Housing first model to be brought in to tackle Scottish homelessness

Scotland is to introduce a housing first model for homeless people with the most “complex needs”, the Scottish Government has said.

Housing minister Kevin Stewart announced the move yesterday, which will see people affected by the issue moved into permanent rather than temporary accommodation straight away.

The “rapid rehousing” policy is among 20 new recommendationsfromthescottishgovernment’s homelessness and rough sleeping group which have been accepted in principle. 0 Kevin Stewart: help of housing associations needed

Mr Stewart said meeting the ambition to “end homelessness in Scotland” would need the help of councils and housing associations to provide permanent accommodation.

He called on them to ensure that Scottish Government funding of £3 billion to build 50,000 homes within this parliamentary term will see some used to give rough sleepers secure accommodation, adding it was up to them to “get their allocations policy right”.

A number of areas have trialled such a model of housing first with some success but Scotland could become the first in the UK to introduce it at a nationwide level.

The action group’s latest recommendations also include examining the potential for introducing legislation which would see a “prevention duty” imposed on local authorities and other public bodies.