Scottish Government statistics highlight impact of Covid-related housing measures on reducing number of homelessness applications and people assessed as homeless

New National Statistics for April to September 2020 also show that number of open applications and households in temporary accommodation both increased

Scottish Government official statistics have highlighted the impact of housing measures introduced following the Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020 on reducing the number of homelessness applications and people assessed as homeless.

In Homelessness in Scotland: Bi-annual update 1 April to 30 September 2020, the Scottish Government presents information on local authority homelessness applications, assessments and outcomes, and the number of households in temporary accommodation in the 6 months to the end of September 2020.

Highlighting that measures introduced by local authorities in response to the Covid-19 outbreak influenced the numbers affected by homelessness during the period, the statistics show that -

• 16,997 homeless applications were received - 10 per cent less than the same period in 2019;
• 13,645 households were assessed as homeless - 14 per cent less when compared to the same period in 2019; and
• as at 30 September 2020, there were 27,332 open homelessness cases - 20 per cent more than at the same date in 2019.

NB - the government advises a reduction in presentations was in part due to households' reluctance to approach homelessness services while Covid-19 guidelines advised them to remain at home and the reduction in the number of evictions due to emergency coronavirus legislation.

In relation to the use of temporary accommodation in the period, the statistics show that -

• as at 30 September 2020, there were 14,151 households in temporary accommodation, with 10,957 households entering temporary accommodation between April and September while 7,372 exited;
• there were 460 instances of households not being offered temporary accommodation between April and September 2020 - 76 per cent less than 2019; and
• there were 135 breaches of unsuitable accommodation orders - 39 per cent less than 2019 - possibly reflecting a significant change to the legislation which introduced temporary exceptions over the reporting period.

Elsewhere, the statistics highlight that the number of homelessness applications that were closed in the six months to 30 September 2020 declined by 30 per cent - to 9,920 compared to 14,265 in the same period in 2019. The government says this was due to Covid-19 restrictions at the time limiting the ability of local authority staff to move households into permanent accommodation.

For more information, see Homelessness in Scotland: update to 30 September 2020 from gov.scot