Homelessness on Skye on the rise

THE NUMBER of people homeless on the isle of Skye has risen according to a report to the Highland Council.

The document, presented at the Isle of Skye and Raasay Committee, showed the number of families catergorised as homeless has more than doubled over the last 12 months from 15 in 2016 to 32.

It also said families are having to spend longer in temporary accommodation before being offered a home. In 2015/16 they spent 20 weeks in temporary housing but that increased to more than 27 weeks in 2016/17. The report stated: ‘ With the numbers of homeless presentations increasing and the length of time households are homeless before we can make them a reasonable offer of secure accommodation, homelessness continues to be a significant pressure in this ward.’

There were 293 presentations across Highland at the end of the fourth quarter of 2017.