"Homelessness a disgrace to modern Scotland ", say MPs - SCSH calls for united action by Westminster and Holyrood

The Scottish Council for Single Homeless today welcomed the statement by MPs that homelessness is a disgrace to modern Scotland . SCSH Director Robert Aldridge said:

"The recognition by an all party group of MPs that homelessness is a disgrace is a real step forward. The next step must be for MPs to take action within the powers reserved at Westminster to tackle the linked problems of poverty and homelessness effectively.

What is really needed is united action by the two parliaments, working together to end the ‘disgrace.’ They must avoid producing policies which contradict each other and they certainly must not get involved in a ping pong match of buck passing."

He added:

"We are already seeing some action in the Scottish Parliament, with three Bills relating to homelessness in the next session and the establishment of the Homelessness Task Force to take a longer term approach to tackling the problem.

But the Scottish Parliament cannot do it on its own. Recent changes to housing benefit in particular have caused problems for people gaining access to housing, and have removed the link between the quality of accommodation and the rent charged. That needs to change.

In particular MPs should take up the challenge of tackling homelessness by

• Reducing bureaucracy and delays in the housing benefit system
• Ensuring access to accommodation is not denied to people in need
• Abolishing the Single Room Rent (which means that young people get access only to the cheapest, shared accommodation in the private rented sector)".

They can also help in other ways, for example, by providing incentives to employers to take on people who have recently been homeless. Above all this report must not be allowed to gather dust on a shelf, but should lead to real action."