Author: Jamie Milne

HNS comment: a healthier nation starts at home

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Healthy homes, healthy futures is the theme of this year’s Scottish Housing Day, on 16 September. To mark the moment, our Head of Policy and Impact Matt Hamill sets out in Scottish Housing News exactly why home matters so greatly in providing the foundation for building settled, healthy lives. As Matt writes, “Investing in homes is not just a question of bricks and mortar – it is an investment in a healthier nation and in all our futures.”

There are few things more central to our overall health and wellbeing than having a safe, secure place to call home.

It is one of the main foundations on which our ability to lead settled and healthy lives sits and when that security is removed or placed at risk, the consequences can extend into almost every other area of our lives. In this respect, it is not possible to have a full discussion around our health without also discussing a place to call home.

The Scottish Government’s Housing strategy, Housing to 2040, recognises as much, saying:

“Homes have never been simply bricks and mortar – good housing and homes support our health, our wellbeing, our life chances and our job prospects. Everyone should have a home that brings them those chances and opportunities.”

There is strong evidence behind this approach. The link between poor quality housing and health is long established and our first laws aimed at addressing the connection date back almost 200 years. Conditions such as cold, mould or damp can lead to serious health issues, while for older people, an unsafe home can increase the risk of a fall or injury. Research from the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence and the University of Glasgow estimates that health conditions associated with poor quality housing cost NHS Scotland around £530 million every year.

Housing conditions are linked to poverty as well, which itself has strong links to worsening health outcomes. Lower income households can have fewer options to move out of unsuitable housing or meet the cost of repairs, further deepening inequality. Poor energy efficiency in a home means higher energy bills and greater pressure on already stretched household budgets just to keep homes warm. Almost a third of Scottish households are living in fuel poverty, with 14% living in extreme fuel poverty.

The impact also extends to people’s mental health and to the risks to this that come with living in unsettled or poor quality accommodation. And when housing insecurity becomes homelessness, there is a real risk of homelessness and poor mental health reinforcing each other in a cycle that can be very difficult to break once it is established.

For children, long spells without a safe, settled home can disrupt their routines, friendships, progress at school, and the formative years that shape how they grow up. With child poverty one of the single biggest predictors of future homelessness, ensuring a stable, healthy home for children is not just about protecting kids from homelessness today, it is about preventing it in the future.

All of this makes this year’s Scottish Housing Day theme – Healthy Homes, Healthy Futures – particularly timely. A healthy, settled home is not just a question of housing policy, it is a question of public health as well. Housing to 2040 makes another important commitment that “everyone can expect the same high standards no matter what kind of home or tenure they live in.” Homeless Network Scotland is committed to working with our partners in the third sector and government to ensure this is not just rhetoric and that this commitment becomes a reality.

It is welcome therefore that next month will see Awaab’s Law come into force in Scotland, bringing with it new requirements for social and private landlords to investigate reports of damp and mould and begin necessary repairs within specified timescales. And with a Human Rights Bill promised in the second year of the current parliament, Homeless Network Scotland will be working with partners to ensure this contains strong protections around housing and homelessness, in light of the fact that the right to adequate housing is an existing human right enshrined in international law.

But the strongest legal protections in the world could not change the fact that in Scotland there are still not enough homes for everyone. With over 18,000 households in temporary accommodation, including record numbers of children, we still need to build the homes needed to meet the scale of the housing emergency.

This last point cannot simply be a discussion about governments hitting or missing targets. It must mean the right homes, in the right places where they are needed, and crucially, of the right quality.

Too often, housing continues to be discussed as something that sits separately from our ambitions to build a healthier country, reduce poverty, grow our economy, or give children the best possible start in life. In reality, achieving any of those goals becomes much more difficult if they do not rest on the foundation of a safe and settled place to live.

This year’s Scottish Housing Day can act as a timely reminder that housing policy is public health policy and that investing in homes is not just a question of bricks and mortar – it is an investment in a healthier nation and in all our futures.

Homeless Network Scotland Responds to the Programme for Government: a welcome direction, but delivery remains key

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Yesterday saw MSPs return to Holyrood from their summer recess and with no hanging around it was straight into launching the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government. Homeless Network Scotland’s Head of Policy and Impact Matt Hamill welcomes the focus on prevention and joined-up ways of working – but says commitments must be turned into action.

Unlike previous publications which have tended to be annual events planning the year ahead, this Programme for Government sets out a five-year vision up to the next Scottish Parliament elections. As such, it can be taken as a pretty significant indicator of Ministers’ strategic thinking.

There was much to welcome in the Programme, not least some of the language being used. Far more significant than any one stand-alone announcement was confirmation that two principles that HNS and our wider partners have been clear are critical to tackling homelessness now sit central to the thinking of the Scottish Government. 

Prevention and No Wrong Door

The first is prevention and the idea of shifting the mindset from managing homelessness after it has occurred, to ensuring people receive the support they need before they reach crisis. It was encouraging therefore to see that thinking echoed in the First Minster’s foreword as he wrote about the need to prioritise upstream homelessness prevention measures. 

The second can be found further into the document with the Programme speaking of the need for a No Wrong Door approach to ensure people “need only ask once” with the system then shaping itself around the individual rather than requiring a person to navigate complex systems or repeat their story to a range of public service providers. 

No Wrong Door is central to Homeless Network Scotland’s own thinking and is the theory behind the national protocol for supporting people with severe and multiple disadvantage that we will be launching next month at our conference. To see this thinking occupying such a prominent place in the Programme for Government is therefore very positive. 

There are further announcements which are to be welcomed. The housing and homelessness sector have supported calls for the ‘Fund to Leave’- a fund to assist women and children leave an abusive partner- to be made permanent and Ministers have heeded that call. Similarly, the Programme recognises the challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers and at a time when many in this community are feeling at particular risk, it is encouraging to see confirmation of a delivery plan to support them.

But rhetoric and the commitments do ultimately have to translate into delivery and on this front, questions remain. 

Building the social homes we need

The most prominent is on housebuilding, the foundation on which wider measures to tackle housing and homelessness will rise or fall. In recent weeks both Fraser of Allander Institute and Holyrood’s own independent research unit have warned that the Scottish Government is on course to miss its target of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032. Scottish Ministers will need to set out how they plan to breathe life back into a housebuilding programme which is visibly losing momentum.  

Details of how Scotland’s new housing agency will help achieve this remain to be filled in, with the agency not due to be fully up and running until 2028-29. Given the agency says it plans to offer ‘simplicity and speed’ this does feel like an extended set up process, more so when you consider Canada was able to set up a similar housing agency up in around six months. 

Housing First and children in temporary accommodation

The role of Housing First is another question mark, with the Programme committing to 1,500 housing first tenancies over five years, or 300 each year. But this figure is the current rate and that is only meeting around 10% of national demand. If Housing First is to be “scaled up” as Ministers say it is, then maintaining the current rate of delivery surely cannot be the goal.  

Similarly, while the intention on ending the use of unsafe and harmful temporary accommodation for children is to be welcomed, there is a lack of detail in the Programme on what “ending” looks like and on what targets or milestones could measure progress. 

Overall, there is plenty in this Programme for Government that gives cause for optimism. Prevention over crisis management, joined up services wrapping around individuals and recognition that homelessness is more than simply a ‘housing issue’ and that it impacts on portfolios across government. This is the right mindset and HNS stand ready to work with Ministers to help turn this into practical delivery on the ground. 

But delivery on the ground is the part that matters. Scotland has no shortage of good intent; the challenge is turning that into action on housing targets, the expansion of housing first and the delivery of truly preventative, joined up public services.  

The programme for government has set the direction, the test for our politicians is now showing they can turn that into delivery.

Housing emergency must be priority as Holyrood returns

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A coalition of 40 leading organisations across Scotland working to end homelessness has called for an urgent Ministerial Statement to update Parliament on the housing emergency as MSPs prepare to return from their summer break.

The call comes as the Scottish Government prepares to set out its priorities in the annual Programme for Government, and follows the Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s own radical pledge that everyone sleeping rough in England will be offered a route off the street by Christmas.

The expert coalition of charities and academics – convened by Homeless Network Scotland – has called for the statement during MSPs’ first week back, while setting out five tests which it says will help judge Holyrood’s response to the crisis over the course of the new parliamentary term.

The move also comes as Ministers prepare to publish Scotland’s latest annual homelessness statistics. Last year’s figures painted a grim picture of the scale of the emergency, showing a record 10,480 children across Scotland stuck in temporary accommodation while the number of open homeless cases hit record highs.

The coalition has urged Ministers to use the Statement to update on what progress has been made and to set out the Scottish Government’s own response to the recent pledges from Andy Burnham.

