Local authorities are required by law to provide housing to people experiencing homelessness. The Scottish Housing Regulator’s newly published annual engagement plans for all 32 local authorities identified that the levels of homelessness in seven local authority areas “could shortly exceed their capacity to respond” and in the case of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Fife does “now exceed their capacity to respond”. This is described as systemic failure by the Regulator. 

Despite being legally required to provide housing, local authorities who are breaking the law do continue to spend money on a range of ‘non-statutory services’ such as support for businesses, leisure and cultural services.  

The figures were published one week after the Scottish Government revealed a drop of 9% in social house building and only seven weeks after homelessness statistics rose again including 10,360 children in temporary accommodation. 

The housing and homelessness charity has challenged politicians in Westminster, Holyrood and across local government to take radical action to end the housing emergency. 

Speaking today, Shelter Scotland director Alison Watson said: “Warm words and good intentions are failing to tackle Scotland’s growing housing emergency. Nearly a year since the Scottish Government declared a national housing emergency, the situation continues to get worse across every measure. House building is down and homelessness in increasing, and it is children on the frontline. 

“It is time to think the unthinkable. What do we need to stop so that every child in Scotland has a home? What are people prepared to go without so that Scotland’s 10,360 children denied a home have a safe place of their own. Libraries? Enterprise schemes? What will it take to wake up to the scale of harm being inflicted in our communities by these relentless failures in housing and homelessness? 

“If there is no more money, then we must stop spending the money we have on things that are not required by law. That cash must go into frontline services for people experiencing homelessness and the buying and building of more homes. We must also look at urgent options to increase overall public spending. 

“If Scottish Ministers believe there is enough money, then they must do more to direct cash to where it can have the most impact. That is why they must now urgently publish their promised Housing Emergency Action Plan that sets out how we can ensure no local authority continues to break the law on homelessness. 

“The UK Government must do more too and increase housing benefit and local housing allowance so that more people can keep the home they have. The spring statement was a missed opportunity to invest in our communities, but it is not too late to think again. 

“Scotland is in a brutal housing emergency, and this demands an emergency response before it gets any worse.”