Commenting on the Scottish Government’s announcement of a £50million fund (£10 million a year over five years) to tackle homelessness and create a Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group aimed at eradicating rough sleeping and transforming the use of temporary accommodation:

Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis said: “I warmly welcome the Scottish Government’s renewed commitment to tackling homelessness and their £50million investment in finding solutions to this issue. Banishing rough sleeping from our streets is an ambition we fully support and chimes with our intention to produce a plan to end homelessness in Scotland for good.

The use of temporary accommodation in Scotland is on the rise and at Crisis we have particular concerns about the number of individuals left to languish for months in unsuitable forms of temporary accommodation, without access to cooking facilities the use of a washing machine or no bathroom of their own. Our members tell us living in limbo like this can have an impact on their confidence, state of mind and ability to find or sustain work. Crisis looks forward to the opportunity to work with the Scottish Government to ensure Councils provide the same rights to all homeless people and are supported into permanent accommodation as quickly as possible.”

ENDS

Note to Editors: For more information on the work of Crisis in Scotland visit https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/a-plan-to-end-homelessness/