‘Devastating’ homelessness figures underline need for more social homes
Scottish Government statistics show increases in children living in temporary accommodation and most open homelessness cases on record.
SFHA has warned homelessness will worsen amid a huge cut to the affordable housing budget, as recent figures showed sharp increases in the number of people seeking homelessness assistance and living in temporary accommodation.
Figures released by the Scottish Government on Tuesday showed that in the period April to September 2023 there were 30,274 open homelessness cases- the most on record.
The number of children living in temporary accommodation also increased by 8% to 9,860 amid a record level of 15,625 households in temporary accommodation overall.
Just hours after the statistics were published, the Scottish Parliament approved the 2024-25 Scottish Budget which included cutting the Affordable Housing Supply Programme by £196million.
SFHA Chief Executive Sally Thomas said: “With the highest number of open homelessness cases since records began, and another devastating increase in children living in temporary accommodation, Scotland is being plunged ever deeper into a housing crisis.
“At the same time, the Scottish Government has decided to slash the affordable housing budget by almost £200million, meaning that these dire statistics will likely worsen.
“We know that up to 20,000 children across Scotland are kept out of poverty because of social housing, but as today’s statistics show, the lives of thousands of others continue to be impacted through the effects of simply growing up without a place to call home.”