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xNumber of children in temporary accommodation increases
Date: 22nd September 2020
Category:
Child poverty
Scottish Government’s annual homelessness statistics show 31’333 households were assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness in 2019-20. This is a 4% increase on 2018-19, with 15’711 children affected.
The figures date until 31st March 2020, meaning they include only one week of COVID-19 restrictions. They show that Glasgow had the highest number of homeless households, followed by Edinburgh then Fife.
At 31st March 2020, 11,665 households were in temporary accommodation - the highest figure on record. This included 7280 children, up 7% on 2018-19.
Shelter Scotland has warned that homelessness applications and numbers of families in temporary accommodation have increased significantly during the COVID-19 restrictions. Gordon MacRae, Assistant Director at Shelter Scotland, said: “now is the time for Ministers to uphold their promises to homeless people” and keep their pledge “not to go backwards on homelessness” as we emerge from the crisis.
Homelessness influences every aspect of a child’s life, impacting a wide range of human rights, including the right to an adequate standard of living, health, development, education and play.
- Read the full statistics here.