We need to talk about housing

As temperatures drop this festive season, hundreds will sadly be sleeping on our cold streets. Many more may be using temporary accommodation or unsuitable accommodation such as cars.

I am reiterating my plea yet again this festive season that we must ensure that the support offered to those facing homelessness or housing instability is sufficient, safe and suitable.

Nobody in Scotland should be forced into homelessness

placeholder image — Nobody in Scotland should be forced into homelessness

I am often inundated with casework where my constituents are stuck in poor quality temporary housing, on seemingly never-ending waiting lists for accommodation or stuck in unsafe housing with conditions such as damp and black mould.

There could be almost 30,000 people facing homelessness this year, yet budget plans will see a real-terms cut in homelessness prevention funding for local authorities of £500,000.

In 2024, we must refocus on the importance of funding our local authorities so that they have the capacity to build more social housing, in addition to making improvements and upgrades to existing housing stock such as retrofitting, which could help improve conditions such as damp and ensure housing is suitable and healthy for tenants.

Nobody in Scotland should be forced into homelessness or have to endure seemingly endless waiting in unsuitable housing.

I am imploring the Scottish Government to ensure fair funding for local authorities so that they can invest what is needed in our social housing sector. Let’s make the change we need in 2024.