SNP must take responsibility for Scotland’s homeless crisis

26 Jun 2019

The SNP must take responsibility for a rise in homelessness after more than 12 years in charge of housing, the Scottish Conservatives have said.

Figures published today showed a three per cent increase in people applying for temporary accommodation to their council.

It means there are now 36,465 people officially described as homeless in Scotland, a four-year high.

The number of children in temporary accommodation has also increased, from 6615 in 2018 to 6795 this year.

Scottish Conservative housing spokesman Graham Simpson said SNP ministers were ultimately accountable for the increase, and urged them to stop blaming other factors and governments.

He said the SNP government had to start considering all causes of homelessness and come up with a meaningful solution to help the tens of thousands of Scots who find themselves homeless each year.

Scottish Conservative housing spokesman Graham Simpson said:

“The SNP has had full control of the housing brief for more than 12 years now, yet still we see homelessness figures going up.

“Everyone is tired of the nationalists’ blame game – it’s time they took responsibility and sorted this out.

“It’s completely unacceptable that the number of children living in temporary accommodation is on the rise.

“The levers of homelessness are extensive – they range from relationship breakdown and domestic violence to surging housing costs and a loss of employment.

“Ministers need to tackle the root causes that leave people without a roof over their heads.

“The time for the SNP shirking responsibility on this matter is over.”