Scottish Homelessness Statistics
The annual homelessness statistics were released yesterday by the Scottish Government, and the headlines from the statistics showed numbers increasing across the country.
- A 4% rise in homelessness applications – topping 40,000 households asking their council for help during 2023-24. In Dundee, we saw a 3% fall in the number of applications made.
- An 8% rise in live cases nationwide, 14% locally, to 31,870 and
- a 9% rise in people stuck in temporary accommodation, 25% within Dundee
- 506 more people experienced the sharpest edge of homelessness, being forced to sleep rough with no roof over their heads at all. But again, in Dundee shows a decrease in those who stated they slept rough the night before application by 14%.
The national figures are worrying, and this has been demonstrated by the number of local authorities who have declared housing emergencies. Behind every number in these statistics is an individual, family and child in crisis. It is a deeply distressing situation for people affected, as well as for the services and sectors that support people, and the organisations committed to advocating for people and for change.
As an organisation, and as part of the sector we are disappointed by fiscal decisions made by both the Scottish and UK Governments. The Scottish Government’s December budget made a £200m cut to the affordable housing supply programme, over and above the reach of the UK Government’s capital budget freeze. The quarterly housing statistics also published yesterday showed affordable home approvals were 44% lower than the peak figure in the year to June 2020.
We continue to support our colleagues within the local authority in developing services focused on prevention and housing support with the aim of ensuring that everyone in the city can find a house/their home.
