Members of the council’s cabinet yesterday agreed to implement a Homelessness Action Plan 2024-26 which includes interim changes in the allocations policy to allow single-person homeless applicants, who meet certain criteria, to access two-bedroomed properties as well as ensuring that selected areas and house types are as wide as possible for all homeless households. These changes will promote quicker and improved housing outcomes and enable the council to meet its statutory duties.

The decision to make these changes sits within the context of the Scottish Government’s declaration of a Housing Emergency in May this year after five local authorities in Scotland declared housing emergencies in their areas. That number has now risen to 11. Common themes amongst these local authorities include pressures on homelessness services, high levels of people in temporary accommodation, high need and demand for affordable housing and a lack of affordable homes.

In April 2024, the Scottish Housing Regulator named eight local authorities as being at heightened risk of systemic failure regarding the delivery of homelessness services. East Lothian Council is one of the local authorities named, with a particular focus on high levels of breaches in respect of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order and use of temporary accommodation.

East Lothian received 695 homelessness applications in 2022/23 and 795 in 2023/24 and these numbers continue to rise. The average length of time spent in temporary accommodation by single homeless households was 452 days in 2022/23, compared with the Scottish average of 207 days.

Council leader Norman Hampshire said: “I am pleased that cabinet agreed to implement this new Homelessness Action Plan today as it will make a real difference to those often vulnerable members of our communities who find themselves homeless. The use of ‘unsuitable’ temporary accommodation such as B&Bs is something we want to reduce significantly, and I believe these changes will put us on that path. Previously, single homeless people were only eligible for one-bedroom properties and these are what we particularly lack in East Lothian, meaning that the average time spent in temporary accommodation in East Lothian was way higher than the national average.

“The package of measures agreed today, including our continuing, positive, work with the Scottish Government, Scottish Housing Regulator and other social landlords in East Lothian, should see a tangible improvement to those who are homeless and should realise a cost saving for the council as it will reduce our reliance on non-council accommodation, which can incur large costs.

“That said, it should be noted that there remains enormous pressure on the council’s social housing sector as there is a high demand for properties and a shortage of supply. In addition, this year’s announcement of reduced investment in affordable homes by the Scottish Government will increase pressure on the housing system. However, we will continue to work with national and partner agencies to do what we can to improve social housing in East Lothian.”

Other measures included in the Homelessness Action Plan include:

• Working with social landlord partners to allow nomination of single households to two-bedroomed properties in line with the proposed interim allocations policy changes, where possible.
• Reviewing the voids process and implementing a performance framework to reduce the re-let times for our void properties.
• Reducing use of temporary accommodation generally and unsuitable accommodation specifically, whilst aiming to get homeless households into secure accommodation more swiftly and without the need to enter temporary accommodation where it can be avoided.
• Reviewing and transforming the Housing Options Service to improve processes and procedures.
• Exploring all options to help maximise the supply of new affordable housing

A formal review will be undertaken halfway through delivery of the Action Plan, with any further changes brought to the cabinet as appropriate.