The call follows a new Homes for Scotland report which laid bare the scale of the housing emergency in Scotland – with over a quarter struggling with a housing need.

The comprehensive survey into the housing needs of the population found that 693,000 households in Scotland do not live in accommodation that adequately meets their needs.

While three local authorities - including two of Scotland’s biggest cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh, declared housing emergencies last year, NUS Scotland said the Scottish Government is ignoring the problem.

It highlighted its own report that found student rents on average increased at three times the rate of student support between 2021 and 20232, and 12% of students in Scotland have experienced homelessness during their studies.

NUS Scotland has reiterated its asks for the Scottish Government’s upcoming Housing Bill, which it said must include rent controls that actually bring rents down, as well as parity between purpose-built student accommodation and the private rented sector.

NUS Scotland president Ellie Gomersall said: “It is clear from this new report that Scotland is in a housing crisis - but while students struggle to survive in a broken system, the Scottish Government has its head buried in the sand.

“We know from our own data that a horrifying 12% of students across Scotland have experienced homelessness. Those that haven’t still face unaffordable rent, as average student rents have increased at three times the rate of student support in the last few years.

“In its upcoming Housing Bill, the Scottish Government must not leave students out in the cold.

“They should act quickly to extend the emergency rent cap and eviction ban legislation to avoid a 31 March cliff edge. Rent controls must include purpose-built student accommodation, with full parity with the private rented sector, and cannot merely freeze rents but must bring them down to affordable levels.

“Every second this emergency is allowed to continue is a failure - we need real action and urgently.”