Getty ImagesThe number of homeless children living in temporary accommodation is at its highest level since records began in 2002, according to the latest figures.
There were 16,634 households and 10,360 children living in temporary accommodation in September last year.
A total of 17,424 households were assessed as homeless or at risk of homelessness in the six-month period, a 4% increase on the same period in 2023.
Housing Minister Paul McLennan said the Scottish government was taking “decisive action” to ensure no-one needs to experience the trauma of being homeless.
He added: “The key to tackling homelessness is delivering more homes and we have a strong track record in doing so, having supported the delivery of 135,000 affordable homes since 2007.
“That’s 47% more per head of population than England and 73% more than Wales. However, we can and will go further.”
The figures showed that 15 local authorities had seen an increase in homelessness applications.
The largest rise was in Glasgow, which saw a 22% increase in applications, followed by Dundee with a 21% increase.
The Scottish government said Glasgow’s increase could be partially attributed to applications from those with refugee or leave to remain status, where there were a total of 1,259 applications.
The largest falls in applications were in South Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire.
The number of households reporting rough sleeping increased, with 6% rough sleeping the night before making their application and 9% rough sleeping in the previous three months.
Getty ImagesThere was a 38% increase in the number of applications from households granted refugee and leave to remain status – from 1,435 to 1,975.
The majority of homeless applicants – 79% – stated they were of white ethnicity.
Just over a quarter of households assessed as homeless contained children, a slight decrease from the same period in 2023.
Maeve McGoldrick, head of policy and communication at the charity Crisis, said the latest figures did not come as a surprise to those working in homelessness services.
“As the cost of living crisis continues to impact household incomes, more people are being forced from their homes, often in circumstances where we know it could have been prevented from happening,” she said.
“These figures show councils are working to help move people out of homelessness and into settled accommodation, but they can’t keep up with growing demand for their help.”
She said “a targeted response” was needed to stop more people from being forced into homelessness.
‘Asleep at the wheel’
Scottish Labour’s housing spokesman Mark Griffin described the figures as a “national scandal”.
He said: “John Swinney needs to take responsibility for his government’s appalling failures, sack his housing minister and set out a real plan to tackle this emergency and ensure every Scot has a home.”
Scottish Conservative housing spokeswoman Meghan Gallacher accused the SNP of being “asleep at the wheel” during a national housing emergency.
She called for the Scottish government to drop plans for permanent rent controls and offer a “real plan” to deliver new homes.
First Minister John Swinney has declared the eradication of child poverty as his “single most important objective”.
Setting out her draft budget in December, Finance Secretary Shona Robison pledged £4m of new funding to tackle homelessness and fund prevention pilots.
She also set out plans for more than 8,000 new social rent, mid-market rent and low-cost ownership properties.
The draft budget also outlined investment for the mitigation of the two-child cap and £6.9bn total investment in social security, including the Scottish Child Payment.
