High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Applications, assessments and households in temporary accommodation
In 2001, the Scottish Parliament passed legislation which placed additional duties on councils to provide a minimum of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to all applicants assessed as homeless. This has had a noticeable impact on applications, which has been reflected in changing assessments and outcomes for homeless households, and increased numbers of households in temporary accommodation. The observed increases in levels of applications since 2001 have primarily been due to the increase in the numbers of single-person households applying, with no or very little variation in applications from other household .
Legislative change is likely to have been an important driver of this increase as single applicants have benefited most from the changes. However, some of the increase may also reflect wider social change in relation to the increasing number of single young heads of households in general, as well as an increase in the rate of household dissolution following breakdown of relationships.
Some indication that the increase in households in temporary accommodation may be tapering off to some extent. The most recent data indicate a levelling out in numbers of applications with about 59,500 applications recorded for 2006-07, representing a drop of 2% over the previous year. This is consistent with data from previous years which have shown a slowing down of the rate of increase since 2003-04. There is also
Source: Scottish Government Communities Analytical Services (Housing Statistics)
There has been a consistent increase since the mid-90s in the proportions of homeless/potentially homeless applicant households being assessed as being in priority need, which currently stands at 77%. Again, this increase has been more marked for single-person households.
The Homelessness Etc (Scotland) Act 2003 aims to ensure that by 2012 everyone assessed as being unintentionally homeless is entitled to settled accommodation, therefore ending the distinction between priority and non-priority cases. Progress towards this commitment would be reflected in increasing proportions of applicants assessed as homeless/potentially homeless also being assessed as priority need, which the Scottish government has designated as a National Indicator.
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