Homelessness: Record number of children in temporary accommodation

Statistics released by the Scottish Government show 9,130 children were in temporary accommodation on September 30 of last year.

The figure has risen by 10 per cent from the previous year and is the highest since at least March 31 2019 – as far back as current records go – when the number was 6,795, a rise of 34%.

The total number of households in temporary accommodation was also the highest on record at 14,458, a rise of 1% based on the same time in 2021.

Read more: SNP urged to declare 'housing emergency' over homelessness progress

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “These statistics are unacceptable and concerning.

“The number of households, and particularly children, in temporary accommodation in some council areas is too high and we are firmly committed to reducing it.

“That is why we commissioned an action plan from experts in the sector to reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation and the length of time spent there and the recommendations are expected shortly.”

Between April and September of last year, there was a 6% rise in the number of homelessness applications compared to the same time in the previous year, rising from 17,992 to 19,066.

There was also a 6% rise in the number of people applying for homelessness support who said they had slept rough the previous night in the same period, rising from 692 to 733.

While the number of people who reported sleeping rough in the three months before their application rose by 7% from 1,104 to 1,184.

Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said: “The Scottish homelessness system is bursting at the seams.

Read more: Ministers refuse to act over 'scandalous' £33m Scots homeless debt

“The pandemic saw extraordinary progress in tackling rough sleeping, but, as these figures show, Scotland is now returning to the long-term trend of ever-growing numbers of people needing assistance.

“The fact there are now nearly 10,000 children living in temporary accommodation in Scotland should shame us all. They are being robbed of a childhood, when their homelessness could have been prevented. This is an injustice.”

He added: “Numbers in the system are now at the highest since records began. It is clear we need to act now to stop more people from appearing as numbers in next year’s statistics. That’s why we welcome confirmation the upcoming housing bill will include measures to strengthen homelessness prevention in Scotland.

“By allowing people to get help earlier, and widening responsibility for preventing homelessness across public services, Scotland can be a world leader in ending homelessness.”

Conservative housing spokesperson, Miles Briggs, branded the figures “utterly disgraceful”.

He said: “The SNP-Green government is presiding over a homelessness crisis across Scotland, yet they are doing precious little to try to fix it.

Read more: SNP's Shona Robison says tackling homelessness 'national priority'

“Homelessness applications are soaring on their watch and are at their highest level since records began. That should be a source of shame for ministers.

“The number of children living in temporary accommodation is particularly troubling.

“It is completely unsustainable that so many young people are spending their formative years without having a permanent place to call home.

“We need to see urgent action from the SNP-Green government, otherwise we will continue to see a sharp increase in people becoming homeless in our communities.”

Ms Robison insisted that “tackling homelessness and ending rough sleeping is our priority”, adding that the Scottish Government is “providing a total of £100m from our ending homelessness together fund to transform the homelessness system”.

She added: “We’re also providing local authorities with £30.5 million for their work to prevent and respond to homelessness and they are making encouraging progress with the implementation of their rapid rehousing transition plans.”