The SNP Government has been accused of “ignoring warnings” from experts after homelessness in Scotland reached record levels.
Maggie Brünjes, chief executive of Homeless Network Scotland, blamed Holyrood ministers for a “hugely damaging” £196m cut in spending on affordable housing last year.
Dire figures published yesterday revealed there were more than 40,685 homelessness applications in 2023-24, an increase of four per cent and the highest level in over a decade.
As of March 31 this year, there were 31,870 live applications – the highest on record – while more than 10,000 children are stuck living in temporary accommodation with their families while they wait for local authorities to find them a home.
Responding to the figures, Brünjes said: “The annual homelessness statistics released yesterday by the Scottish Government make for sober reading. And reveal the breach of trust between government and the housing and homelessness sector in Scotland.”
Writing in Scottish Housing News, she added: “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.
“While the post-pandemic environment and cost-of-living crisis has played a hand, Scotland’s progressive housing policy has been undermined by its own hand and the fiscal policy of both UK and Scottish Governments.
“The Scottish Government’s December budget made a hugely damaging £200m cut to the affordable housing supply programme, over and above the reach of the UK Government’s capital budget freeze. It is notable that the quarterly housing statistics also published showed affordable home approvals were 44 per cent lower than the peak figure in the year to June 2020.
“Each and every decision jeopardising housing targets and exposing the progress made towards ending homelessness and rough sleeping in Scotland to new risk. And each and every decision betraying the trust of the sector, ignoring warnings, expert insights and evidence.”
It comes as Paul McLennan, the Housing Minister, insisted the Scottish Government was not making excuses for the scale of homelessness in the country.
“It’s not an excuse,” he told the Herald. “We have got to highlight and understand the position that we’re in.
“This year we’ve built 19,000 homes. We still, per head of population, built 40% more than England and 70% more than Wales.
“But we need to be doing more. Of course we need to be doing more.”
Asked if he accepted the figures were not good enough, he said: “I think it demonstrates the scale of the challenge we’re facing.”
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