A Scots mum has been warned that she could be trapped in temporary accommodation “for years” amid a housing crisis.
Charlene, 36, was placed in a hotel with her dog in Edinburgh after presenting herself as homeless to the local council in October 2023. The mum-of-one, who suffers with health issues including fibromyalgia, stayed at the premises for two months.
It wasn’t until homeless charity Shelter Scotland intervened that she was offered a temporary home, which she accepted. But after being put on the 10th floor in a high-rise block of flats, Charlene admitted that due to her health issues, if the lift breaks, she can’t leave the flat.
She has chosen to stay in the flat over hotels, where there are no cooking facilities and where she would often go days without eating.
The mum said: “It’s not a nice place to live. I’m scared, I’ve been threatened, and I don’t like the area. But if I have to choose between this and the hotel, I’d rather be here.
“Living in the hotel was really frustrating. The staff were great and allowed me to keep my dog there. But there were no cooking facilities. I have dietary needs and sometimes the church would provide meals which was really kind, but I couldn’t always eat them.
“This meant I would go days without eating. I would go to the council every day and wait hours just to be told there was no temporary accommodation. The stress of it all made my blood pressure go up. I went every day.
“Shelter Scotland intervened, and I did eventually get temporary accommodation. It still isn’t great though. It’s not a nice place. I feel scared and sometimes my anxiety is so bad, I’m scared to even take my dog for a walk.”
Charlene has now been told that she could be in the same position for years to come as the capital battles a housing emergency. According to Shelter Scotland, there were 7,422 homelessness cases in Edinburgh as of September 30 last year – a whopping increase from 7,115 six months prior.
There were also over 3,000 children living in temporary accommodation in the city during the same period – an increase of 11 per cent.
Charlene added: “It’s so frustrating because my neighbour who lived below, he got a permanent home. But I’ve been told I could be waiting years even though I know there are empty homes that just need refurbishing. The council needs to work quicker and get workers in there so people can finally have a home. I just want to move closer to my family and son.”
Charlene explained that while the flat was furnished, it was just enough to cover “the basics”.
She said: “There’s no TV, no microwave but there were two sofas, a fridge, cooker and a bed. I don’t feel like I can buy anything for it though because if a permanent home does come up suddenly, I want to be able to move quickly. I won’t be able to settle until I have a place that I can call home. Somewhere that is mine.”
Charlene added: “Homeless people get a lot of judgment from other people. It can be really horrible and cruel. I just wish people would see that nine times out of ten people that are homeless, it is not our fault. We’ve ended up in this situation, but we deserve to be treated the same way somebody with a permanent house has, but we don’t.”
Shelter Scotland has called on the Scottish Government’s renewed housing budget to focus on reducing the number of children trapped in temporary accommodation. The charity also wants to see local services fully funded to ensure housing rights are upheld.
Their calls come at a time when wider cuts in the public services may push more people closer to the brink of homelessness.
Alison Watson, Shelter Scotland director, said: “This is the harrowing reality of decades of under-investment in social housing. Temporary accommodation should be a short-term stay, not a long-term sentence and it is an outrage that these numbers keep rising.
“This is the direct consequence of the Scottish Government and local authorities failing to prioritise housing and the desperate need for more social homes. Everyone deserves the right to be in a safe and secure permanent home and the only way this can happen is if politicians put their money where their mouth is.
“We recognise that local authorities can’t end homelessness on their own. They need the support and funding from the Scottish Government, especially if the First Minister is serious about ending child poverty.
“The Scottish Government must do more to invest money into areas and cities who are facing similar challenges to Edinburgh. Meanwhile, councils also must prioritise housing and we need better decisions from the City of Edinburgh Council to protect the interests of people experiencing homelessness.”
She added: “Housing is a rights-based system. People have the right to a certain level of service, the right to accommodation, and it’s not acceptable for the council to refuse to do that – which is what we’ve seen since Edinburgh declared a housing emergency. The City of Edinburgh Council recognises the scale of homelessness, but they can still go further when it comes to putting more money into homelessness and housing, including existing properties.”
The Record has approached Edinburgh City Council and the Scottish Government for comment.
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