Homelessness statistics, April to September 2024

An update on Homelessness Statistics covering 1 April to 30 September 2024 has been released today.

Over that period:

• There were 20,823 applications for homelessness assistance. This is an increase of 1% (295) compared with the same six-month period in 2023.
• There were 17,424 households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness: an increase of 4% (636) on the same six-month period in 2023.
• There were 32,272 open cases at 30 September 2024. This is slightly lower than 32,377 at 30 June 2024 although 6% higher than the 29,856 at 30 September 2023.
• There were 16,634 households and 10,360 children in temporary accommodation at 30 September 2024. These are the highest in the time series since 2002 and increases of 6% and 5%, respectively, compared to 15,620 households and 9,855 children at 30 September 2023.
• There were 1,785 households reporting a household member experiencing rough sleeping in the three months prior to application, and 1,198 the night before. These are increases of 25% and 32%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2023.
• There was a 4% increase in the number of adults (to 19,894) and a 1% decrease (to 8,063) in the number of children associated with homeless households compared to 2023.
• There were 7,545 instances of households not being offered temporary accommodation. This is a notable increase from 2,000 in 2023. The vast majority of these (6,320) were in Glasgow.
• A total of 20,345 cases closed between April and September 2024, an increase of 5% compared to 19,428 in 2023.
• The proportion of households who secured settled accommodation having been assessed as unintentionally homeless, and where the outcome was known, was 82%, the same as 2023.

Background

The full statistical publication is available on our website.

The Homelessness in Scotland: Update to 30 September 2024 publication provides an indication of trends for key aspects of homelessness including applications, assessments, use of temporary accommodation and outcomes in the period from 1 January 2022 to 30 September 2024.

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland is available.