Having previously committed to providing 10,000 properties to homeless people by 2026, the group has announced today that it will increase this target by 10% to help local authorities and support agencies struggling to deal with the housing emergency.

Wheatley Group, which owns and manages over 64,000 homes for social rent through its subsidiaries Wheatley Homes Glasgow, Wheatley Homes South, Wheatley Homes East and Loretto Housing Association, operates in 19 local authority areas in Scotland.

Chief executive Steven Henderson said: “As Scotland’s largest social housing group, we have an important role in supporting the Scottish Government and local authorities in tackling homelessness in this country.

“When we launched our five-year strategy in 2021, we set an ambitious target of making 10,000 homes available to tackle rough sleeping by the end of 2026. With over a year of the strategy still to go, we have already helped more than 8300 homeless people off the streets and into a place where they can call home.

“Our announcement of a further 1000 homes over the five years outlines our commitment and determination to support people in greatest need in our communities and to play our part on a national level in tackling homelessness.”

Wheatley Group’s work to tackle homelessness includes 60% of all its new lets in the central belt each year being offered to homeless people.

In addition, the Group has also turned nearly 400 temporary furnished homes into permanent residences for the homeless and provided 395 homes to Housing First, a multi-agency partnership aimed at tackling rough sleeping.

Welcoming the support for local authorities, housing minister Paul McLennan said: “I am pleased Wheatley Group are supporting our efforts to tackle homelessness and the housing emergency by committing to make available a further 1000 affordable homes for homeless households by 2026. As Scotland’s largest social housing group, Wheatley Group has an important role to play in our combined efforts to ensure that everyone in Scotland has a safe, warm and affordable home that meets their needs.

“We are investing almost £600 million this financial year to deliver more high quality, affordable homes across Scotland. Tackling the housing emergency will require a joint approach and, by working with UK Government, local authorities and partners including Wheatley Group and, with the introduction of new homelessness prevention duties in the Housing (Scotland) Bill, we will work to ensure that nobody need become homeless in the first place.”

William, of Glasgow, was formerly homeless and spent decades living on the streets of the city before getting the support he needed. The 71-year-old now lives in Scotstoun and says getting a home with Wheatley Homes Glasgow turned his life around.

He said: “I’m so grateful for my home. My life is full now. Getting the keys to a new house is one small part – the additional support I received is what made the house my home.”