Avant Homes Scotland will deliver 256 new homes in Cairneyhill after being granted planning permission for a £68m residential development.
Called Keelyside View and located off Sunnyside Road, the development will comprise a mix of two-, three-, four-, and five-bedroom homes
It will feature 13 of Avant Homes’ practically designed, energy efficient house styles and include terraced, semi-detached and detached homes as well as townhouses.
Of the 256 homes, a quarter have been designated to affordable housing. Prices for the properties are to be released at a later date.
Work at Keelyside View is scheduled to commence in July 2025 with the first residents expected to move into their new homes by autumn 2026.
Avant Homes Scotland managing director, Jim Wilkinson, said: “As a business, our aim is to provide quality new homes for everyone in locations where people want to live.
“Our Keelyside View development is an excellent example of this and will deliver a range of practically designed energy-efficient homes at various price points for buyers.
“Living in Cairneyhill offers residents the best of urban and rural living, being close to the coast and within easy commuting distance of Edinburgh.
“We now look forward to beginning work at Keelyside View to delivering a thriving new community and homes for those looking to move in or to Cairneyhill.”
The Government is due to publish a Child Poverty Strategy later this year, with a promise to bring about “an enduring reduction in child poverty” (write ALEX CLEGG and ADAM CORLETT of The Resolution Foundation).
In this report we focus on the Government’s headline metric of relative child poverty and look at what might be needed to achieve this welcome goal in the face of significant headwinds.
We consider the role of improvements in parental employment and housing affordability, but also of reforms to social security, and we show what is needed to make sure that any gains in this Parliament are not lost in future.
KEY FINDINGS
On the Government’s headline measure of relative poverty after housing costs, 4.3 million children (three-in-ten) were living in relative poverty across the UK in 2022-23. On an international measure accounting for both housing and energy costs, the UK’s relative child poverty rate is higher than in any EU or EFTA nation bar Greece.
On present policies and our baseline economic forecasts, we project that UK child poverty will rise over this Parliament from an estimated 31 per cent in 2024-25 to reach 33 per cent by 2029-30, its highest rate since 1998-99, and the highest number of children on record, at 4.6 million. This is partly because the outlook includes £3 billion of scheduled welfare cuts, in the form of the ongoing roll out of the two-child limit and family element abolition, and real cuts each year in the value of Local Housing Allowances and the benefit cap.
It is right to be ambitious about employment rates and housing supply. Concerted action on these could lower child poverty by 130,000 compared to our base scenario, and would provide fiscal room for new spending (as would higher-than-expected growth more generally). But without changes to social security, poverty would still rise over the Parliament.
The child poverty priority should be to abolish the two-child limit, and the benefit cap alongside it, which would take an estimated 500,000 children out of poverty in 2029-30. This would cost £4.5 billion in 2029-30 but is the most efficient anti-poverty measure the Government could take. Turning the two-child limit into a three-child limit (and assuming the benefit cap is still abolished) would have about two-thirds of the impact at two-thirds of the cost.
Free School Meal entitlement should be extended to cover all families on Universal Credit, which would take around 100,000 children out of poverty, with money found from within existing departmental spending plans. For further poverty reductions, Local Housing Allowance should be repegged to local rents – rather than remain frozen indefinitely – and Universal Credit’s basic adequacy tackled, for example by reversing the abolition of the ‘family element’. This would reduce child poverty by a further 140,000. These policies could mean that, by 2029-30, child poverty could be around 900,000 lower than in our default projection, at 3.7 million: getting below 4 million for the first time since 2015 outside of 2020-21. And the child poverty rate could be cut to its lowest in four decades, at around 27 per cent, in the highest-ambition scenarios.
The ambitious package would have a price tag of around £8.5 billion, falling to £5.5 billion if the extension of free school meals is funded within existing departmental budgets and the Government can succeed in raising employment and building more homes.
In the longer-term, family benefit uprating needs to move to tracking average earnings – alongside the State Pension – or else relative child poverty will always tend to rise as social security entitlements fall behind average earnings.