The coalition has also published a set of five tests, which it says will show if policymakers are serious about tackling Scotland’s housing emergency. These are:

  1. Building the minimum 15,693 new social homes each year that expert research shows is needed, backed by £8.8billion of investment.
  2. Making tackling homelessness, sustainability, and reducing affordable housing need the top priorities of the new housing agency, More Homes Scotland.
  3. Delivering a year-on-year reduction in the number of children and families in temporary accommodation over the parliament, by making more social homes available and making the best use of existing stock including converting temporary tenancies into settled homes.
  4. Preventing homelessness earlier by placing rights-based early prevention and access to joined-up public services at the heart of Scotland’s response.
  5. Ending the need for anyone in Scotland to sleep rough at any time of year by using every available option, including ramping up proven support solutions like Housing First.

Homeless Network Scotland chief executive Maggie Brünjes said: “We have seen a strong statement of political intent from the Prime Minister on homelessness and rough sleeping in England. As this new session of the Scottish Parliament now gets properly underway following the election and the summer recess, it is absolutely critical that Scotland now shows similar ambition.

“Ahead of the Programme for Government, it is only right that Parliament and the public receive an update on what steps the Scottish Government has planned to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, following the recent commitments from the Prime Minister.

“Our five tests provide a set of clear and measurable standards against which all of us can judge the progress made by politicians over the next five years. These can ensure that homelessness and the housing emergency remain a national priority over this parliament.

“Homelessness is not inevitable. We know what works, and as MSPs prepare for the new parliamentary term, this is the ideal moment for them to show the public that they grasp the scale of this emergency and are prepared to do what it takes to rise to the occasion.”

The silo tax: why the people who need help most still pay the highest price

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Jamie Milne, Policy & Communications Advisor at Homeless Network Scotland, on why the people who need help most still pay the highest price – and how The Level can raise the floor.

When life gets complicated, people need more than one kind of help. 

A safe home. Support with mental health or recovery. Help with money. Protection from harm. A fair chance with the justice system. 

But the services meant to help still often work in separate boxes. People cannot unpack their crises one by one. They get passed from door to door – or fall through the gaps entirely. 

For people whose lives have been shaped by poverty, trauma, violence and inequality, this is not rare. It’s routine. Siloed systems do not cause these problems on their own. But they deepen them, repeat them – and make recovery far harder. 

These are the hard edges of Scotland’s public services. 

A system that asks the impossible. 

Severe and multiple disadvantage is what happens when mental health, addiction, homelessness, offending, poverty and trauma overlap in one life. These issues reinforce each other. A prison sentence can trigger the loss of housing. Homelessness can deepen mental ill-health. Distress is self-managed with substances, increasing the risk of further justice. And round it goes. 

No single service can break that cycle alone. Yet we still too often ask people to recover in sequence: sort this problem first, then that one, then the next. 

The human cost is profound. People retell their trauma at every door. Some disengage. Some only find continuity through crisis. Hard Edges Scotland even found people offending in the hope of getting support through the justice system. When that is what “access” looks like, the system has already failed. 

There is a public cost too. Repeated emergency responses, revolving-door demand and missed prevention create what can fairly be called a silo tax: the extra price paid when fragmented services meet complex lives. People at the hard edges pay it first. Public services and communities pay it too. 

Everyone agrees on the direction. Delivery is the gap. 

For years, Scotland has committed to prevention, integration and No Wrong Door. The ambition is shared. The problem is consistent implementation for the people whose lives cross multiple systems at once. 

That is why The Level matters. 

The Level is Scotland’s practical Delivery Protocol for people facing severe and multiple disadvantage. It is not another strategy competing for attention or resources. It turns existing commitments into everyday practice. It sets a national floor while enabling local leadership. And it gives practitioners, practice leaders, funders, commissioners and policymakers shared tools to work across boundaries. 

At its simplest, The Level helps us do three things: 

  • Prevent system failure where it hurts and costs most. 
  • Integrate services from the margins inward. 
  • Raise the national floor so the most marginalised are not left behind. 

It is built from evidence, lived experience and frontline learning – including a three-year test of change across different local contexts. It is about culture and practice as much as process: rebuilding trust with people who have been let down before – and stopping the system from adding harm. 

When the system works for people at the hard edges, the floor rises for everyone 

If we keep failing the same people in the same ways, nothing else we do will fully work. A system that can hold complexity, act earlier and stay with people through overlapping needs becomes more preventative and more resilient for the wider population too. 

