The SNP Government has been urged to restore cuts to its affordable housing budget or risk the number of children living in temporary accommodation across Scotland rising even higher.
Shelter, a leading charity working to end homelessness, warned it was youngsters who were “paying the highest price for politicians’ failure to get a grip on the housing emergency”.
Shona Robison, the Finance Secretary, is due to unveil Holyrood’s draft spending plans for next year on December 4.
The Government faced a huge backlash anti-poverty campaigners, charities and opposition parties when it last produced a Budget and £196m was slashed on housing spending.
It comes at a time many parts of the country face an acute shortage of affordable accommodation, with 13 local authorities having declared housing emergencies in the last year.
East Lothian became the latest council to declare an emergency in its area this week. The move was particularly embarrassing for the Government as it includes the constituency of Paul McLennan, the Housing Minister.
Alison Watson, Shelter Scotland director, said SNP ministers must “heed the calls of councils who are crying out for help”.
She told the Record: The Scottish Government has a choice to make in this budget – they can reverse the cuts to housing and invest in local services or they can set a budget which allows homelessness to rise.
“The emergency alarm has now been raised in the Housing Minister’s own back yard – he and his colleagues need to heed the calls of councils who are crying out for help.
“With more than 10,000 children living in temporary accommodation, the highest on record and more than double the figure ten years ago, it’s kids who are paying the highest price for politicians’ failure to get a grip on the housing emergency.
“If MSPs pass another budget that fails to adequately support housing, then they’re endorsing homelessness and ensuring ever more kids will spend their childhood without a permanent home.”
Scottish Government figures published in September found 10,100 kids were staying with their families in B&Bs or hotels as of March this year, an increase of five per cent on 2023.
The total number of households living in temporary accommodation reached 16,330 in the same period, a rise of nine per cent in just one year.
The number of Scots who said they had slept rough the night before applying for help also rose from from 1,493 to 1,916. It comes at a time the number of new homes built for social rent has plummeted by 25 per cent.
The Record asked the Scottish Government for comment.
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