In light of the recommendations in the Shelter Scotland report, In Their Own Words: Children’s Experiences in Temporary Accommodation, whet…

The Scottish Government is clear that temporary accommodation should be of a high standard and households living there should receive good quality support services that meet their needs. That is why the Scottish Government published the temporary accommodation standards framework in 2023. The framework sets out the physical, location, service and management standards to ensure that temporary accommodation is of good quality and is safe, warm and affordable.Most households with children are placed in suitable temporary accommodation in the social rented sector. However, the Unsuitable Accommodation Order (UAO) was extended in 2020 to ensure that no homeless household has to stay in unsuitable accommodation, such as hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation, for more than seven days.The numbers of households and time spent in temporary accommodation is too high, particularly for households with children, and the Scottish Government is taking decisive action to increase housing supply. We have provided funding of £80 million over this year and next, 80 per cent of which has been targeted to five local authorities with the most sustained temporary accommodation pressures. This funding is to increase the supply of social homes of the right type and size – including larger properties suitable for families – where the need is greatest. To date, this has supported local authorities to bring 1,000 homes back into use through acquisitions and to reduce the number of empty social homes.