STREETS OF SHAME
Shocking rise in homeless deaths in Scotland
THE number of Scots dying on the street has soared by 20 per cent to 195 in the past year.
The horrific figure means homeless people are twice as likely to die in Scotland than in the rest of the UK.
Shelter Scotland blasted a “failed system” for the toll.
HORRIFIC figures have laid bare the shocking scandal of homeless deaths in Scotland.
They reveal that Scots are twice as likely to die a lonely death on the streets than elsewhere in the UK.
The total number of people who have died without a roof over their heads has risen to 195 – a near 20 per cent increase in just a year.
The figure for homeless deaths in Glasgow shows a death rate among homeless people six times greater than that in England, with almost 50 homeless people dying.
Last night, housing action group Shelter Scotland highlighted the “individual personal tragedies” of people “failed by the system” and called for joined-up support from the housing, health, social care and justice sectors.
The Scottish Tenants’ Organisation demanded immediate action from the Scottish Government in the form of an £100millionplus cash injection in today’s budget for a “rapid re-housing” programme.
It said the publication of the figures marked a “tragic date” in Scotland’s history.
The figures highlight Glasgow and Aberdeen as the blackspots for deaths on the streets, or in temporary homeless accomodation.
And they reveal Scotland has the highest rate of homeless deaths in the UK by far.
The Scottish rate is 35.9 deaths per million of the population, more than twice the rate in England (16.8) and Wales (14.5).
The main causes of death were “external causes of morbidity and mortality” such as accidents, suicides and assaults, diseases of the circulatory system including heart disease and stroke, mental and behavioural disorders and neoplasms, such as cancers.
Drugs were a factor in more than half of all deaths, while alcohol also loomed large.
The National Records of Scotland
People in desperate situations have been failed by the system
SHELTER SCOTLAND
figures also show three-quarters of homeless deaths involved men. They also reveal the mean age at death was 43 for women and 44 for men.
There were an estimated 195 deaths of people experiencing homelessness registered in Scotland in 2018 – an increase of 19 per cent on the estimate of 164 in 2017.
The death rate in Glasgow is 49 – more than a quarter of the total in Scotland.
Street teams patrol the streets of the city at night offering help to people sleeping rough. Several hostels also offer accommodation across the city.
Glasgow and Aberdeen have the highest rates of homeless deaths per million population, with rates of 100.5 and 67.8 in 2018. Shetland Islands also has a very high rate (111.8).
But this was based on a very small number of identified deaths, with Shetlands’ tiny population heavily influencing the rate.
Of the 32 local authority areas only four – Angus, East Renfrewshire, Moray and Scottish Borders had no identified homeless deaths in 2018.
The death rate is put into sharper focus by Scottish Government statistics which show homelessness rates have fallen in recent years.
Figures based on homelessness applications show a fall from 16,000 in 2005 to 10,000 in 2019, though for every head-of-household application, there may be many more people homeless in the family, including children.
Last night, Shelter Scotland called for an all-sector approach to provide better support for the homeless, including housing, health, social care and justice.
Shelter Scotland director Graeme Brown said: “Behind these shocking figures lie personal tragedies. People living in desperate situations ultimately failed by the system.
“The housing, health, social care and justice sectors need to work more closely together to ensure people get the support they need for health issues such as mental illness and addictions. We also need to see housing that supports people to recover and stay well.”
The Glasgow-based Scottish
Tenants’ Organisation, which suppors homeless people, demanded £130million to be set aside from today’s budget.
Spokesman Sean Clerkin said: “Today marks a very tragic date in our nation’s history which must never be repeated.
“The horrific number of homeless deaths in Scotland underlines the inhuman way we still treat homeless people in a very unequal society.”
The Scottish Government says it is already investing more than £30million to tackle homelessness, including rapid rehousing and “wraparound” support.
Housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “This report shows that of the number of people who died while experiencing homelessness, 53 per cent were drug-related. The next meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group will have a focus on public health and addiction. One person made homeless is one too many.”
Glasgow’s Health & Social Care Partnership said: “Many who died had previous or existing addiction issues, some also had significant physical and mental health needs.
“It is the complexity of those needs, which often contributed to their deaths, rather than matters associated with housing status.
“The city’s Housing First programme is helping homeless people with complex needs access mainstream tenancies quickly with wrap-around support to help them to sustain their tenancies.”