Read Resolution Foundation’s TURNING THE TIDE report:
Ashleigh Urwin, Partner, Aberdein Considine, said: “The upcoming 8% increase in Council Tax in Edinburgh could have a marked impact on the housing market – not only does it add to the financial pressure faced by homeowners, but it will also make properties less affordable, especially for first time buyers.
“The knock-on impacts could include a slowdown in demand for properties, or a reduction in housing price growth.
“Larger family homes in the higher Council Tax bands, particularly in areas like Morningside, Bruntsfield and The Grange, are likely to see the biggest cost increases. And landlords in high demand rental areas, such as Leith and the city centre, could pass on extra costs to tenants, driving up rents.
“Both buyers and sellers will need time to adjust to these changes, so the impact on house prices and rental costs will likely not become known until a few months down the line.
“Buyers should carefully consider these rising costs when planning their budgets, and explore their financial options, negotiating on price where possible.
“It would also be wise for buyers to compare areas, as some neighbourhoods may be more impacted by the tax increase than others.”
Commercial real estate investor, developer and asset manager, Firethorn Trust, has passed a major milestone at its purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme on Leith Walk with completion of the building’s substructure.
Ogilvie Construction has been appointed to deliver the six-storey block, which will create high quality accommodation for 230 students when it completes next year.
The development includes construction of a single storey block adjacent to the main building, which will provide laundry facilities, a gym, cinema, and cycle store, as well as an electricity substation to power the buildings.
Donald MacDonald, Managing Director, Ogilvie Construction, said: “Site operations started in October with the demolition of the previous structure and the project has made excellent progress since then.
“With the completion of the ground slab substructure, the next phase of the build will see the columns rising as we complete each storey of the new building.
“This is our 15th student accommodation project in recent years, and we look forward to handing over a first-class facility to Firethorn Trust next year.”
Paul Martin, Development Director at Firethorn Trust, said: “As the first PBSA scheme within our Living portfolio, Leith Walk reflects our ambition to meet growing demand for modern student housing in prime university cities across the UK.
“With a shared commitment to quality, alongside the strength of its local expertise, Ogilvie Construction is perfectly positioned to deliver our vision for the development, which has been designed to meet the highest sustainability standards, while providing a vibrant community for students to thrive.”
Work is expected to complete in time for the 2026/27 academic year.
Ogilvie Construction is part of the Ogilvie Group, one of Scotland’s most consistently successful family-owned businesses. The company is over 65 years old and employs 600 people across its various business operations in the UK.
TENANTS in nine homes in Edinburgh will benefit from major energy upgrades to improve living standards and lower energy bills.
The homes, located in the southeast of the city, boast an Energy Performance Certificate ‘B’ rating after a series of improvements including External Wall Insulation (EWI) and window upgrades.
They are now undergoing monitoring to assess energy consumption, tenant comfort, and overall performance. Data gathered from the homes will provide valuable insight into the effectiveness of these measures and help determine the feasibility of rolling out similar upgrades across other Council housing stock.
Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener Lezley Marion Cameron said: “I warmly welcome what’s been achieved in collaboration with our partners, AtkinsRéalis and Anderson Bell + Christie, on this transformative retrofit project.The energy improvements are already delivering real benefits for tenants – lower energy bills, increased comfort, and more sustainable homes.
“The data we’re collecting will be instrumental in scaling up this work to happen across other Council homes in Edinburgh, contributing towards our Net Zero 2030 target. While the work involved is complex, the long-term benefits – for our tenants, communities, and our city’s environment – are undeniable.”
Anderson Bell + Christie Director Jonathan McQuillan said: “This project signals a real shift change in how Scottish social housing landlords are approaching their obligations to improve the energy and quality of homes ahead of the Scottish Government deadline – taking a co-ordinated, architectural viewpoint to ensure the measures put in place and undertaken are tailed to each and every building to ensure its effectiveness for many generations to come.
“The City of Edinburgh Council have been pioneering in their thinking and as a result of the pilot, on which we spent two years investigating and garnering the right data, the majority of their stock can now be retrofitted with confidence.
