Author: Jamie Milne

Now recruiting: join the Homeless Network Scotland Board

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In the face of a housing emergency and cost of living crisis, homelessness is rising fast in Scotland. At the same time, we have a landmark Housing Bill going through parliament which could, if delivered properly, change the face of homelessness by significantly widening prevention duties.  

Addressing the current homelessness crisis and ensuring we get the legislation and systems we need for the longer term requires people who can inspire, shape and influence positive change. 

The Board of Homeless Network Scotland, the national membership body for organisations and individuals committed to ending homelessness in Scotland, is at the forefront of this work.  

At this critical moment, the board is recruiting new members to extend its reach, broaden its lens and welcome new skills and diverse voices. 

By joining the board, you can make your knowledge and passion count in the collective push to create a better future for everyone in Scotland. And you will have the opportunity to add your voice to an authoritative group of dedicated board members with decades of experience and expertise. 

Convenor Jackie Erdman, formerly Head of Equality and Human Rights at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “Our trustees span different sectors and disciplines, bringing expertise and passion to the role. 

“We aim to provide a holistic oversight to the work, supporting the team in their engagement with Homeless Network Scotland members. We believe that homelessness can only be resolved through approaches that link up health, wellbeing and housing, informed by engagement with people who have experienced homelessness. We welcome new trustees who can help us develop that strategy. From my experience, I know you will find it stimulating and rewarding.” 

Current board member Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, director of the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-SPHERE) at Heriot-Watt University, said: “As well as contributing to efforts to end homelessness in Scotland and influencing the future direction of how systems and services respond to homelessness, you’ll be working with colleagues with diverse and deep expertise across housing, homelessness and related sectors.” 

Vice-convenor Peter Kelly, chief executive of the Poverty Alliance, said: “Being a Board member is an incredibly rewarding role. As a trustee you will undoubtedly learn as much as you contribute.” 

James Strang, chair of Riverside Scotland and former president of the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: “The latest set of annual homeless statistics reveal rising homelessness and rough sleeping – and show exactly why we need to push on with our work. We welcome nominations from people who can widen our scope and add to our existing skills and knowledge. This is an opportunity to make a real difference for people and communities all over Scotland.” 

About Homeless Network Scotland  

From its origins as a local charity formed in 1980, it is now the national membership body of people and organisations committed to ending homelessness in Scotland. It is an organisation that acts on evidence and is informed by people with direct experience of homelessness and by the breadth of its members’ insights and knowledge. 

Homeless Network Scotland provides direction, connects people, and works to inspire the values and vision that will transform Scotland into a place where everyone has a home. Read more about our work: www.homelessnetwork.scot 

The Role of the Board  

A Board member of Homeless Network Scotland is a non-executive company director and a charity trustee. The Board of Directors:   

  • Work in the interests of Homeless Network Scotland and further its influence and its strategic and charitable aims. 
  • Take part in reviewing the strategy of Homeless Network Scotland and accounting for its activities and impact.     
  • Ensure that Homeless Network Scotland functions within the legal and financial requirements of a charitable organisation and strives to achieve best practice.     

You are warmly encouraged to make a nomination for election to the Board of Directors of Homeless Network Scotland, which will be decided at the AGM on 29 October 2024 at Perth Concert Hall.  

Nomination information and form

Call for support on bus scheme for people seeking asylum

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Campaigners are rallying support in a bid to overturn the axing of a scheme that provided free bus travel for people in Scotland seeking asylum.

A motion proposed by the Scottish Greens at their opposition debate on Wednesday, 9 October calls for the Scottish Government to restore their commitment to the scheme.

This debate will go to a vote and Maryhill Integration Network is urging everyone to email their local MSPs to attend the debate and support the proposed motion. Find your MSPs here. You can use the template email below and watch the debate here.

‘Dear INSERT NAME

I hope this email finds you well.

I am emailing regarding the debate at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 9th October for Free Bus Travel for people seeking asylum in Scotland.

I am asking you as your constituent/organisation in your constituency to attend the debate and vote in favour of extending free bus travel to people seeking asylum in Scotland.

