Above average figures show 27% rise in a year
Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford said: “Any rate of homelessness is a concern to me and simply should not have a place in the 21st century.
“Stirling Council has a legal duty to provide accommodation to people who are homeless, which I know is a responsibility that councillors and officials take very seriously.
“As part of the homelessness action pan, the Scottish Government has increased spending to help tackle homelessness last year from £23.5 million to £32.5 million.
“This will not address all problems overnight, but I am hopeful that this proactive approach will help to get some of the most vulnerable people into better, safer situations.”
SNP colleague and Stirling MP Alyn Smith added: “People have now seen a decade of austerity which has put many families and individuals into some nearly impossible situations.
“My colleagues and I receive correspondence on almost a daily basis of someone being sanctioned by the DWP or having their welfare payments reduced or taken away. For many who qualify for benefits, the support they receive is simply not enough to live on.
“The Scottish Government is doing really important work to address homelessness, and poverty in general, but Scotland is limited in its legal powers. Most welfare spending, such as housing benefits, is entirely reserved to the UK government.
“We need to see a longer term, better strategy from government to help people avoid a poverty cycle, and I would urge the UK government to look at the values of Social Security Scotland, set up by the Scottish Government, and has dignity, fairness, and respect at its heart.”
Meanwhile, a Stirling Council spokesperson said there were a “variety of reasons” which had contributed to the year-long surge in homeless households.
The spokesperson said: “Stirling Council has a statutory duty to provide advice and assistance to any person who applies as homeless.
“This includes providing temporary or emergency accommodation if this is needed and this can be provided at any time of the day or night, seven days a week, if required.
“There are a variety of reasons why people need to request temporary accommodation after becoming homeless, such as receiving a notice to quit, domestic abuse or a breakdown in a relationship, and there is no one particular area which has led to this increase over the 12-month period.
“We have a well-established housing allocation policy and work closely with all applicants to make sure we try to meet their needs - although the demand for affordable housing is high in the Stirling area.
“Our Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan focuses on early identification of those who may be at risk of losing their home and on young people who are particularly disadvantaged in finding affordable housing.
“We also work alongside local traders, Police Scotland, and Forth Valley Alcohol and Drugs Partnership to assist vulnerable people in our local area to avoid becoming homeless.
“When it is not possible to prevent homelessness, our priority is to achieve a settled housing option for every homeless household as quickly as possible.
“Individuals can contact the Council in various ways for support, and our teams will also proactively approach individuals who we believe may be sleeping rough to offer them appropriate support and assistance into temporary accommodation.”