0:01 AM, 11th December 2025, About 2 months ago
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The Scottish Conservatives claim the Scottish government has failed to get a grip on Scotland’s homelessness crisis.
The Scottish government has published its annual Ending Homelessness report, which summarises the progress made during the last year towards ending homelessness in Scotland.
However, the Scottish Conservatives say the results show that millions of children are growing up in temporary accommodation.
The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) is calling on the Scottish government to boost investment in the private rented sector, arguing this support is essential for landlords to help ease the housing crisis.
The Scottish government claim they have made progress towards ending homelessness by passing the Housing Scotland Act under which ministers will have the power to introduce a system of long-term rent controls.
The government claim the Act will help tenants and prevent homelessness.
The report says: “The Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 will deliver improved housing outcomes for tenants in the rented sector.
“Changes include a long-term system of rent control that will help stabilise rents and stronger penalties for unlawful eviction and wrongful termination. There will also be new duties on the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) and the courts to consider a delay to the enforcement of an eviction, except in limited circumstances, where an order or decree is granted. This aims to reduce the negative impact of the timing of an eviction.”
The report also says the Scottish government have invested £4 million in homelessness prevention pilots and £30.5 million in funding to local authorities in 2025-26 for their work to prevent homelessness.
However, the Scottish Conservatives claim the SNP has failed to tackle the homelessness crisis and Scotland’s housing emergency.
Scottish Conservative shadow housing secretary, Meghan Gallacher MSP, told Property118: “This damning annual report exposes the SNP’s continued failure to get a grip on Scotland’s housing emergency.
“Behind their shameless spin, record numbers of households remain stuck in temporary accommodation and rough sleeping continues to rise.
“It is disgraceful that more than 10,000 children are growing up without the security of a permanent home, while councils are left struggling under savage SNP cuts to housing and local budgets.
“Instead of pursuing permanent reckless rent control plans that will only make the crisis worse, ministers should be focused on delivering the homes and frontline support families desperately need.
“Scots deserve better than an SNP government that is asleep at the wheel when it comes to tackling homelessness and the housing emergency.”
The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) say landlords play an important role in homelessness prevention and the Scottish government must invest in the private rented sector.
SAL chief executive, John Blackwood, said: “Landlords have a crucial role to play in preventing and alleviating homelessness in Scotland and it is positive to see the Scottish government recognising it.
“This makes it even more concerning that so many landlords are considering reducing the size of their portfolios or leaving the sector entirely, due to the attitudes of some politicians and certain policy decisions.
“To allow the private rented sector to continue to play its part in resolving homelessness, politicians should focus on encouraging investment so that more homes become available for people who find themselves in such difficult circumstances.”
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