“The improvement works support future measures such as district heating systems, making them ‘net zero-ready’.”
The project adopted a ‘whole house approach’ to implement advanced retrofit standards for the nine pilot homes. The properties were selected following an in-depth review of 52 building types which involved comprehensive surveys, including asbestos checks, air-tightness testing, and extensive energy modelling.
Families across Scotland have this week commenced a 12-month mould and damp intervention programme before a full UK rollout this spring.
Delivered by Indoor Air Aware, the campaign democratising access to healthy indoor environments, and funded by Energy Action Scotland, the year-long pilot project will assist fuel poor households in preventing and safely remediating areas affected by mould and damp at home.
The project aims to address the critical issue of condensation, damp and mould in homes, specifically targeting fuel poor households with preschool-aged children in Scotland.
This innovative pilot will focus on a selection of households living in social rented, private rented and owned housing, providing them with proactive solutions to prevent mould and damp from affecting their living conditions. The initiative enables Indoor Air Aware to act on its mission to improve indoor air quality and the health and wellbeing of families.
The project pilot will involve home visits to assess the efficiency of the fabric and physics of buildings, ventilation and heating systems, and the provision of tailored guidance on household activities like drying clothes and showering – two of the main causes of moisture resulting in mould growth.
As part of the pilot, each household has been equipped with two smart air monitoring devices, coupled with a user-friendly app.
A team of expert advisors at Indoor Air Aware will remotely monitor each environment and provide guidance where improvements can be made. The energy consumed to heat each property will also be tracked.
To track progress, each participating household will regularly complete surveys to record the physical condition of their home in relation to condensation, dampness and mould and share their experiences after putting new measures and behaviour change in place.
The health of all residents will also be tracked during the pilot to identify how the improved environment impacts each resident’s level of health.
The project will run for 12 months, culminating in a final report that will outline the findings and effectiveness of the initiative and interventions.
Lisa Malyon, Founder of Indoor Air Aware, comments on the pilot launch:“The steep, sustained rise in energy costs has led to underheated homes which has exacerbated the UK’s mould epidemic.
“Living with mould can have a detrimental and often irreversible impact on people’s health – especially children whose lungs are still developing. The chemistry and physics behind why mould grows in our homes is complex, so this pilot is designed to educate households on the causes, and how to prevent mould and damp.
“We are incredibly grateful to Energy Action Scotland for funding this pilot project, which has the potential to be life-changing for those who take part.”
Frazer Scott, CEO of Energy Action Scotland comments on the grant fund:“Cold, occupied homes are a breeding ground for mould, so we really welcome the opportunity to learn more through this work with Lisa and Indoor Air Aware.
“If we equip households with the knowledge of heat, air and ventilation, we can all combat the causes of mould growth and protect ourselves and improve our health. We look forward to sharing the outcome of the pilot.”
Indoor Air Aware is home to ‘Mums Versus Mould’ a fast-growing Facebook community of 1,500 families hoping to prevent mould and damp, or safely clean and remediate their homes after the damage is already done.
Lisa shares her top 10 tips to help avoid mould and damp at home:
Do everything in your power to strike the right balance of heat, ventilation, and insulation. Mould needs moisture to start growing, so we must do what we can to avoid moisture landing on porous surfaces.
Always use the ventilation made available to you. Each day, we each create around 8 glasses of water through washing, cleaning, cooking, sweating, and breathing. Ventilation such as extractor fans and trickle vents on windows should be used to reduce the moisture in the air. Opening a window 5cm will result in less than 5% heat loss. It will feel warmer inside as the window will release moisture from the air.
Cooker hood ventilation is more effective if you cook using the back rings, instead of the front rings. Always make sure to clean cooker hood filters around once a month, or every fortnight if you use it every day.
Each day, do the daily detox. This is sometimes known as ‘back to front’ or ‘shock ventilation’ whereby you open each window of the house very wide, and all internal doors. This allows the outside air – which is generally 3.5 times cleaner than indoor air – to sweep all the moisture, stale gases, chemicals and particles out of the property, leaving behind dryer, cleaner air that is quicker and cheaper to heat.
Establish dry rooms and wet rooms, and don’t mix the two. Never do anything ‘wet’ such as drying clothes, using a steam iron, or having a heated aquarium in dry rooms (living rooms / bedrooms etc). These activities should be done in the bathroom or kitchen, with good ventilation.
Do your maths. Many households are opting to air dry their laundry using a dehumidifier instead of a tumble dryer. My own experiments have proved it’s normally more economical to use a tumble dryer – but make sure it’s well vented and used in a room with an open window.
Do not attempt to clean large areas of mould. Any space larger than the size of a tea-towel should be professionally cleaned and remediated if necessary.
Never use bleach-based products, and don’t try to mask the problem with stain blockers. Bleach feeds mould growth, and can break down silicons, leaving gaps around the bath to create much large water damage issues.
Do not get duped by ‘mould sprays’ as these contain sodium hypochlorite which is bleach.
Pure white vinegar on a microfibre cloth is the best way to remove mould, followed by another wipe down with water and a few drops of liquid soap or washing up liquid in a bowl of water. Wring the cloth out well as excess water will exacerbate the issue. Leave to air dry / use a heater / dehumidifier. Always wear protective gloves, clothing, and a face mask to reduce the impact of spreading the issue and health side effects.
Homeowners delighted with fully renovated homes at former army HQ
A FORMER army neighbourhood undergoing a transformation into a vibrant new community has welcomed its first homeowners, marking a significant milestone.
Craigiehall Meadows, managed by Ralph Sayer and located on the northwest fringe of Edinburgh is proving hugely popular with buyers, as more than half of the first phase of homes are sold.
Among the new homeowners at the former British Army Scotland headquarters is Tracy Kershaw, who has moved from Drylaw, Edinburgh after 25 years, securing a two-bedroom Juniper house on Hillside Road.
Tracy, 46, who moves into her new home along with her Jack Russell Alfie and Staffy Buster, said: “This is a fantastic development, and I couldn’t be happier with my new home.
“The whole process of moving was incredibly smooth, and the team made everything effortless. You always worry about last-minute hiccups, but from start to finish, Ralph Sayer’s support was professional, straightforward, and completely stress-free.
“The views of the Pentlands were a huge selling point for me. I’ve always loved having a great view, and with fantastic walking routes like Cammo Estate and Dalmeny Estate, along with the River Almond right on my doorstep, it’s the perfect spot for both me and Alfie.
“As a nurse, having an easy commute was really important, and this development has made getting to and from work at the Western General Hospital simple, which is a huge bonus.”
Hillside Roat at Craigiehall Meadows blends the area’s rich history with contemporary living, offering two- and three-bedroom semi-detached properties with spacious layouts and generous gardens.
The first phase of homes in Craigiehall Meadows include the two-bedroom Juniper (£255,000) and three-bedroom Poplar (£320,000), both of which feature refurbished interiors and exteriors.
Located on Hillside Road, the homes provide easy access to Edinburgh city centre, major transport routes, and nearby amenities, while offering a peaceful rural setting.
Tzana Webster, Head of Estate Agency at Ralph Sayer said: “Hillside Road is on track to be fully sold out, and we’re seeing strong momentum across the development, particularly in the Primrose and Riverside areas, which will be larger family homes with spacious gardens and high-quality finishes.
“Looking at how far the site has come in less than 12 months is a testament to the incredible team we have working across the development.
“From a once-dormant site to a thriving new community, it’s fantastic to see buyers securing their dream homes in such a unique and well-connected location.”
The development has already sparked significant interest from families and those looking to buy their first home, with developers urging prospective residents to act quickly. Viewings are by appointment only and can be arranged through Ralph Sayer.
Nestled against the River Almond and surrounded by mature woodlands, it offers a prime semi-rural location while remaining well-connected to sought-after neighbourhoods such as Cammo, Cramond, and Dalmeny.
Once home to military families, the site, originally acquired in 1939 and pivotal in the 1945 German surrender in Norway, later became the Scottish Army HQ, housing regiments like The Black Watch until its closure in 2014.
Hillside Road features affordable homes, ideal for first time buyers, downsizers and buy-to-rent owners, while Riverside and Primrose will provide larger, high-spec family residences.
Combining modern comfort with a rich sense of history, the development offers a rare opportunity for buyers seeking natural surroundings with easy city access.
Viewings are now open and those interested can contact Ralph Sayer on 0131 225 5567 | property@ralphsayer.com to book in a viewing appointment for the 2 Bedroom Juniper or the 3 Bedroom Poplar.
Hundreds of thousands of working people and families will reap the rewards of new towns across England, as Starmer paves the way for the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era.
Over 100 sites across England have come forward to be considered for next generation of new towns
Government on track to create beautiful communities, provide affordable homes, and deliver much needed infrastructure, including schools and nurseries, GP surgeries, and bus routes
By taking on the blockers, 20,000 homes, along with new schools and health facilities, will move forward following government action, and we will now turn to unblock the remaining 700,000 homes across 350 sites
Comes as government rolls out major planning reforms to sweep away the blockers and push through its housebuilding agenda as part of the Plan for Change
Hundreds of thousands of working people and families will reap the rewards new towns across Britain (? – Ed.), as the Prime Minister paves the way for the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era.
Visiting a housing development today, the Prime Minister will unveil the government’s plans for the next generation of new towns – well-designed, beautiful communities with affordable housing, GP surgeries, schools and public transport where people will want to live.
Over 100 proposals from across every region in England were submitted, showing local areas and housebuilders’ ambition to get on board to build the next generation of new towns – playing their part in getting Britain building and tackling the worst housing crisis in living memory. Every new town will have the potential to deliver 10,000 homes or more.
Delivering security is central to this government’s Plan for Change, because the least working people deserve when they graft hard is a secure home. That’s why the government is providing much-needed housing in the right places with the right infrastructure, and the New Towns Taskforce has today set clear principles on what the next generation of new towns will deliver: affordable housing, vital infrastructure and access to open green spaces and nature, to transform the lives of working people.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “For so many families, homeownership is a distant dream. After a decade of decline in housebuilding, the impact is a disconnect between working hard and getting on.
“This is about more than just bricks and mortar. It’s about the security and stability that owning your own home brings. I know what this means for working people – the roof above our head was everything for our family growing up.
“We’ve already made progress in just seven months, unblocking 20,000 stuck homes. But there’s more to do.
“We’re urgently using all levers available to build the homes we need so more families can get on the housing ladder. We’re sweeping aside the blockers to get houses built, no longer accepting no as the default answer, and paving the way for the next generation of new towns.
“As part of the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era, our ambitious Plan for Change will transform the lives of working people, once again connecting the basic principle that if you work hard, you should get on.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner said: “Time and again we are seeing too many new homes stuck or stalled that not only act as a barrier to growth but also has real-world consequences for working people and families who see homeownership as nothing more than a distant dream.
“I will not run away from the tough choices to fix the housing crisis we inherited that has left thousands of families on housing waiting lists, allowed homelessness to spiral out of control, and stopped an entire generation from picking up the keys to their first home.
“While our vision for the next generation of new towns is setting the stage for a housebuilding revolution in the years to come, urgent action is needed now to build the homes and infrastructure that our local communities are crying out for.
“That’s why our New Homes Accelerator is working at pace to find solutions and remove blockages in the system, executing long-lasting solutions to get spades in the ground.
“Today we are embarking on the next chapter in our Plan for Change to build 1.5 million new homes, deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation, and raise living standards for working people and families across the country.”
For far too long, working people have been let down by a decline in housebuilding. That’s why the government is ‘rolling up its sleeves’ and is ‘taking on the blockers’ with major reforms to planning regulation to get Britain building.
That work is already underway, with a staggering 20,000 new homes now successfully unblocked by the government’s novel ‘New Homes Accelerator’ programme, which deploys planning expertise to speed up the delivery of housing sites held by unnecessary delays.