In October 2023, the Scottish Government announced that it would allocate £2m of the 2023/24 budget to roll out free bus travel to people seeking refugee protection. This commitment came after more than 2 years of campaigning from those with lived experience of seeking asylum here in Scotland – we were delighted.

But in August 2024, the Scottish Government announced suddenly that they had scrapped the scheme. 

This came as a huge disappointment for many organisations, especially for those who have been campaigning for this change, sharing their experiences and highlighting the impact it would have made.

People seeking asylum do not have the right to work. They are forced to live on barely £50 a week to meet all their essential needs whilst they wait for months – sometimes years – for a decision on their application for asylum.

People seeking refugee protection are forced into poverty because of a hostile asylum system. But here in Scotland we can do more to support people seeking asylum to rebuild their lives here. And extending free bus travel should be part of that.

On Wednesday, the Scottish Greens will bring a motion to the Scottish Parliament chamber calling on the Scottish Government to re-consider their decision and to restore the commitment to free bus travel to people seeking asylum.

I am asking you to vote in favour of this motion.

I hope you can participate in this debate as such a small change will have a significant positive impact for people seeking asylum in Scotland.

Kind regards,

October Network Briefing out now

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Among this month’s briefings are the latest report into the Fair Way Scotland partnership, which reveals the toll of destitution inflicted by UK immigration policy on people seeking to settle in Scotland – the hidden humanitarian crisis within the housing emergency. 

We also share news of the launch of No Wrong Door Scotland, a learning partnership working to join up services for people at the hard edges. 

Other must-read briefings cover reaction to homelessness statistics and the Housing Bill, child poverty, digital exclusion, plus a video and blog on the new rental sector in Romania – where people were asked what makes the ‘ideal’ landlord. 

Find the briefing below and subscribe here to stay in the loop each month on homelessness, housing and related areas.

Read the briefing

Homelessness data reveals a breach of trust

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The annual homelessness statistics released today by the Scottish Government make for sober reading. And reveal the breach of trust between government and the housing and homelessness sector in Scotland.

The figures reveal a 4% rise in homelessness applications – topping 40,000 households asking their council for help during 2023-24. An 8% rise in live cases nationwide to 31,870 and a 9% rise in people stuck in temporary accommodation – a record high – including more than 10,000 kids waiting for a permanent home. 506 more people experienced the sharpest edge of homelessness, being forced to sleep rough with no roof over their heads at all.

These are not just numbers – they are individuals, families and children being let down in a crisis and diverted to temporary flats, hotels and B&Bs, instead of homes, for months on end.

It is a deeply distressing situation for people affected, as well as for the services and sectors that support people, and the organisations committed to advocating for people and for change.

While the post-pandemic environment and cost-of-living crisis has played a hand, Scotland’s progressive housing policy has been undermined by its own hand and the fiscal policy of both UK and Scottish Governments.

The Scottish Government’s December budget made a hugely damaging £200m cut to the affordable housing supply programme, over and above the reach of the UK Government’s capital budget freeze. It is notable that the quarterly housing statistics also published today showed affordable home approvals were 44% lower than the peak figure in the year to June 2020.

Each and every decision jeopardising housing targets and exposing the progress made towards ending homelessness and rough sleeping in Scotland to new risk. And each and every decision betraying the trust of the sector, ignoring warnings, expert insights and evidence.

Scotland has a housing emergency – it’s time to act like it.

But how? Only with housing and fiscal policy aligned, and a supply of affordable housing in line with demand, will we see the scale of progress we need on the key pillars of Scotland’s progressive homelessness policy – prevention, reducing unsuitable, expensive and temporary accommodation, ensuring childhoods are spent in settled not temporary homes, scaling up Housing First for those at the hardest edge – and ensuring people seeking sanctuary or to settle in Scotland have a safe place to stay.

The statistics show thousands of people are being denied their legal right to housing because the system is operating way beyond capacity.  Our progressive housing and homelessness rights are designed to avoid this, but urgently need backed up with adequate investment in homelessness, support and building social homes.

And we need to think big – on matters of land and wealth tax and on the society we want to be.

In the near-term, local authorities need proper funding to discharge their statutory duty properly in the face of intense external pressures. And they need proper investment support to implement rapid rehousing plans. This approach is proven to work – a system that prioritises earlier prevention and ensures stays in temporary accommodation are as brief as possible.

