Written Question · S5W-17902 · Session 5
What its response is to the recent Shelter Scotland report, which states that, on one day in March 2018, 6,615 children were living in temp…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent Shelter Scotland report, which states that, on one day in March 2018, 6,615 children were living in temporary accommodation and that this was the fourth consecutive year in which the figure has risen, and that homeless families with children spend an average of 25% longer living in temporary accommodation than households without children.
The answer
The Scottish Government is clear that one person being made homeless is too many, particularly in households which include children.
That is why preventing and ending homelessness and transforming temporary accommodation are key priorities for the Scottish Government. It is also why we established the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group (HARSAG) last year, with Shelter Scotland as a member, to help us identify the solutions to homelessness.
HARSAG published its final set of recommendations in June 2017 and we have accepted all of their 70 recommendations in principle. These call for more focus on preventing the need for temporary accommodation in the first place, reducing demand through effective prevention measures, and improving outflow or move-on by increasing appropriate options for accommodation. This is an important set of proposals which we will explore further with local authorities and other partners to help ensure we reduce the numbers of children going into temporary accommodation.
Scotland’s strong homelessness rights already mean households, including those with children, are placed in temporary accommodation while they wait for appropriate, sustainable permanent accommodation. The vast majority (80%) of households with children or pregnant women are given temporary accommodation in social rented housing, which is generally of good quality and covered by the Scottish Housing Quality Standard. We also continue to work with local authorities to ensure that all temporary accommodation is the same standard as permanent accommodation.
While temporary accommodation provides an important safety net in emergency situations, we want time there to be as short as possible. In October last year, we also reduced the period from 14 to 7 days that families with children and pregnant women are in unsuitable temporary accommodation, except in exceptional circumstances.
To underline our commitment to transforming temporary accommodation, we have allocated £21 million of the £50m Ending Homelessness Together Fund to help local authorities accelerate towards rapid rehousing and Housing First, to minimise the use of temporary accommodation.
That is why preventing and ending homelessness and transforming temporary accommodation are key priorities for the Scottish Government. It is also why we established the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group (HARSAG) last year, with Shelter Scotland as a member, to help us identify the solutions to homelessness.
HARSAG published its final set of recommendations in June 2017 and we have accepted all of their 70 recommendations in principle. These call for more focus on preventing the need for temporary accommodation in the first place, reducing demand through effective prevention measures, and improving outflow or move-on by increasing appropriate options for accommodation. This is an important set of proposals which we will explore further with local authorities and other partners to help ensure we reduce the numbers of children going into temporary accommodation.
Scotland’s strong homelessness rights already mean households, including those with children, are placed in temporary accommodation while they wait for appropriate, sustainable permanent accommodation. The vast majority (80%) of households with children or pregnant women are given temporary accommodation in social rented housing, which is generally of good quality and covered by the Scottish Housing Quality Standard. We also continue to work with local authorities to ensure that all temporary accommodation is the same standard as permanent accommodation.
While temporary accommodation provides an important safety net in emergency situations, we want time there to be as short as possible. In October last year, we also reduced the period from 14 to 7 days that families with children and pregnant women are in unsuitable temporary accommodation, except in exceptional circumstances.
To underline our commitment to transforming temporary accommodation, we have allocated £21 million of the £50m Ending Homelessness Together Fund to help local authorities accelerate towards rapid rehousing and Housing First, to minimise the use of temporary accommodation.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S5W-17902 by reference.