Areas that have already benefitted from direct government action include:
Over 1,000 homes unlocked at Cowley Hill in Liverpool, where an agreement has been reached with the Environment Agency who withdrew its previous objections on both flood risk and biodiversity grounds, subject to planning.
And at Wolborough in Devon, the Accelerator has worked with Natural England to help accelerate this development, whilst ensuring environmental improvements are secured. On top of the 1,100 homes the site is injecting £1.75 million towards off-site pedestrian and cycle improvements, playing pitches, bus services and a local travel plan.
Housebuilders and local councils have put forward over 350 housing development sites stuck in the system under the previous government – that together could unlock around 700,000 new homes.
Around a quarter of sites submitted are already receiving government attention since the call for evidence closed in October – demonstrating success of the programme, and local ambition to support the government’s 1.5 million homes target.
This goes hand-in-hand with government action to overhaul the planning system, supporting the builders and not the blockers, taking the brakes off economic growth, raising living standards, and making the tough decisions to deliver for working people and families.
This includes:
Publishing a new growth-focused National Planning Policy Framework, which introduced new mandatory for councils to deliver the right homes in the right places, with a combined total of 370,000 homes a year.
Introducing the Planning and Infrastructure Bill next month. The Bill will overhaul environmental regulations to no longer accept the failed status quo where bats are more important than trains or newts more important than homes, and remove blockers to fast-track delivery of the homes and infrastructure that local communities need.
To get Britain building now – the government today announces plans to fast stream planning through brokering disagreements between the agencies and expert bodies, which by law must be consulted within the planning process. Bodies including National Highways, Natural England and the Environment Agency will need to bring planners and housebuilders to the table and iron out concerns that have been holding back development.
Responding to sector concerns on pinch points, work stepping up with the Building Safety Regulator to ensure greater timeliness and efficiency when new tall buildings are signed off – to provide more homes for more people.
This work will be bolstered by extra government funding announced today, including:
£1 million for government agencies, including National Highways, Natural England and the Environment Agency, to speed up the planning approval of new homes and improve feedback to local authorities and industry where required.
£2 million to support the Building Safety Regulator to continue improving the processing for new-build applications.
Over £3 million of grants for local councils to bolster planning capacity, alongside direct advice and navigate through some of the more complex issues holding up new development.
Alongside the Accelerator, the government is also supporting local partners through a clearing service to help accelerate the sale of uncontracted and unsold affordable homes, with nearly 300 housebuilders, local councils and registered providers signing up in the first 50 days of its launch.
In December, the government set a clear hierarchy of brownfield first, grey belt second and green belt third. Today, further funding is being injected to drive regeneration and brownfield deliver in the following areas:
£20 million to help transform neglected small-scale council-owned sites into new homes, for areas most in need.
Nearly £30 million from the Brownfield Infrastructure and Land Fund in Bradford to transform derelict brownfield sites into a vibrant residential area with 1,000 new homes, three community parks, shops, cafés, restaurants, and offices.
£1.5 million to support a regeneration programme at Manchester Victoria North, delivering a new district of 15,000 homes with transport links and green spaces.
Getting homes built for working people is a priority and is backed by investment in housing which is increasing to £5 billion for this year, including a top-up of £800 million being injected into the existing Affordable Homes Programme to help deliver tens of thousands of new affordable and social homes across the country.
This is in addition to an extra £100 million of cash to bolster local resources with increased planning fees to cover costs and funding to recruit 300 planning officers, making sure councils have the capacity they need to rubberstamp new homes and infrastructure.
Lorna Slater, the Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, has urged the Scottish Government to support tenants by maintaining protections that are set to expire next month.
In 2022 the then Green Minister, Patrick Harvie, introduced a temporary cap on most in-tenancy rent increases. Since the end of the cap in March 2024, there has been a temporary rent adjudication system in place, also introduced by Mr Harvie, that has kept rents down for some tenants.
At the time, the Scottish Government said that the system was to support the transition away from the rent cap to a system of permanent rent controls and to protect tenants from excessively large rent hikes.
