Homelessness Statistics for Scotland

23rd March 2021

Scotland's Chief Statistician today published Homelessness Statistics for the period 1 April to 30 September 2020.

The findings, which will be impacted by the measures taken to protect people during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, show:

there were 16,997 applications for homelessness assistance. This was a decrease of 10% (1,914) compared with the same six-month period in 2019.

there were 16,568 assessments made, with 13,645 (82%) of applicants being assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness. This was a decrease of 14% (2,215) compared with the same period in 2019

while the number of applications fell, there was also a reduction in the number of cases closed. As a result the number of open homelessness cases at 30 September 2020 reached 27,332, a 20% increase on the figure from 30 September 2019

there were 14,151 households in temporary accommodation as at 30 September 2020. This was a 24% increase on 30 September 2019

there was a notable decrease in households becoming homeless from a private rented tenancy: 10% of households assessed as homeless in this period gave this as their previous accommodation type, compared with 17% in the same period in 2019

there was an increase in the proportion of households becoming homeless from the family home (30% compared with 24%) and from living with friends or partners (22% compared with 18%)

compared with 2019, there were a higher proportion of applicants who were single males (50% compared with 44%), 18-24 years old (22% compared with 20%) and of White Scottish ethnicity (78% compared with 75%)

there was also a 99% increase in the number of households in bed and breakfast accommodation: 1,414 households (10%) were in B&B accommodation at 30 September 2020 compared with 710 (6%) in 2019

9,920 cases assesses as homeless or threatened with homelessness were closed in the period April to September 2020 - a fall of 30% compared with 2019