by Bill Heaney
Homeless children are being moved around from pillar to post. There is no telling where they will lay their head or put up their Christmas tree this year.
Or if they will even have a bed to sleep on.
Now MSP Jackie Baillie has criticised the SNP’s record on housing as new figures show families in temporary accommodation are forced to change houses right up to the eve of Christmas and beyond into next year.
There are currently more than 10,000 children stuck in temporary accommodation in Scotland, and new information obtained by Scottish Labour has uncovered how many times some families have been moved home during their time in temporary accommodation.
In West Dunbartonshire homeless families have been moved up to three times.
Households without children have faced even greater instability in their lives, with some being moved up to 15 times while in temporary accommodation.
Scottish Labour unveiled these figures ahead of a pre-Christmas visit to a homelessness charity.
Jackie Baillie, who is also Scottish Labour’s deputy leader, said: “Every one of these figures represents a child without a home that is theirs, who faces being moved from home to home and school to school.
“Children are being robbed of their childhood as a result of the SNP’s inaction on this housing emergency.
“In Dumbarton constituency, I hear frequently from people facing homelessness or stuck in unsuitable housing.
“West Dunbartonshire Council has even had to return to using Bed and Breakfast accommodation for emergency homeless cases.
“The SNP’s lack of action has consigned thousands of people to a life of insecurity in temporary accommodation.
“This is the human cost of the SNP’s failures on public services and housing.
“A Scottish Labour government will confront this scandal, so Scots have the safe, secure homes they deserve – by delivering fair funding for local Councils and fixing the root causes of the housing emergency, and building the homes Scotland needs.”
These are the numbers and West Dunbartonshire is high up the league table.
|
|
The highest number of times a household has been moved to different accommodation while in temporary accommodation for any household |
The highest number of times a household has been moved to different accommodation while in temporary accommodation for any household with a child in it |
|
Aberdeen City |
8 |
>5 |
|
Aberdeenshire |
3 |
2 |
|
Angus |
1 |
1 |
|
Argyll and Bute |
NOT HELD |
Not held |
|
City of Edinburgh |
26 |
18 |
|
Clackmannanshire |
9 |
4 |
|
Dumfries and Galloway |
8 |
5 |
|
Dundee City |
7 |
4 |
|
East Ayrshire |
5 |
2 |
|
East Dunbartonshire |
NO RESPONSE |
No response |
|
East Lothian |
NOT HELD |
Not held |
|
East Renfrewshire |
12 |
6 |
|
Falkirk |
4 |
3 |
|
Fife |
NOT HELD |
Not held |
|
Glasgow City |
56 |
16 |
|
Highland |
6 |
3 |
|
Inverclyde |
3 |
1 |
|
Midlothian |
NOT HELD |
Not held |
|
Moray |
NO RESPONSE |
|
|
Na h-Eileanan Siar |
3 |
1 |
|
North Ayrshire |
NOT HELD |
|
|
North Lanarkshire |
9 |
4 |
|
Orkney Islands |
3 |
1 |
|
Perth and Kinross |
NOT HELD |
No held |
|
Renfrewshire |
5 |
3 |
|
Scottish Borders |
NO RESPONSE |
Not held |
|
Shetland Islands |
3 |
0 |
|
South Ayrshire |
3 |
0 |
|
South Lanarkshire |
13 |
8 |
|
Stirling |
NOT HELD |
not held |
|
West Dunbartonshire |
15 |
3 |
|
West Lothian |
23 |
8 |
Source: Scottish Labour FOI