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Statistical Bulletin HSG/2003/5
Operation of the Homeless Persons Legislation in Scotland: National and Local Authority Analyses 2002-03
2. Main points
Applications and applicant households
2.1 In 2002-03, 46,942 individual households made applications to local authorities under the Homeless Persons legislation. Six per cent of households applied more than once during the period, resulting in 50,917 applications in total, 9% per cent more than in 2001-02.
2.2 The main increase was in terms of applications from single-person households, with this group accounting for 87% of households applying more than once in the period 2002-03.
2.3 In 2002-03, the majority of households applying were single-person households (64%), mainly men. Single parents, predominantly women, accounted for the next largest group (23%). There was considerable variation by local authority area, with Aberdeen City (76%), Inverclyde (74%) and Glasgow (73%) having the highest proportions of single-person households.
2.4 The main reasons given for applying as homeless were loss of accommodation with relatives or friends (35%) and disputes within the household (23%). Single people and couples without children were more likely to give the former reason, while just under half of single female parent households gave disputes within the household as the main reason.
2.5 There was substantial variation between local authorities in terms of changes over time: while Glasgow, Edinburgh and Fife accounted for over 40% of the applications in 2002-03, these authorities show relatively gradual overall increases since 1996-97, with applications dropping between 2001-02 and 2002-03 for Glasgow and Fife. On the other hand, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire show relatively substantial increases in the past year. Applications in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and West Lothian have decreased steadily since 1999-00, although West Lothian previously had a relatively sharp increase between 1996-97 and 1999-00.
Note: 2001-02 data for household type are not included due to outstanding HL1 returns from the previous paper-based data collection system. This will be updated once the dataset has been finalised.
Local authority assessment
2.6 Of the 43,866 households assessed during 2002-03, 78% were assessed as homeless, and 57% as homeless and in priority need.
2.7 Assessment patterns varied by local authority: Glasgow assessed 80% of households as priority need and had the highest number of households applying, while Edinburgh and Fife had the next highest number of households and assessed 62% and 42% respectively as being in priority need.
2.8 After an initial drop in the early 90s, there has been a consistent increasing trend since the mid-90s in terms of the proportion of applications assessed as priority need: in 1995-96, 41% of applications were assessed as priority need, rising to 53% of applications in 2002-03.
2.9 This increase in priority need assessments has been more marked among applications from single-person households: this has risen from 25% in 1996-97 to 47% in 2002-03. Again, there is substantial variation among local authorities, with Glasgow assessing 76% of applications from single-person households as priority need.
Note: 2001-02 data for assessment are not included due to outstanding HL1 returns from the previous paper-based data collection system. This will be updated once the dataset has been finalised.
Action taken by local authorities
2.10 There were 31,425 applications actioned by local authorities during 2002-03: out of the 18,885 assessed as in priority need, 57% were offered permanent accommodation and 24% were offered temporary accommodation. Glasgow accounted for approximately 70% of the priority need applications that were offered temporary accommodation.
2.11 Of the 8,740 assessed as homeless and not in priority need, 26% were offered temporary accommodation and 8% permanent accommodation. Among the 3,800 assessed as not homeless, 6% were offered permanent accommodation and 8% were offered temporary accommodation.
Households in temporary accommodation
2.12 There has been a sustained increase during 2002-03 in the numbers of households placed in temporary accommodation by local authorities under the Homeless Persons legislation: the figures as at 31 March 2003 (5,496) show an increase of 32% over those for 31 March 2002 (4,153), again with substantial variation between local authorities. The most recent figures also show an increase over the previous year, though less marked, of 22% (from 1,329 to 1,620) in the numbers of households with children in temporary accommodation. It must be noted that the numbers of households with children in temporary accommodation have displayed a degree of fluctuation both upwards and downwards over the past two years.
2.13 As at 31 March 2003, 55% of households in temporary accommodation were in local authority accommodation, with a further 26% in hostels and 17% in bed and breakfast accommodation. Glasgow accounted for 52% of all households placed in hostel accommodation (see section 5).
2.14 Households with children tended on the whole to be provided with local authority accommodation (84%), with a minority (7%) being placed in bed and breakfast accommodation. As at 31 March 2003, there were 110 households with children in bed and breakfast accommodation. This varied by local authority, with five local authorities having more than 10 households with children in bed and breakfast and 13 local authorities having none.
Housing outcomes
2.15 Of the 18,885 applications assessed as in priority need and actioned during 2002-03, 53% were rehoused in permanent accommodation, 16% secured temporary accommodation and 8% returned to their previous/present accommodation. Glasgow accounted for 89% of those assessed as priority need who were rehoused in temporary accommodation.
2.16 69% of households with children assessed as in priority need secured permanent accommodation, as did 41% of single-person households assessed as priority.
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