New figures show the explosion of the homelessness crisis across the country
By Democrat reporter
The shock figure comes after the City Council was forced to abandon plans to move away from such accommodation – which is illegal for terms of more than seven days.
Meanwhile, West Dunbartonshire, which includes Dumbarton, Vale of Leven and Clydebank, has declared a housing crisis of its own and it is not without serious problems.
The picture left shows homeless accommodation in Westcliff, Dumbarton, after it caught fire at one stage, leaving an already homeless family homeless.
In addition, new research published today show that UK Government ‘austerity’ policies since 2010 are associated with striking increases in rates of preterm and low birthweight babies, particularly among those living in the poorest neighbourhoods.
The study by University of Glasgow and Public Health Scotland researchersanalysed almost 2.3 million births in Scotland between 1981 and 2019.
They found that there were marked increases in babies being born at low birthweight and preterm within one to three years of austerity being implemented, particularly in the most socioeconomically deprived areas.
The increases coincided with austerity-driven rises in levels of child poverty: adverse birth outcomes are known to be associated with poverty and other ‘economic stressors’ which can impact on placental function and foetal development in the womb.
Low birthweight and preterm birth are in turn well-known risk factors for other negative health outcomes later in childhood and adulthood; the effects of these increased rates are therefore likely to be seen for some time.
The authors say that austerity-related cuts to income (principally social security) and services are key to understanding these adverse trends.
On homlessness alone, Scottish Tenants Organisation spokesman Sean Clerkin told the Daily Record: “These latest homeless statistics for Glasgow are a disaster in that 1,827 children in 2024, so far, have been put into the worst of temporary accommodation.
“These hotels and B&Bs are often the worst of places and there have been many reports of rat infestations and whole families living in a single hotel room.
“It’s illegal – which is why there’s a massive spike in cases of breaches of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order.
“Many of them having been turned away by the authorities – again breaking the law.”
The snapshot revealed in a Freedom of Information request showed that on September 18 there were:
– 7861 homeless people in temporary accommodation– up 7 per cent.
– 3150 of them were kids – up 11 per cent
– 1806 homeless people illegally in hotels/B&B – up 10 per cent
– 103 families with children living in hotels/B&B – up 56 per cent
– 352 homeless women living in hotels/B&B where there are also men residing – up 30 per cent
– 3426 breaches of the unsuitable order – which legally forbids local authorities from sticking families in B&Bs – up 35 per cent
– The number of reported rough sleepers in Glasgow rocketed from 555 in June to 728 on Sept 18 – up 31 per cent and getting worse fast.
The latest figures showed the number of children to live in B&B or hotel accommodation in 2024, up to September 18 was 1827.
The figure for the same period in 2023 was 989, meaning the problem has almost doubled.
Housing minister Paul McLennan was last night urged to come up with an emergency plan to halt the use of B&Bs for kids.
Shelter Scotland Director Alison Watson, left, said: “We’re in a situation where any time new figures are released, they show a deteriorating situation. That’s the reality of Scotland’s housing emergency – more people living in miserable conditions, more people having their housing rights ignored and more children trapped in a broken homelessness system.
“This year the Scottish Government declared a housing emergency – they now have a responsibility to back words with actions.
“The upcoming Scottish budget must give failing local homelessness services the funding they need to deliver and invest in the social homes we so desperately need.”
Maeve McGoldrick, head of policy and communications for Crisis in Scotland, said: “It’s not right that growing numbers of children are being forced to grow up in unsuitable temporary accommodation. It’s not a home to rebuild their lives in.
“We need to reduce that pressure by building more social housing, so that families can move on with their lives, while driving forward measures to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place.
“New legal duties in the Housing Bill can help do that, by allowing people to get help before they reach a point of crisis, but they will only be a success if they get the resource and cross government buy in needed to make them effective.” Last December, it was revealed rough sleeping on the streets of Glasgow had almost doubled in a matter of weeks. At that point the number totalled 279.
But the FOI reveals that, by September 18 this year, 728 people had reported sleeping rough.
Earlier this week the Everyone Home Collective (EHC), a group of about 40 charitable and academic organisations focused on housing and homelessness, wrote to the Scottish Government calling for action to address an “accelerating and avoidable rough sleeping crisis.”
Last month official statistics showed record numbers of children were in temporary accommodation, with figures increasing to 10,110 from 9595 between March 2023 and 2024.
A spokeswoman for Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Partnership said: “The reality is demand far outstrips availability which means people – including children – are spending longer in emergency and temporary accommodation.
“We continue to work with partners to widen our use of emergency accommodation as an alternative to bed and breakfast type accommodation. The situation is far from acceptable, and we continue to push both governments for additional resource.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Every council has a legal duty to provide accommodation for anyone facing homelessness, and homeless households have a right to good quality temporary accommodation.
“We don’t want anyone to be in unsuitable accommodation which is why over and above the £14 billion local government settlement this year we have a £100 million multi-year ending homelessness together fund for specific action to prevent homelessness, end rough sleeping and reduce temporary accommodation use.
“We have also focused an additional £42 million in 2024-25 for local authorities with the most sustained temporary accommodation pressures, including Glasgow.
“Housing pressures in some local authorities have been exacerbated by the UK Government’s asylum processing decision and we have called for adequate funding to support those receiving positive asylum decisions.”
West Dunbartonshire Council refused to comment to The Dumbarton Democrat.