One in four fears eviction

ONE IN four people believes they are just one wage away from losing the roof over their heads, a survey has found.

Homelessness charity Shelter Scotland said 26% would struggle to continue paying their mortgage or rent for more than a month if they happened to lose their job next year.

Just over half (56%) of households would only be able to pay for their home for a maximum of three months.

As the rising cost of living and “severe” cuts to welfare benefits hit home, a lack of savings and the eroding housing safety net is putting more people at greater risk of being evicted and having homes repossessed.

According to the charity, at least 5,300 children in Scotland will be homeless this Christmas, often living in poor quality, damp and dangerous temporary accommodation.

Director Graeme Brown said funding for its services is also being cut at a time when the number of people seeking advice about home repossession is soaring.

“These new figures show just how close to the edge many thousands of Scotland’s households are, with little or no chance of things getting better any time soon,” he said.

“To restore its housing safety net Scotland needs to build more affordable homes to ensure that thousands of families and individuals who fall on hard times are not left out in the cold.”

A homeless man and his dog, both dressed in festive costume, try to bring a little Christmas cheer to office workers and to boost their donations.