On Wednesday 25th of January, the Scottish Parliament debated a Scottish Conservative Party motion recognising the homelessness crisis experienced across the country. The initial motion, introduced by Lothian MSP Miles Briggs read:
“That the Parliament recognises a large number of homeless people in Scotland, people in temporary accommodation and people on social housing waiting lists; expresses particular concern at the number of vulnerable people in these categories, such as veterans, children and disabled people, and calls on the Scottish Government to declare a homeless emergency and to prioritise finding suitable accommodation for people in need”.
According to Shelter Scotland, in the year 2021-2022, there were 35 thousand homeless applications made, of which nearly 29 thousand households were assessed to either be homeless or threatened with homelessness. This represented an increase in the last year, with around a thousand more households being assessed as homeless. Furthermore, almost 9 thousand children were living in temporary accommodation as they waited for permanent homes – the highest figure on record. Despite a small decline during the pandemic, more people are forced to wait on permanent accommodation to become available, due to a lack of affordable social housing being built by the Scottish Government.
Homelessness in Scotland is a crisis disproportionately faced by minority ethnic communities. Despite only making up 4 per cent of the population, approximately 15 per cent of the homeless population are non-White. A Scottish Government report found a few reasons for this disparity. Ethnic minority households are more likely to live below the poverty line, limiting the housing they are able to afford. Furthermore, non-White Scots are more likely to be living in the private rented sector, which is more volatile than social housing. There is also evidence that discrimination can make it more difficult for these groups to find housing, further limiting where they are able to live and putting them at a greater risk of homelessness should they have to leave their accommodation.
As found in October of 2022, the rent freeze introduced by the Scottish Government has encouraged many landlords to consider removing their properties from the housing market, instead orienting them towards holiday lets or becoming second homes. Where this has happened, housing markets which are already tight have become even smaller, limiting the available housing for those seeking to move into the area. When the eviction ban moratorium expires, something expected in March, far more tenants in the private housing sector are at risk of losing their housing and being forced to find other accommodation. As such, it is possible that the homeless population continues to increase throughout the year because of this, disproportionately affecting the BAME population.
Homelessness in Scotland is already a crisis caused by a lack of available housing for those on lower incomes. It is set to be exacerbated by the Scottish Government’s rent freeze, causing a further decrease in privately rented houses, which make up the majority of rented properties. As such, it is vital that the opposition draws this issue to the attention of the Scottish Parliament, in order to address the issue before it worsens.