Shelter Scotland on Argyll homeless

Shelter Scotland says Argyll and Bute Council is making steady progress towards meeting 2012 homelessness commitment

Statistics released by the Scottish Government on Friday (1) show Argyll and Bute Council is making steady progress towards meeting the commitment to give everyone the right to a home by 2012 (2).

Shelter Scotland today welcomed the progress made by Argyll and Bute Council. The housing charity is urging the Scottish Government to build 10,000 more affordable homes to rent a year to tackle the growing number of people in temporary accommodation across Scotland.

Shelter Scotland estimates that use of temporary housing, across Scotland, is costing at least £70 million a year – money which it says would be much better spent providing new homes, by making this year’s budget a “Budget for Homes”.

The new figures lay bare the extent of the continued reliance on temporary accommodation in Argyll and Bute –

614 households were homeless in 2008/9 – compared with 300 in 1999, the year of devolution.

181 households were living in temporary accommodation as at March 31, 2009 – compared with 29 on March 31, 1999.

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, the housing and homelessness charity, said: “Argyll and Bute Council is making steady progress towards meeting the 2012 commitment to give everyone in Scotland the right to a home.
“Overall, today’s statistics show that Scotland’s internationally acclaimed homeless legislation can and will be delivered.

“However, this should not mask the fact that there are thousands across Scotland who are stuck in temporary accommodation. The responsibility being placed on local authorities is not being matched by progress on building the 10,000 new affordable homes to rent that Scotland needs.

“With the cost of temporary accommodation to local councils across Scotland soaring to an estimated £70 million a year, and the number of new build homes falling dramatically over the last year, the onus is on the Scottish Government to make this year’s budget a “Budget for Homes” to boost housing in Argyll and Bute and across Scotland.”

The 2009 interim target figures come just a month before Shelter Scotland hosts a major conference on ‘Delivering 2012’, which will bring together leading speakers, including Alex Neil, Minister for Housing and Communities (3).

The charity this week submitted its case for more homes through the budget to Finance Secretary John Swinney. The ‘Building Solutions’ submission argues that £200m extra a year would help build the 10,000 affordable rented homes a year that housing experts agree are needed. (4)

The submission comes as part of the charity’s campaign, Countdown to 2012, which is building support for more homes for Scotland. Events have been held in Blairgowrie, East Lothian, Shetland, Inverurie, Glasgow and East Kilbride. The campaign also features online at scotland.shelter.org.uk/campaign and on social networking sites, where people can sign up and put pressure on politicians to build more homes.