Council violations regarding temporary housing for homeless people in Scotland have drastically increased this year.
The regulator can take legal action and even remove housing officers. This protects human rights under Scottish law. The regulator is funded by the Scottish Government and answers directly to the Scottish Parliament. They have plans for Glasgow and Edinburgh councils, both of which have declared a housing emergency recently.
Glasgow accounts for 84% of breaches, three years after an inquiry. This inquiry found Glasgow failed homeless people by not ensuring enough temporary housing existed. The number of breaches increased greatly this year, jumping from 1355 to 6320 in just six months!
Edinburgh’s breaches nearly doubled, going from 570 to 1015. Clackmannanshire had the third highest number, recording 140 breaches, up from only five last year. Nine of Scotland’s 32 councils admitted breaching the law requiring temporary housing for homeless people.
The Scottish Tenants Organisation wants action and seeks financial penalties for not following the law. Living Rent says the regulator must “grow teeth” and act now for vulnerable people. The regulator must protect tenants and the homeless because breaches are happening, and councils keep failing.
The Scottish Housing Regulator started on April 1, 2011, protecting tenants and people experiencing homelessness. They regulate 158 social landlords and oversee the housing work of all 32 councils. Though funded by the government, they claim to be independent.
Some fear the regulator doesn’t use its powers to appoint new managers or suspend officers. This would address temporary and permanent housing problems. The Housing Act of 2010 gives them this ability if tenants need protection.
The regulator’s chief executive said intervention was “beyond the scope” for systemic failures in the housing system. The Glasgow breaches happened after a 2020 finding that the council had failed to house homeless people properly due to a lack of temporary housing available.
Shelter Scotland sued Glasgow City Council over “gatekeeping,” denying rights to homeless people. The inquiry found the council failed to provide temporary housing. In 2019/20, they failed to offer housing 3,786 times, an increase of 445 from the prior year.
That earlier number is half of what it is now as the council failed to comply with its duty. It failed nearly one in three times people needed help. The regulator said Glasgow was creating a new strategy aimed at transforming homeless services going forward.
Living Rent says the government is dragging its feet by not funding councils to solve the problem and not addressing a lack of affordable housing. Real rent controls are needed, plus more council housing. They must stop prioritizing expensive developments.
The number of children in temporary housing hit record levels, increasing by over 14% in just two years. Housing minister McLennan said the number of homeless is “far too high.” Last year, 20,695 children were in temporary homeless housing, also 2,560 more than in 2022.
Households seeking help rose 10% in two years, from 18,971 to 20,823 households total. Rough sleeping rose 60% before people sought assistance, going up from 741 to 1,198 individuals overall. The housing regulator keeps saying they lack power.
Homelessness demands exceed council capacity, leading to “systemic failure” in services provided. The regulator will continue to monitor council performance and engage with councils to promote needed improvement. They will work with the government to address these issues.
Councils are working to address the housing emergency. COSLA leaders agreed on 18 actions to improve, focusing on priority areas for council initiatives. The housing crisis greatly impacts people experiencing homelessness.
The housing minister said households have a right to housing. More housing is key to reducing temporary housing use. This year they gave £40 million to ease pressures, taking investment in affordable housing to almost £600 million. They provide support for prevention efforts, too.
The budget includes added funds helping local authorities, aiding frontline services to prepare for prevention duties. They continue to work with the housing regulator and other stakeholders to address the issues.