Charity in plea over homeless support

A CHARITY is calling for all Scottish parties to back its five-point plan to end homelessness.

Crisis has launched its manifesto to end homelessness, outlining key priorities for the next Scottish Government to help get people off the streets, including bringing in a time limit on temporary accommodation and investing in more proactive prevention.

The charity also wants increased support for homeless people with complex needs such as mental health or substance abuse problems, a commitment to using devolved powers on benefits to prevent homelessness and the development of a new cross-departmental strategy for tackling the issue.

Scottish Social Justice Minister Alex Neil has endorsed the manifesto and it has won support from Scottish Labour and the Scottish Conservatives.

Crisis wants all parties to include the plan in their own election manifestos.

Jon Sparkes, Crisis chief executive, said Scotland had “blazed a trail in the battle against homelessness”, praising the abolition of priority need in 2012, but warned against “complacency”.

He said: “That’s why we’re launching this manifesto – it will act as a blueprint for the next Scottish Government to maintain momentum and build on what has already been achieved.

“We need to get better at prevention and develop a truly cross-departmental strategy that mitigates recent cuts to local authority budgets and social security.”