Category: News

Almost 1,000 people were supported and homelessness crisis was prevented for 662 households in the first pilot scheme to test out how to deliver the upcoming ‘Ask and Act’ prevention duties, a newly published evaluation of the programme shows.

The Upstream Homelessness Prevention Fund learning report shares findings from seven social landlord and third sector partnerships who took part in the scheme – and estimates that activity in the pilots saved costs approaching £10million.

Partners used the £1million Scottish Government initiative to test, innovate and expand on tenancy sustainment work to find out what works and uncover barriers to success.

They reported that building trusted relationships and providing flexible and relational support were crucial to keeping tenants in their homes.

Routine ‘Asking’ at multiple touchpoints was effective as were rapid cash payments to address immediate problems – preventing evictions, reducing legal costs, building engagement and enabling frontline staff to quickly avert crisis for people.

Partners shared ‘One thing we would change tomorrow’ – covering themes including long-term funding, data sharing and support for frontline staff.

The report details the work done by the seven projects, with recommendations for social landlords, third sector providers, Scottish Government, public bodies who will deliver Ask and Act, and network organisations who will support implementation.

They highlight the power of effective multi-agency partnership working, relational and trauma-informed support, routine early ‘asking’ and adopting cash-first approaches.

The pilot ran from 2025-2026 with the scheme administered by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and Homeless Network Scotland (HNS).

The report was launched with an online event for members of SFHA and HNS attended by more than 100 people, who heard insights around data sharing, practical delivery, impact of cash first and future plans from projects who took part.

As part of a £50million package of homelessness prevention funding, the Scottish Government last week announced a £1million extension of the Upstream Fund, which will this time focus in on Glasgow.

This recognises the acute housing pressures in the city and also allows for exploration of learning on urban implementation, sustainability and cost-effectiveness of homelessness prevention measures.

New investment to help prevent homelessness across Scotland is a further commitment towards a preventative approach to tackling one of the country’s most pressing social challenges.
 
The Scottish Government’s rollout of a £50million fund will support implementation of new homelessness prevention measures designed to help people stay in their homes and reduce the number reaching crisis point.
 
As part of the investment £1million is being made available to continue a fund that helps social landlords and third sector partners to act early to prevent tenants becoming homelessness. A further £9million will go towards continuing to mitigate the impact of the freeze to Local Housing Allowance.
 
This marks a renewed commitment to shifting the focus from responding to homelessness towards prevention, as councils, housing providers and public services prepare to deliver new legal duties aimed at identifying housing problems earlier and ensuring people receive support before losing their homes.

Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth visited Sanctuary Housing Association’s offices and development in Toryglen, Glasgow to mark the rollout of the funding yesterday.

Homeless Network Scotland chief executive Margaret-Ann Brünjes said: “We know the human cost of homelessness is devastating, and we also know that early action is far more effective than responding once someone has reached crisis.

“Prevention works, but only when it is targeted to communities that need it most. This funding can help build the systems and partnerships needed to identify risks earlier and provide practical support before people lose their homes. We must now maintain momentum.

“This commitment from the Scottish Government provides an important foundation for implementing the new prevention duties successfully.

“The challenge now is making sure the funding reaches frontline services quickly and is backed by the collaboration needed across housing, health, social care and other public services to make prevention a reality rather than an aspiration. We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to secure clarity on how the full fund will operate and where it will be deployed.”

One in three worried about losing their home

Scotland’s continuing housing and homelessness emergency is fuelling growing concern among the public about housing insecurity and increasing pressure on local authorities to meet demand for homelessness services.

Recent polling commissioned for the Everyone Home Collective found that more than one in three Scots are worried they could lose their home within the next few years because of pressures including the cost of living, a shortage of affordable housing, rising rents and increasing mortgage costs. Concern was highest among younger adults, highlighting the growing scale of housing insecurity.

Around 250,000 people are currently on housing waiting lists across Scotland, while more than 18,000 households – including around 10,000 children – are living in temporary accommodation.

These figures demonstrate why prevention must sit alongside long-term investment in affordable housing if Scotland is to reverse current trends.

The new funding provides an opportunity to strengthen partnerships between councils, health services, landlords and the third sector, helping to identify housing risks earlier and intervene before people are forced into homelessness.

The continuing £1million Upstream Homelessness Prevention Fund announced as part of the £50million package follows a successful one-year nationwide pilot that saw more than 600 households supported to stay in their social housing tenancies.

A report on the fund to be launched on Thursday (16 July) details how landlords used innovative approaches to prevent homelessness earlier, including through discretionary cash payments and by asking tenants about their situation informally in places like parent and toddler groups.

A key ambition of the pilot administered by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Homeless Network Scotland was to show how social landlords will deliver the new ‘Ask and Act’ prevention duties to prevent homelessness earlier and in a wider range of settings.

Homeless Network Scotland is delighted to welcome Matt Hamill who has taken on the newly created role of Head of Policy and Impact. Matt joins HNS from the Scottish National Party’s Westminster Group, bringing strong experience in policy development, research and political engagement.

Before joining HNS he worked in Westminster politics for nine years and held a senior research and policy role focusing on Justice and Home Affairs before going on to lead the SNP’s research operation in London. Matt also worked closely with colleagues in Holyrood during this time, supporting the work of the Scottish Government.

As Head of Policy and Impact, Matt will provide strategic leadership across policy development and implementation and build key relationships to increase the impact of HNS programmes and projects and strengthen the organisation’s influence. Homeless Network Scotland is the national membership body for organisations committed to preventing and resolving homelessness. Its vision is a Scotland where homelessness is prevented and everyone has a safe and settled home.

Matt said: “This is an incredibly important time to be joining the team at Homeless Network Scotland. With a new parliamentary term underway and a new Housing Cabinet Secretary in place there is a real opportunity to make substantial progress on the urgent and preventable social challenge of homelessness.

“The Scottish Government has rightly declared a housing emergency, but it is vital that accompanying actions match that rhetoric and truly meet the threshold of an emergency response.

“This cannot be business as usual and I look forward to working with parliamentarians, local government and the wider sector to help drive forward real change by protecting the progress that has been made, ambitiously scaling up what we know works and shifting resources away from what we know does not.”

Homeless Network Scotland chief executive Maggie Brünjes said: “I’m very pleased to welcome Matt as our new Head of Policy and Impact. He brings significant policy expertise, political experience and proven ability to translate insight into influence. He is an outstanding strategic appointment for us at this important time.

“Matt will play a vital role in ensuring that the collective expertise we convene – across the homelessness sector, academia and the lived experience of people in Scotland facing housing insecurity – is not just heard but properly acted upon by decision makers.

“We’re confident his leadership will strengthen our evidence-based work and help turn good policy into meaningful, practical progress so that homelessness is prevented and everyone has a safe, settled home.”