Dundee East Labour
27 June 2019
The publication of Scottish Government statistics show there were 36,465 homeless applications in 2018/19, an increase of 892 (three per cent) on the previous year.
It marks the second year in a row that homelessness applications have risen.
Scottish Labour said the figures were disgraceful, and revealed a lack of long-term planning from the SNP Government.
Scottish Labour Housing Spokesperson Pauline McNeill said:
"Having just one person homeless in 21st century Scotland is unacceptable – but to see homelessness on the rise once again is an utter disgrace.
“These numbers show that the impact of continued austerity from the Westminster and Holyrood governments is having real impact on real people’s lives and more must be done to halt the blight of homelessness in Scotland.
“It took the SNP over ten years to focus on homelessness and as yet their plans are having little impact on people at the sharp end of poverty.
"We need to see more investment in social housing, frontline services and prevention made a top priority as a matter of urgency but we also need investment in housing more widely.
“Scottish Labour is the only party with a plan to tackle Scotland’s housing crisis, by building at least an additional 12,000 homes for social rent and introducing a new law to cap private sector rent increases, tackling the cost of living crisis and properly funding the local services that prevent people losing their accommodation.”
The publication of Scottish Government statistics show there were 36,465 homeless applications in 2018/19, an increase of 892 (three per cent) on the previous year.
It marks the second year in a row that homelessness applications have risen.
Scottish Labour said the figures were disgraceful, and revealed a lack of long-term planning from the SNP Government.
Scottish Labour Housing Spokesperson Pauline McNeill said:
"Having just one person homeless in 21st century Scotland is unacceptable – but to see homelessness on the rise once again is an utter disgrace.
“These numbers show that the impact of continued austerity from the Westminster and Holyrood governments is having real impact on real people’s lives and more must be done to halt the blight of homelessness in Scotland.
“It took the SNP over ten years to focus on homelessness and as yet their plans are having little impact on people at the sharp end of poverty.
"We need to see more investment in social housing, frontline services and prevention made a top priority as a matter of urgency but we also need investment in housing more widely.
“Scottish Labour is the only party with a plan to tackle Scotland’s housing crisis, by building at least an additional 12,000 homes for social rent and introducing a new law to cap private sector rent increases, tackling the cost of living crisis and properly funding the local services that prevent people losing their accommodation.”