Without these interventions – and without thinking big – these statistics will become entrenched as a predictable yearly roll call of how tens of thousands of people experiencing homelessness are failed year after year in Scotland.

Homelessness workers in Scotland recognised with access to leading discount scheme 

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Blue Light Card, the nation’s leading discount provider for the emergency services, NHS, social care sector and armed forces, announced today that it is welcoming the homelessness workforce into its community.

Today’s announcement is the result of a new partnership between Blue Light Card and Homewards, a five-year programme created by Prince William and The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales which aims to demonstrate that it’s possible to end homelessness as well as to change perceptions around the issue.

They have worked with the 4 membership bodies across the UK – Homeless Network Scotland, Cymorth Cymru (Wales), Homeless Connect (Northern Ireland) and Homeless Link (England) to support the homelessness workforce deliver in local communities.  

Frontline colleagues are often the first point of contact for people facing the worst crisis of their lives. But working in those roles is increasingly more pressurised because of the housing emergency and cost-of-living crisis. 

New research by St Martin-in-the-Fields charity shows that over half (52%) of those working in the sector sometimes struggle to pay their bills or housing costs (44%). Nearly one in two (47%) have spent their own money on work related costs and 51% said that they always or often feel at risk of burnout and a further 29% said they sometimes feel this way.

Access to Blue Light Card will provide practical ways for the homelessness workforce to save money and improve their own wellbeing, from discounts on everyday essentials like groceries and utilities, to coffees and meals out with friends and family after a long day at work.

Alidad Moghaddam, Chief Executive Officer at Blue Light Card said “This workforce may not be as easily identifiable as uniformed blue light workers like nurses, doctors, police, or firefighters, but we see them. ‘Blue Light’ symbolises service, sacrifice, and societal impact – values which are shared by the homelessness workforce who often put the needs of others before their own.

“Preventing and ending homelessness can only be achieved with the continued dedication of these very special people, and the impact they have is why they are so deserving of an offer that’s dedicated to them. If we can play even a small part to support their health and wellbeing and show how much we value and appreciate them, we will do that.”

Pim Gregory, Executive Director of Homelessness, The Royal Foundation commented: ‘Homelessness is a complex, multifaceted issue and as such the homelessness workforce includes a huge variety of roles. They work tirelessly to support some of society’s most vulnerable – from those rough sleeping, people ‘sofa surfing’ or sleeping in their cars, to families and children stuck in unsuitable temporary accommodation. It is essential we recognise and support the vital role the homelessness workforce plays in our society and we’re so grateful to the Blue Light Card for their support on this and commitment to Homewards going forward as an Activator.”

Gaining membership to the Blue Light Card for access to market-leading discounts and rewards is quick and easy. Full time and part time employees of organisations that work directly on homelessness across the UK are eligible. Register online at www.bluelightcard.co.uk. A card costs £4.99 and is valid for two years.

Don’t miss out!

In Scotland, members of Homeless Network Scotland will enjoy a simple sign-up process for accessing the scheme, with those organisations on a pre-approved list that you’ll find during the sign-up process. If you’re not yet a member of Homeless Network Scotland, it’s simple and quick to join to receive this benefit and many others – join here.

But rest assured, frontline staff working in homelessness can still access the Blue Light Card without being subscribed to the national membership bodies with some verification and ID checks during the sign-up process – please see below.

Visit: Blue Light Card – Discounts and rewards for the homelessness workforce.

Click Join Now and proceed to sign up. 

Choose Social Care – Homelessness at the ‘your service’ drop down box.

Select ‘Your employer’ (the organisation you are employed by*). 

Enter your personal details. 

You’ll receive a verification email at the provided address. Follow the instructions to complete your registration. You will need to click the link in the verification email to activate your account 

Log in to your online account and go to ‘My card’  

Pay a £4.99 fee to gain 2 years access to Blue Light Card  

* If you are not on the list of approved organisations, you will be asked to verify your employment by either providing proof of employment (see the list of accepted IDs in the FAQs link below) or a work email address.

For more details about eligibility please visit the Blue Light Card FAQs page.   

If you are unsure whether you are eligible, please email:contact@bluelightcard.co.uk