The Scottish Government has for the first time published its own figures revealing the average time someone spends in temporary accommodation. Responding to the figures, Jon Sparkes Crisis Chief Executive and Chair of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group in Scotland, said:

“While we welcome the Scottish Government’s recent commitment to limit the amount of time people are being forced to stay in the most unsuitable forms of temporary accommodation to seven days, today’s figures are a stark reminder of just how urgently we need action. An average of 36 days is an unacceptable amount of time to be stuck in a B&B.

“Every day we see first-hand the effects of long stays in these types of accommodation; people can become isolated, with little access to vital support services, in sub-standard conditions with nowhere to wash clothes or cook. Long periods living in limbo like this are damaging to people’s mental health and job prospects and make it harder for them to move out of homelessness for good. The new 7-day limit we’re proposing would undoubtedly improve lives, but it would also result in significant savings. Our own recent research has found moving all homeless people out of unsuitable temporary accommodation within this time period could save £29m in public money this year alone (1).

“Scotland is one of the world leaders in tackling homelessness, and has an opportunity to take a significant step towards ending homelessness for good by making long stays in temporary accommodation a thing of the past. Now is the time to act.” 

ENDS 

For further information or to arrange a spokesperson interview please call the Crisis Media Team on 0207 426 3880 or email media@crisis.org.uk

Notes to editors 

Read the full report from the Scottish Government here: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0053/00536991.pdf

(1) Read the full report https://www.crisis.org.uk/media/238771/1804_a_life_in_limbo_costings_summary.pdf

Crisis published a report into the prolonged use of unsuitable temporary accommodation in September 2017. A Life in Limbo shows the picture across Scotland and can be read here: www.crisis.org.uk/limbo