Former Para John McGuffie has told of being trapped in a vicious cycle of homelessness as new figures showed the problem is getting worse.
The ex-soldier served for seven years with Second Battalion Paratroopers but is now stuck in a bed breakfast hotel in Glasgow’s west end, trying to get his life back on track.
A similar story to John’s is playing out in the lives of many other Scots, where they have suffered a breakdown in family relationships , pushing themselves into homelessness.
And the shortage in supply, coupled with soaring private rents means they cannot get a stable foothold in a long term home.
John from Riddrie, Glasgow, said: “I have a job as a security guard waiting for me if I can get a council tenancy.
“But that job wouldn’t pay for the private rent, which could be £1,000 a month.
“To pay for the hotel I’m in would cost £2,000 – so the taxpayer is paying a fortune for all the people that stay here.
“I look around and I see all kinds of people here, all who have suffered some kind of personal trauma or arrived as asylum seekers.
“I can also see mothers with kids and it’s not right they have to live in a hotel long-term.”
John said his experience at the Heritage Hotel on Great Western Road has been positive.
He said: “I wouldn’t criticise the place but it’s not set up for proper living for adults of for families.
“We have the use of a microwave but that’s not viable for long term. I just want to get myself a proper home, then get in full time employment and start building again.”
John was in the army until 2013 when he came out and settled back in Glasgow. He became homeless when his relationship broke down. He has been in the hotel for almost six months.
He spoke out as latest Scottish Government figures show that our homelessness crisis is getting worse.
The latest figures show that a record 10,360 children were in temporary accommodation on 30 September 2024, up 5% representing 250 more children compared to the previous six months.
There were 16,634 households in temporary accommodation as of 30 September, 2024 – an increase from 16,330 six months earlier.
Scotland is handling 32,272 live homeless cases as of 30 September 2024 – an increase from 31,794, at which point many councils had declared homelessness emergencies.
As the crisis has worsened Scottish Housing Minister, Paul McLennan has repeated the claim that Scotland has built more affordable homes than other UK nations – who also fasces their own crises.
He said: “The draft Scottish budget for next year includes a £200 million boost to the affordable housing programme, taking our total investment for 2025-26 to £768 million. We are working with partners to maximise that investment.”
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