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Minister comments on homelessness figures
30/10/2007
Progress is being made but more still needs to be done to ensure Scotland does its best for homeless people, Stewart Maxwell said today.
The Minister for Communities and Sport said the latest statistics on homelessness showed local authorities were working hard to find permanent housing for homeless people.
Mr Maxwell said:
"Today's figures are encouraging and show some positive developments - notably a reduction in the overall number of homelessness applications, an increase in the number of people re-housed and the fact that about two-thirds of people in danger of becoming homeless were prevented from becoming so.
"There's also been a big drop in the number of homeless households with children or pregnant women placed in bed and breakfast accommodation.
"This can be put down to good partnership working between central and local government and others and I'm particularly impressed by the dedication of local authorities in working towards Scotland's forward-thinking homelessness legislation.
"While more people are being rehoused in permanent accommodation, the rise in the use of temporary accommodation - mostly within the social rented sector - is a concern, because the uncertainty of being housed in temporary accommodation over an extended period of time can be unsettling.
"But tackling homelessness is about more than just providing housing. We must also keep up our prevention efforts, so that fewer people become homeless in the first place. And we need to provide support to those who are provided with accommodation, to help them sustain tenancies and break the cycle of repeat homelessness.
"Homelessness is the most acute symptom of a housing system that is failing to meet the needs of Scotland's people. We face a huge challenge in making that system fit for purpose. Tomorrow (Wednesday October 31) we will unveil our proposals for doing so when we publish our discussion document on the future of housing in Scotland."
The Statistical Bulletin Operation of the Homeless Persons legislation in Scotland: national and local authority analyses 2006-07 has been published today by Scotland's Chief Statistician. This provides a routine update for homelessness applications, assessments and outcomes to March 2007, as well as data on households in temporary accommodation and breaches of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order.