s bring back hope.”
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: “When the Prime Minister pledged to end rough sleeping, we said we’d move urgently from words to action. Today we’re delivering on that promise.
“This funding will help thousands of people leave the streets behind, move into secure homes and get the support they need to rebuild their lives.
“Working alongside councils, mayors and charities, we’re backing local areas to tackle rough sleeping at its roots, giving people the security, dignity and opportunity they deserve, and restoring hope to those who have been let down for far too long.”
The government is also confirming project allocations for this programme, which includes the investment into long term accommodation announced in July.
As well as off the street provision, the funding will help local areas deliver more than 1,000 settled homes over the next three years, alongside intensive wraparound support to help people rebuild their lives.
Areas facing the greatest pressures will receive the largest share of support, with communities all across England getting support to address rough sleeping in their area. Working alongside councils, Mayors will play a leading role in driving local action to end rough sleeping and making the decisions that are right for their communities to deliver help where it is needed most.
Alongside funding allocations, the Government is publishing guidance to help local areas mobilise quickly and deliver a consistent route off the street offer this winter. The guidance will make clear the need to ensure adequate and accessible provision for women experiencing rough sleeping, recognising that women are often underrepresented in official statistics and may be at greater risk of violence, abuse, and exploitation.
Guidance encourages local areas to consider single sex accommodation with specialist, intensive and trauma informed support, for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. This will support the government’s commitment to halve violence against women and girls in the next ten years.
Charities, faith groups and community organisations are at the heart of efforts to end homelessness. That is why, in addition to holding a first of its kind national summit bringing together leaders across society with a role to play, £8.4 million of the new funding is going specifically to the Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund.
This takes total funding allocations announced today for 100 different projects to £47 million over three years, helping small and medium-sized organisations provide life-changing support to people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.
Together, these measures form the foundation of cross-government work to end rough sleeping at the earliest opportunity, combining immediate action this winter with lasting solutions to help people rebuild their lives for good.
CHARITIES Crisis Scotland and Homeless Network Scotland made the following statement last month responding to new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s commitment to end rough sleeping:
“The new Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s commitment to end rough sleeping, backed by new investment, is a positive step. The additional funding that will come to Scotland through Barnett consequentials provides an important opportunity to strengthen efforts to end rough sleeping in Scotland and support more people into safe, secure homes.
“We are calling on the Scottish Government to use this extra funding to expand Housing First and ensure more people experiencing the most severe and complex forms of homelessness can access the housing and support they need.
“Housing First is one of the most effective and innovative policy interventions of recent times. It provides people with a permanent home alongside flexible, person-centred support. The evidence is clear that this approach works, providing the stability and support required so they can leave homelessness for good and rebuild their lives.
“Scotland has long been recognised as a leader in progressive approaches to ending homelessness. But leadership is measured by delivery. Through the Ending Homelessness Together action plan, the Scottish Government committed to making Housing First the default option for people with multiple and complex needs. Yet access remains far below the level required, with current provision estimated to meet just nine percent of demand.
“With rough sleeping continuing to rise, this funding is a chance to turn ambition into action. Expanding Housing First would ensure Scotland continues to lead the way in ending homelessness and delivering on the ambition to end all forms of homelessness.”
Gordon Llewellyn-MacRae, Interim Director at Shelter Scotland said:“Andy Burnham is right to make homelessness his day one priority.
“Rough sleeping in Scotland more than doubled between 2021 and 2025. But it would be wrong to suggest that getting people off the streets is enough.
“Rough sleeping happens because councils don’t have enough homes or hotel rooms even to provide basic emergency accommodation. It is a symptom of a political failure at Westminster and Holyrood that prefers sticking plasters to long term solutions.
“If Andy Burnham is serious then he should look again at how the UK Government creates homelessness by cutting local housing allowance – making it impossible for people when their wages don’t keep up with rents.
“He should look again at the asylum system that forces people fleeing persecution into homelessness by evicting them from accommodation when they are granted leave to remain.
“He should remove the so-called bedroom tax which the Scottish Government spends millions of pounds every year to effectively eradicate in Scotland. Money that would be better spent on homelessness prevention and local services.
“And most importantly he should invest in a new generation of social housing, including increasing capital investment in Scotland so that councils and housing associations can build at scale.”
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