SNP plan could make homelessness in Scotland ‘even worse’, warn campaigners

SNP plans to tackle homelessness risk making “an already dire situation worse”, a leading charity has warned.

The Scottish Government has published more than 300 responses to its Housing (Scotland) Bill, which will bring in a range of reforms with the aim of ensuring fewer people are left without a roof over their head.

But critics have warned that plans to make local authorities “act sooner to prevent homelessness” risk backfiring as councils are already failing to meet existing regulations.

Shelter said it could not support the plans as it would “pressure” on already struggling services.

Scotland is already in the middle of a housing emergency with a severe lack of affordable accommodation in several parts of the country.

Five local authorities – including Glasgow and Edinburgh city councils – have already declared housing emergencies. This means they cannot meet demand for affordable accommodation from those who need it.

In a consultation response, David Aitchison of Shelter questioned whether the Government’s legislation would work as intended.

“This part of the bill will place new responsibilities on local authorities and public bodies,” he said.

“New duties without significant additional resource to underpin them will add to the pressure already on local authorities. At a time when the Scottish Housing Regulator is clear that they do not have levers left to enforce existing homelessness duties, a poorly resourced or implemented plan may make an already dire situation worse.

“Duties in other areas of public policy are enforceable by individuals through a suitable system of redress. It is not clear how an individual whose right to have their homelessness prevented would challenge failure by the public body to uphold their ‘duty’ and what scope regulators would have to enforce such redress.”

In a separate response, Ross Irvine of Living Rent also questioned whether councils were in a position to take on new duties.

He said: “This new duty represents an improvement and will support local authorities to combat rising homelessness.

“However, we are concerned that there will not be enough financial support for local authorities to genuinely implement these new powers.”

The legislation is currently being scrutinised by members of Holyrood’s local government and housing committee, with a report due in the autumn.

It comes after John Swinney last month blamed a “hostile” UK Government for SNP ministers slashing spending on affordable housing in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has faced a backlash from charities and anti-poverty campaigners since it cut the housing budget for the year ahead by £196m.

Humza Yousaf, the former first minister, subsequently announced a further £80m would be found to bring long-term empty properties back into use as affordable accommodation.

Asked by the Record what a government led by him would do differently when it came to housing, Swinney said the issue was a “big priority”.

He continued: “The challenge for the housing budget is the fact the Scottish Government’s capital budget has been slashed by the UK Government.”

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