On 6-7 October at Perth Concert Hall, Scotland’s National Summit on Severe and Multiple Disadvantage will bring together people from housing, health, justice, social care, community organisations and lived experience to face this challenge directly. 

Day 2 includes the formal launch of The Level. 

This is not a conference for stating the problem one more time. It is a moment to agree how Scotland turns No Wrong Door into consistent practice for people at the hard edges – and to leave with shared tools, clearer expectations and a strong common purpose. 

Join us. 

Raising the Level: from hard edges to whole lives. 

Perth Concert Hall, 6-7 October 

If your work or life connects to multiple disadvantage, you should be in the room.

The hidden everyday costs of homelessness

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Recent research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reveals the deep impact of the cost-of-living crisis for 7.4million families on low incomes. But this ongoing crisis takes a bigger toll on people experiencing homelessness – particularly those forced to sleep rough. Kirsty Roebuck from Bethany Christian Trust writes about the impact of paying more and more for everyday necessities.

Without access to clean water, electricity and security, rough sleepers are seriously disadvantaged when it comes to buying food, water and other necessities and as a result are locked into a cycle of higher spending with less money to save. People on Universal Credit receive £98.50 a week, which works out as less than £15 a day to spend on essentials that most of us take for granted. It might be interesting to consider how much you would have spent this week.

Bottled water – 40p

One of the clearest examples of this is water. As with many things, buying in bulk is key and can cost as little as 20p per litre for 6 x 2 litre bottles compared to 40p per litre if buying 1 x 2 litre bottle. However anyone who is sleeping rough is unlikely to want to carry 12 litres and more likely to buy less, more often at double the price. This can lead to drinking less water, resulting in dehydration which causes headaches, brain fog and in chronic cases, kidney trouble and high blood pressure. Coupled with an inconsistent diet and lack of shelter, this inevitably puts those rough sleeping at higher risk of serious illness and longer recovery time.

Shower – £5

Not having regular access to water also means not having regular access to showers. Showers are a part of daily life, helping us to feel clean and refreshed, but at £5 per use in Edinburgh city centre, a routine habit suddenly becomes a luxury you have to think about if you’re on a budget. The effects of not showering are twofold. On a physical level, the natural build-up of dead skin, oils and bacteria can lead to skin irritation, itching and a higher chance of infection overall. Mentally, being aware that it’s been a couple of days since you’ve showered is enough to make anyone feel self-conscious, especially when increasing the visibility of your situation and the stigma that follows it.

Public toilets – 30p

Having a home means access to a bathroom, but this is another problem to contend with for people sleeping rough. Thirty pence might not seem a lot, but multiple times a day for multiple days adds up quickly – and it’s not just about cost. Public toilets tend to have opening times, with a majority closing at 8pm. Inconsistent access to toilets can lead to digestive issues, especially when coupled with dehydration. Not having access to public toilets may give people no other option but to relieve themselves outdoors, risking police charges. Those with a criminal record then face significant hurdles in terms of future employment and housing.

Meal deal – £4

Meal deals are a popular lunch option including a sandwich, crisps and a drink that will set you back roughly £4, which isn’t much more than a week’s worth of sandwich ingredients and a multipack of crisps if you’re not too fussy about brands. The higher cost can be considered a ‘convenience tax’, almost like a surcharge for those either without the time or ability to bring something from home. But even a simple cheese sandwich requires a fridge run by electricity, clean cutlery and a space to prepare your sandwich and somewhere to store it until you need it.

Another common money saving tip is to bulk buy when things are on offer, which works out cheaper in the long run assuming, again, you have somewhere to store it. Without somewhere to store, preserve and prepare food, your only option is to buy as you go which means higher day to day spending and less opportunities to save for the future.

Storage – £7

In addition to not being able to store food, people sleeping rough, and in some cases in temporary accommodation, or sofa surfing, have to work out what to do with their belongings. Carrying your life in a backpack all day isn’t great for your back, causing aches and pains worsened by sleeping on a cold, hard ground. Another option is to hide your belongings to come back to later, leaving them open to the elements and at risk of theft if discovered. The third option is to pay for the storage services typically used by tourists, to keep items safe and dry for the day. However, as with any ‘make your life easier’ service, it comes with a convenience tax costing £7 a day for something that most people get for free by locking their front door.

Homelessness is a complex issue, often with mental health, trauma, physical health and housing intertwined before considering the costs for essentials that we take for granted. I hope this post has highlighted the resilience of those rough sleeping and experiencing other forms of homelessness, in spite of the challenges they face on a day to day basis.