Overview | Policy and legislation | People at risk of homelessness | Homelessness strategies | Benefits | Prevention & tenancy sustainment

Homelessness in Scotland

How many people are homeless in Scotland ?

The best guide to the number of homeless people in Scotland is the number of applications made to local authorities by people presenting as homeless. The last sixteen years have seen a rise in homeless applications from 29,068 in 89-90 to 60,436 in 2005-06.

These figures are drawn from the Scottish Executive’s HL1 dataset. Every time a household presents as homeless, the local authority is required to complete a HL1 form and this is submitted electronically to the Scottish Executive. The HL1 form asks about the household’s composition, the reasons for homelessness, the details of the homelessness assessment and the action which the local authority has taken. The complete dataset is an invaluable source of information on homelessness in Scotland.

The figures also show that two thirds of all homeless applications are from single people. Results from the 2001-2002 Scottish Household survey suggest that, of those who have experienced homeless in the last five years, 14% have been homeless more than once during that time. This is known as repeat homelessness.

Many people do not present as homeless to the local authority as they believe they are not entitled to any help. As a result, many people may not appear in any official statistics on homelessness. This is often referred to as hidden homelessness, with people sleeping on friend’s floors or staying with their family. Ascertaining the level of hidden homelessness is very difficult. Some local authorities have looked at their waiting lists for housing in an attempt to reveal those staying ‘care of’ family and friends. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that some housing officers may first screen applicants, especially if the are not ‘local’ – preventing a formal application being made. Results from the 2001-2002 Scottish Household Survey suggest that for one in every five homeless households do not apply to their local authority.

The number of households staying in temporary accommodation has risen steadily from 3864 on 31 March 1999 to 8341 on 31 March 2006 (a rise of 116%). Households may be in temporary accommodation for a number of reasons but the majority will be waiting for permanent accommodation. Households are spending longer in temporary accommodation as it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to access suitable permanent accommodation. One reason for this is that the right to buy has led to the steady erosion of the local authority stock available for let. A more recent rise in the use of temporary accommodation was as a result of an increased package of minimum rights for homeless people under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. This gave all households assessed as ‘homeless and not in priority need’ the right to temporary accommodation for a reasonable period of time, which they were not previously entitled too. This duty commenced on 30 September 2002.

Why is the issue of single homelessness important?

Two thirds of households applying as homeless are single person households. As a consequence of the legislation, many single people find themselves ineligible for housing from their local authority – even though they are homeless. Under the 2001, the local authority only has a duty to provide advice and assistance and temporary accommodation for a reasonable period. This is not to say that all single are excluded from housing. Rather, single people usually have to have an additional priority need, such as a mental illness or disability, in order to be eligible for housing. To be eligible for a house, it is not enough for a single person to be homeless.

Click here to open a chart illustrating how single homeless people are assessed

As a consequence, it is likely that single homeless people are under represented in the figures and do not apply to their local authority. Government and local authority policies should take account of wider demographic trends which show that more people are living on their own, and for longer. House-building programmes should consider the needs of single people.

Around the country

Levels of homelessness vary across the country although this is partly due to differences in recording practices. The chart below shows the number of homelessness applications to each local authority per 1,000 population for 2003-2004. The national average is currently around 11 applications per 1,000 population.

Click here for a chart illustrating levels of homelessness applications in Scotland per 1000 population

What are the causes of homelessness?

There is a broad conclusion amongst researchers that economic factors, changes in welfare benefits and the reduced availability of social housing have all contributed to recent rises in homelessness. Most researchers also point to a complex set of triggers for homelessness – mostly economic and social rather than personal.

The two most common reasons for homelessness are a parents unable or unwilling to accommodate and disputes with a spouse/co-habitee. These "immediate" causes of homelessness may, however, disguise other underlying factors which are not recorded.

The idea that homelessness can happen to anyone is one that many people find difficult to believe. But much of the population can expect to face divorce, redundancy, business failure or mental illness at some time in their lives – all of these can lead to homelessness.

A number of groups are over represented amongst Scotland’s homeless population. Care leavers, people who have experienced mental illness, former prisoners and ex-military personnel are a few examples which show how people leaving institutions are particularly at risk of homelessness. SCSH believes the policy and practice of these institutions have to take account of the risk of homelessness after discharge and ensure that adequate support is available.

The causes of homelessness are clearly complex. SCSH believes the solutions must take this into account. Homelessness is best tackled by a multi- agency approach with the individual needs of the homeless person at the centre.. This means all of the needs of the homeless person can be tackled. This could include debt counselling, action to tackle addiction, help with a rent deposit, medical treatment etc. If only one aspect of an individuals needs are addressed, it is unlikely that they will be able to maintain a tenancy.

Rough sleeping

Rough sleepers are a small minority of homeless people but are those who are most visible and have the most acute needs. Figures from the Scottish Executive’s HL1 dataset for 2005-2006 suggest that across Scotland, just over 10% of applicants reported that a household member had slept rough for at least one night in the previous 3 months before applying. Research suggests that some people who sleep rough may do so intermittently. The HL1 dataset also shows that every local authority has people who have experienced rough sleeping.

A high proportion of rough sleepers have "complex needs". Many have experience of institutions (prison or care) and/or alcohol or drug dependency and/or mental health issues. Single homeless people are not usually defined as being in priority need, this has led to their over-representation amongst rough sleepers. SCSH believes that tackling rough sleeping requires concerted action by all relevant agencies including social work, health and justice services.

In 1997, the Rough Sleepers Initiative was introduced to Scotland in order to tackle rough sleeping. When the Scottish Executive took over from the Scottish Office in 1999 it set a target of ensuring that no-one need sleep rough by the end of 2003. The initiative was formally ended as a separate programme in March 2003 and, since 1 April 2003, money been earmarked for rough sleeping services as part of the general funding given by the Scottish Executive to local authorities. In December 2003, SCSH along with a number of homelessness organisations issued a joint statement on the Rough Sleepers Initiative which can be viewed here.

The final evaluation of the Rough Sleepers Initiative can be read here.

Rural homelessness

Research suggests that the level of homelessness has been increasing at a faster rate in rural areas than urban. Many people living in rural areas find it hard to find affordable rented accommodation in their locality and may have to move a considerable distance to find somewhere they can afford. SCSH believes that the right to buy has had a significant impact in rural areas with more than half the available public rented stock disappearing in certain areas. People wishing to live in the locality may find it difficult to buy property, due to additional pressures on the housing stock as a result of holiday and second homes. Planning permission for new homes may also be difficult to obtain.

Rural households are likely to spend a higher proportion of their income on travel expenses. Their work may be some distance away from where they can afford to live and other services, may cover large geographical areas. Households without a car may experience considerable difficulty in accessing some services (such as housing offices, banks, health services) particularly in areas where public transport is limited.

Many rural areas only have more expensive electric heating and so households may be at a greater risk of fuel poverty, where more than 10% of their income is spent on fuel bills. Living in some rural areas is therefore likely to be more expensive than in urban areas.

These difficulties are exacerbated by poor employment prospects and can be seen as leading to the migration of young people away from rural areas. For low income households, living in rural areas may already be challenging. Rural issues are exacerbated by homelessness, making sustainable solutions for people more difficult to achieve than in urban areas.