Councils must ‘step up’ to tackle housing crisis and help 7,500 Scots children facing homelessness

Vulnerable children across Scotland face homelessness, disrupted learning, emotional upheaval and risks to health due to a shortfall of social housing in Scotland’s biggest cities, a leading charity is warning.

A new report from Shelter Scotland shows around 7,500 children are currently living in temporary accommodation across the country, with 2,480 in Glasgow alone and 1,515 in Edinburgh.

The charity says councils are failing to provide enough affordable homes for long-term occupancy and must “urgently step up and tackle the deepening housing emergency”.

Its analysis of council housing plans suggests a minimum of 7,000 social homes are needed over the next five years in Edinburgh, 3,675 in Glasgow, 853 in Aberdeen and 655 in Dundee.

Analysis by homeless charity Shelter Scotland suggests around 7,500 children are living in temporary accommodation across the country. Picture: Getty

The report found the local authorities in those cities failed to deliver on their previous affordable housing targets.

“Right now thousands of households, including thousands of children, are trapped in temporary accommodation,” said Shelter Scotland director Alison Watson.

“Often they’re living in cramped conditions which are entirely unsuitable.

“Many of them have been living in so-called temporary accommodation for months or, in some cases, years.

“Living in temporary accommodation can have devastating effects.

“It disrupts children’s learning, it places huge strain on family life, it can ruin people’s health.

“In the face of a deepening cost-of-living crisis, this problem is only going to get worse unless action is taken now.

“As more people are exposed to the risk of homelessness, only social housing can stem the tide.”

The Scottish Government has committed to delivering 110,000 affordable homes over the next ten years, with at least 70 per cent for social rent.

Social housing is provided by both housing associations and local authorities.

Of Scotland’s 32 councils, six have no council housing following the sale of their stock in the early 2000s, including Glasgow.

Kate Campbell, housing, homelessness and fair work convener for City of Edinburgh Council, said high property prices and competitive private rental market were contributing to difficulties in providing affordable homes.

“We’re absolutely committed to tackling homelessness in Edinburgh, especially when it affects families with children,” she said.

“Edinburgh is a growing city and we face housing pressures like nowhere else in Scotland, with the lowest proportion of social housing in the country and biggest, most expensive, private rented sector.”

She said the authority was pressing ahead with policies to tackle this – such as aims to deliver 20,000 affordable homes, including council housing, by 2027; plans to introduce short-term let controls; and proposals to increase the percentage of affordable homes provided in new developments to 35 per cent.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “Most people will appreciate that the pandemic had a significant impact on the completion of house-building projects.

“We saw development rates drop by almost 50 per cent. However, Glasgow still delivered more than 6,700 new homes over five years, half of which were affordable homes.

“Working with developers and housing associations, Glasgow has plans to invest almost half a billion pounds, with potential to deliver more than 6,500 affordable homes by 2027, including homes for social rent.”

Ms Watson added: “The scale of the challenge is clear, but council leaders must rise to meet it.

“The thousands of children without the security and safety a permanent home provides can’t wait a second longer.”

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