GLC has played a critical role in preventing homelessness in Glasgow. In the latter part of the year, it ensured that around 15 to 20 people each week – who were either street homeless or in unsuitable temporary accommodation – have been provided with suitable accommodation.

This required the centre to take a rights-based approach to enforce statutory homeless rights with a high number of cases requiring it to act on the day to draft emergency petitions for judicial review. All of the clients have been accommodated successfully.

The demand for GLC’s housing law services is increasing, the report details. The number of “Type 3” housing cases – homeless, eviction and housing disrepair cases in courts or tribunals – increased by 112 per cent between Quarter 3, 1 October to 31 December 2023 and Quarter 4, 1 January to 31 March 2024.

The report states: “We are defending more eviction actions, particularly in the private rented sector and for asylum seekers.

“We have had a successful impact in relation to increased social care charges for people with profound disabilities in Glasgow by challenging the local authority’s charging policy.

“Our test case of BB v. Glasgow City Council [2024] CSOH 44 resulted in the Court of Session holding that the local authority had failed to exercise its public sector equality duty properly and had failed to undertake an equality impact assessment (EQIA) when it increased its charges by 50 per cent last year.”