Rise in homelessness blamed on Holyrood Shelter Scotland says increase lies at door of Sturgeon
The number of homeless people in Renfrewshire has jumped four per cent since last year.
Statistics from the Scottish Government show that from October 2021 to September 2022, there were 905 applications of homelessness made in the local authority area.
That’s an increase from 867 in the previous 12-month period.
Renfrewshire Council assessed 737 households as homeless or threatened with homelessness – up from 700 in the previous year.
There were 65 children in temporary accommodation as a result of homelessness as of September 2022.
A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said:
“These figures highlight that homelessness increased last year in Renfrewshire and across the country.
“Despite this increase, we have managed to reduce the average length of time anyone in Renfrewshire is homeless.”
From April to September 2022, 312 households were placed in temporary accommodation by the council and 274 left it.
The council spokesperson added: “Thanks to funding from the rapid rehousing transition fund, we have also scaled up the use of the Housing First approach to provide wraparound support for more people, helping them to resettle.
“We operate a 24-hour standby service for anyone who becomes homeless. During office hours, people should call 0300 300 1203. Outside office hours they should call 0800 121 4466.
“Our website also provides information for people who are threatened with homelessness, including advice on housing options, what benefits people are entitled to receive, legal advice, debt advice and how to get help.”
There were 28,944 open homelessness cases in Scotland in September 2022 – the highest since Scottish Government records began in 2002. The figures were an 11 per cent rise on the previous year.
The rise reflects the Scottish Government’s choice to deprioritise the fight against homelessness, says Shelter Scotland.
Shelter Scotland director Alison Watson said: “The figures published must act as a wake-up call for Nicola Sturgeon and her ministers.
“The Scottish Government knows how to fix homelessness and the wider housing emergency in Scotland.
“Over the years they have been presented with endless evidence and testimony that investing in social housing ends homelessness, tackles child poverty and is vital in tackling the housing emergency.
“We must be clear; the Scottish Government have made a choice not to act on that evidence.
“They have chosen to deprioritise social housing in their spending plans by disproportionately slashing that budget.
“They know that this will mean more people in Scotland will become homeless, that the thousands of children currently trapped in temporary accommodation will have an even harder time finding somewhere permanent to call home.
“It is not too late to recognise that these choices will have disastrous consequences for the fight against homelessness and reverse these cuts.”
The figures published must act as a wake-up call for Nicola Sturgeon and her ministers