Author: Janice Higgins

In November, the National Records of Scotland published the annual homeless death figures report, which estimates that 250 people died while experiencing homelessness in Scotland in 2021. This is at a similar level to 2020, but higher compared to 2017, when these statistics were first collected.

Most recorded deaths (81%) were among men. 72% of women who died were under 45, a higher proportion than men of whom 58% were under 45.

There were an estimated 127 deaths attributed to drug use among people experiencing homelessness. While this is a fall over the past year, drug use still accounts for 51% of all deaths while homeless. Suicide accounted for 9% and alcohol-specific deaths 7%. It is important to highlight there can be overlaps between suicides and drug-related deaths as a death can be counted as both.

There are 3 important points to highlight from the report that have been misreported in some places:

1. Deaths were not ‘on the streets’ but mainly in temporary accommodation. This matters because it reflects the reality of people’s experience of homelessness in Scotland, which is mostly not outdoors, but in temporary places waiting for a settled home.

2. This distinction also demonstrates where energy and resources need targeted to end homelessness in Scotland. More settled, affordable homes for people to build and live their lives. Less time waiting, with more 1:1 support for people to draw from.

3. Full focus should also be on the many missed opportunities. For those at the sharpest end, homelessness follows adversity and poor health – for some people, right back to childhood. People need rapid access to joined up services and a No Wrong Door approach.

You can read the full National Records of Scotland Report on Homeless Deaths 2021 by clicking here.

The Scottish Government annual report to Parliament on the Action Plan was published Thursday 20 October: Ending Homelessness Together: Annual report to the Scottish Parliament October 2022 (www.gov.scot)

The report summarises progress towards meeting the commitments made in the Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan. The Measurement Task and Finish Group (co-chaired by Homeless Network Scotland and the Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland) will make recommendations for how future annual reports can focus on impact, so that we will understand more about what’s working. 

A few key points from the annual report:

• Hidden Homelessness – Scottish Government is commissioning research  to understand more about the experiences of people who don’t approach the local authority for support and are therefore hidden from the official homelessness statistics. Scottish Government is also working with the Office for National Statistics to develop novel methods of collecting data on these groups.
• Local connection – if approved by Parliament, the legislative changes will come into force on 29 November which means that Scottish local authorities will from that date no longer have the power to refer a person who is homeless or threatened with homelessness to another local authority in Scotland on the grounds of their local connection.
• Homelessness prevention – the Housing Bill detail will be announced next year, timings still to be confirmed. There will be a consultation before final decisions are made. Some existing grants for local authorities are going to be restructured so that prevention work is a more significant requirement. 
• No wrong door – highlighting the importance of the development to the prevention duties and person-centred approaches.
• National Care Service – it is not proposed that the housing or homelessness functions of local authorities should transfer to the National Care Service. However, the report sets out how important it is that social care support services work effectively alongside other services, including across housing and homelessness. 
• Housing as a human right – a new Human Rights Bill including the right to adequate housing will be introduced this parliamentary session. The Scottish Government will consult on the proposals for the Bill in 2023.

The full action plan is here.

The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 6 October 2022. The new law will mean that:  

• landlords in private and social rented sectors (including some student accommodation) will not be able to increase rents for existing tenancies,
• people can only be evicted from tenancies in certain (restricted) circumstances such as criminal activity, anti-social behaviour and abandonment, and
• rent officers or a Tribunal will be involved in decisions about rent increases proposed between tenancies.

There are some protections for private landlords if their costs increase (e.g. mortgage interest or insurance) but any rent increases have to be approved by a rent officer. 

These new requirements will be in place until the end of March 2023 although they can be extended beyond this for up to a year. The Scottish Government has to confirm by 14 January 2023 whether the rent cap will continue after the end of March. 

Whilst the aim of these changes is to protect tenants in both social and private tenancies from higher rents, possible eviction and ultimately homelessness and also try and avoid issues around mental wellbeing – there are considerable concerns among both sectors about possible unintended consequences which would place increased pressure on both sectors and have a knock-on negative effect on tenants: 

• less resource will be available for maintenance and general upkeep in both sectors 
• private landlords may leave the sector due to higher costs and additional responsibilities 
• the social sector will not have enough resource to build the social housing needed to meet demand which would mean more people in temporary accommodation and on waiting lists for suitable accommodation. 

More information can be found here: Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Bill 2022: overview – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)