Commenting on the publication of the Local Government Committee’s report into homelessness following their inquiry, Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, who is also Chairing the Scottish Government’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group, said:

“This in-depth inquiry and set of recommendations reinforces the great momentum towards ending homelessness in Scotland, which included the creation of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group. The recommendations certainly chime with the emerging thinking of the Action Group.

“Ensuring people with the most complex needs are rapidly re-housed and given tailored support, through schemes like Housing First, as well as preventing homelessness for those leaving statutory institutions such as care or prison, are the cornerstone of our emerging proposals on ending rough sleeping in Scotland for good. To achieve this, we need a whole systems approach, as the Committee have also recommended.

“The concerns raised about the ongoing use of temporary accommodation, including the length of time people are being left to languish in unsuitable forms of housing, are already being examined by the Action Group, as is how we can minimise the impact of welfare reform on homelessness.

“This report is a welcome addition to the ongoing work to end homelessness in Scotland, although the real test will be the action to implement these and other recommendations.”