Charity demands action from First Minister to tackle housing crisis

Charity demands action from First Minister to tackle housing crisis

0:03 AM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago 9

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 A housing charity is urging the First Minister to declare a housing emergency across the whole of Scotland.

Shelter Scotland has delivered an open letter to Humza Yousaf calling for him to deliver an action plan to solve Scotland’s housing crisis.

Housing emergencies have already been declared in Edinburgh, Argyll and Bute and Glasgow.

It’s getting worse on the First Minister’s watch

More than 10,000 people have signed the open letter demanding the Scottish government deliver a concrete action plan to address the housing crisis.

Shelter Scotland director, Alison Watson, told Scottish Housing News: “Scotland is in a housing emergency and, whether he accepts it or not, it’s getting worse on the First Minister’s watch.

“In the year since the Scottish government was given recommendations on how to tackle the enormous overreliance on temporary accommodation, we’ve had a lot of warm words but no action.

“I was honoured to co-chair the group which delivered those recommendations, one of which was that the Scottish government should buy and build more social homes. Instead, the housing budget has been targeted for brutal cuts.”

45 children on average become homeless every single day in Scotland

Ms Watson adds the Scottish government must not let the crisis continue.

She said: “Ministers have made a choice; they’ve chosen to let the housing emergency continue to deteriorate and they’ve chosen to accept the fact that more and more children will have nowhere to call home.

“The 10,000 people who’ve signed our open letter won’t tolerate this, they won’t stand by while 45 children on average become homeless every single day in Scotland, and they won’t accept continued inaction from the First Minister.”

Help deliver more homes

Scottish Housing Minister Paul McLennan says the government remains focused on dealing with the housing crisis.

He told STV News: “The Scottish government has led the UK in housing by delivering more than 126,000 affordable homes since 2007, over 89,000 of which were for social rent, including almost 24,000 council homes.

“We remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 and to support that we will bring forward the review scheduled for 2026-27 to 2024, which will concentrate on deliverability.

“We are working with the financial community in Scotland, and elsewhere, to boost private sector investment and help deliver more homes.”


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Comments

Retired GasMan

7:38 AM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago

You're going to need to give me a couple of days to try and work out why this happening ACROSS the UK...I may or may not be back

Southern Boyuk

7:50 AM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago

Just keep hitting LL and see it further escalate

NewYorkie

9:16 AM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago

What does Shelter actually do?

Ryan Stevens

10:14 AM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago

I believe the key word is 'concrete'.

If they want to reduce the housing crisis they need to crack on with building more homes.

Paul Essex

10:41 AM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago

So, the Scottish government did what Shelter demanded.....but it was disastrous.......so Shelter now wants more of the same?

This can only make sense to those who have no grasp on reality or understand the consequences of their demands.

Martin Thomas

11:15 AM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago

The real problem here is the lack of supply. Between now and 2040, the ONS estimates that 94%, that ISN'T a misprint, 94% of the increase in the UK population will be due to net migration - that's 5.5m out of about 5.9m people.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationprojections/datasets/tablea11principalprojectionuksummary
The scale of net migration is the reason why rents are going up and people also can't afford to buy.
The answer would seem to be;
1. only allow in essential workers
2. restrict the number of foreign students going to universities (their fees by the way are £25k compared to UK students £9.25k, no wonder universities like foreign students!).
3. get people off the dole by withdrawing benefits where people 'choose' not to do the jobs that are available.
4. provide more tech solutions so that disabled people can work from home more easily.

Janet Carnochan

12:59 PM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Martin Thomas at 22/02/2024 - 11:15As someone who is registered blind ( I have just under 10% sight and became a landlord to provide myself with an income ), no 4 makes a lot of sense to me. I find it awkward commuting, I gave up working prior to Covid as employers wouldn't entertain working from home. I am perfectly able to do an admin or call centre role. With the right tech and a scheme to bring employers and employees together I think it could really work.

On a further note, what did the Scottish Government expect with so much interference in the PRS. Every landlord I know is looking to sell.

NewYorkie

13:02 PM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Janet Carnochan at 22/02/2024 - 12:59
Home working seems to be the norm for the civil service and local government, and they give you all the tech you need.

Cider Drinker

21:24 PM, 22nd February 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 22/02/2024 - 09:16
You ask, ‘What does Shelter do?’

They answer the phone to disgruntled tenants and tell them what they could easily find out online.

In the process, they take £millions in donations from gullible donors and fund lavish lifestyles for their top brass.

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