Homelessness

A Glasgow charity which provides practical support for people who are homeless is to offer free sanitary products to combat ‘period poverty’ among the city’s growing number of female rough sleepers. The products are being added to the kit used by Simon Community Scotland’s street team, which

Govan Law Centre has been given £100,000 from Bank of Scotland Foundation to launch a new initiative aimed at helping prevent homelessness. The charity was one of 46 third sector organisations to share grants worth more than £830,000 after successfully applying for funding through Bank of Scotland

Cyrenians chief executive Ewan Aitken reflects on new homelessness research from Crisis. The recent report from the excellent Heriot Watt University commissioned by Crisis as part of their 50th year anniversary predicting a 50% plus rise in homelessness is shocking, but it comes as no surprise for m

A plan designed to help people in Dundee who are homeless and to prevent it happening in the first place is set to be discussed by councillors. ‘Not Just A Roof’ sets out the strategic direction for the Dundee Homeless and House Options Strategic Planning Partnership for the next five years.

Alison Watson A new service is to offer support for members of the Gypsy Traveller community in the Forth Valley in an effort to relieve poverty and stop them becoming homeless.

Mark Giles, personnel manager of Waitrose Morningside, awarding the £19k cheque to Isobel Alford, community development worker from Bethany Christian Trust Grocery store chain Waitrose has awarded over £19,000 to Edinburgh-based homeless charity Bethany Christian Trust in an effort to prevent and

The prototype of a home which will be built in a new Social Bite village for the homeless in Edinburgh is on show in St Andrews Square during the Edinburgh Festival. The home was designed by architect Jonathan Avery from Tiny House Scotland, which builds environmentally friendly micro-houses designe

The number of people experiencing the worst forms of homelessness is expected to rise by 50% on current levels over next 25 years, according to a new report by Crisis. There are currently 11,800 people across Scotland either sleeping rough, staying in hostels, living in unsuitable temporary accommod

Fresh Start Borders was set up in 2009, with support from Scottish Churches Housing Action, whose administrator Lauren Forbes reports on a visit to the charity last month to see how things were going. “Thank you very much – tears in my eyes!”

Aberdeen City Council has spent more than £7 million on temporary accommodation for homeless people over the last year, the Evening Express has reported. The figures obtained in a Freedom of Information request show that £7.3m was spent placing homeless people in temporary accommodation in the cit

Young people and private renters are disproportionately affected by a “terrible shortage” of affordable homes in Scotland, according to a new report. Figures from Shelter Scotland’s ‘Impact Report’ have highlighted that a shortage of affordable homes, welfare reform and stagnant wages have

Robert Aldridge Scotland’s national membership organisation for homelessness has announced a significant change as chief executive of almost 20 years Robert Aldridge retires from Homeless Action Scotland.

Terrie Alafat The latest benefit cap statistics released by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show there is a need for the UK government to re-look at welfare policies, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has said.

Beggars and rough sleepers in Glasgow city centre are damaging trade and putting shoppers off visiting the city, according to a leading Scottish business figure. Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said there had been an undeniable rise in begging and the number of rough

Jeremy Balfour MSP lodged a Parliamentary Motion commending a charity who received £100K of National Lottery cash to help homeless people in Edinburgh last week. The Edinburgh homelessness charity, Gowrie Care, and the people they support are set to benefit from a National Lottery award from the Bi