The Scottish Government has said that these temporary restrictions will not be renewed at the end of next month.
The cost of renting a two bedroom home in Edinburgh is now £1358 which is an increase of 104% since 2010. [1]
Lorna Slater MSP said: “Rents across Edinburgh have skyrocketed. Renters have paid the price, while private landlords have lined their pockets. And whilst there is legislation on the way to introduce permanent rent controls at last, these won’t come into force until 2027.
“Right now, renters are protected by temporary controls that were introduced by the Scottish Greens. But these protections are set to expire in a matter of weeks, exposing households across the city to extortionate rent increases.
“Removing these protections without replacing them would create a cliff edge that risks throwing households and familiesinto financial despair.
“If the Scottish Government is serious about supporting renters then the least they can do is extend these modest measures to help support renters through the ongoing cost of living crisis.”
A record breaking (and heart-breaking – Ed.) 10,360 children are trapped in often unsuitable temporary accommodation, latest figures from the Scottish Government has revealed.
The number of children in temporary homes has risen for the 10th year* as figures detail the stark reality for thousands of families across Scotland. The statistics cover from 1 April 2024 to 30 September 2024 – during which time the Scottish Government declared a national housing emergency.
It is a national scandal that 7,545 households have been stripped of their rights in only six months, as councils failed to offer a place to those requiring temporary accommodation, also known as gatekeeping.
While Shelter Scotland welcomes the Scottish Government reversing the cuts for housing, it must be clear that funding has returned to the same level as it was in 2022.
The latest figures show:
– 10,360 children living in temporary accommodation on 30 September 2024, an increase of 250 children compared to the previous six months. That’s an increase of 149% since 2014. – 7,545 instances of failure to offer a place to a household requiring temporary accommodation, also known as gatekeeping, between 1 April to 30 September 2024. This an increase of 277% in just 6 months or 3.8 x higher. In the 12-month period to September 2024 gatekeeping was at 13,500 recorded cases, a 541% increase compared to the year prior. – 4,085 breaches of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order between 1 April and 30 September 2024 – a 11% increase compared to the previous six months. – 16,634 households in temporary accommodation as of 30 September 2024 an increase from 16,330 – 32,272 live homeless cases as of 30 September 2024 an increase from 31,794.
Shelter Scotland is calling on the Scottish Government’s renewed housing budget to focus on reducing the number of children trapped in temporary accommodation, and to ensure local services are fully funded to ensure lifeline housing rights are upheld.
This comes at a time when wider cuts in the public services may push more people closer to the brink of homelessness.
Shelter Scotland Director, Alison Watson, said: “This is the harrowing reality of decades of under-investment in social housing. No child should have to experience homelessness, yet the numbers keep rising to a record-breaking amount and are now staying in temporary accommodation for longer.
“These figures show the direct consequence of the Scottish Government and local authorities failing to prioritise housing and the desperate need for more social homes.
“Everyone deserves the right to be in a safe and secure permanent home where children can thrive. We know children living in unsuitable temporary accommodation can have their mental and physical health detrimentally impacted.
“Children are paying the highest price for the politicians’ failures and the devastating reality of the housing emergency in Scotland. If the Scottish Government is serious about ending child poverty with their new budget, social homes need to be urgently delivered.
“The Scottish Government reversed the brutal cuts to housing, but it needs to acknowledge it brings us to the same amount of funding that we had in 2022. Since then, the number of people living in temporary homes has risen, people are trapped in the system for longer, the number of people rough sleeping has increased dramatically, and the cost of living has skyrocketed.
“The reversal alone will not be enough to end homelessness and there desperately needs to be a long-term plan from politicians, targeting money to the areas where it is most needed.
She added: “The way people are experiencing homelessness is changing with more people becoming homeless and faster than councils can close cases. The Scottish Government need to invest in the areas where applications are the highest. Services to support families at risk of homelessness also desperately need funding from local authorities.
“Children in Scotland forced to live in temporary homes don’t need excuses, they need action if the Scottish Government want to end child poverty in their next budget.”
