Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group minutes: April 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Paul McLennan MSP, Co-Chair, Minister for Housing
• Cllr Maureen Chalmers, