Advertisement
Housing

Scottish MSPs want your ideas on tackling homelessness

A Scottish Parliament committee is exploring the ‘Housing First’ strategy, but wants more ideas on how to help people off the streets

Politicians at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh are looking for new ideas on how best to tackle homelessness.

Holyrood’s local government and communities committee wants to know more about why people are living on the streets, and whether the services designed to help people in housing crises are really working.

And Scotland’s MSPs are open to exploring the “Housing First” strategy taking off in the United States and other parts of Europe.

Rather than make homeless people through bureaucratic hurdles in hostels and pass various good behaviour tests to make sure they are “housing ready,” the strategy sees homeless people placed in a house first before support is provided from a distance.

We want to hear views on a wide variety of housing and homelessness issues

“On the committee’s visits to homeless shelters across Scotland, we heard that many still face the misery of homelessness and rough sleeping in our cities and rural areas,” said committee convener, the SNP’s Bob Doris.

“We now want to hear views on a wide variety of housing and homelessness issues across Scotland. Our committee also want to explore best practice internationally when it comes to tackling homelessness.”

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertisement

Doris cited Finland’s experiment with Housing First, saying it was worth exploring the idea that “once the person has a stable home, they can address issues that caused them to be at risk of homelessness in the first place.”

A recent study on Housing First by researchers at the University of York showed great promise for the model in the UK. People housed by services using the Housing First approach noted better physical and mental health, a fall in drug use and anti-social behavior, and greater contact with family.

Researchers found potential annual savings in emergency housing costs and services ranged between £3,048 and £4,794 per person.

Eddie, 61, a volunteer with charity Simon Community Scotland who was homeless for two years, said: “I’d encourage homeless people, groups and the general public to send across their views to the Holyrood committee. This is a chance for your voice to be heard.”

Photo: Gary Knight via flickr, CC

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Never miss an issue

Take advantage of our special subscription offer. Subscribe from just £9.99 and never miss an issue.

Recommended for you

Read All
Tenants win more than £250,000 of rent back from billionaire landlord in five-year legal battle
Somerford Grove Renters in Hackney
Renting

Tenants win more than £250,000 of rent back from billionaire landlord in five-year legal battle

This is the devastating impact growing up in temporary accommodation has on children’s GCSE results
school children at desks
Education

This is the devastating impact growing up in temporary accommodation has on children’s GCSE results

Electric van to help charity deliver 50,000 meals to homeless people
Four people stand around an electric van
Homelessness

Electric van to help charity deliver 50,000 meals to homeless people

Doubt cast on Rachel Reeves’ claim Labour will be in ‘touching distance’ of building 1.5 million homes
Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner meet construction workers at the Bournes Bank site in Stoke-on-Trent.
Housing

Doubt cast on Rachel Reeves’ claim Labour will be in ‘touching distance’ of building 1.5 million homes

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue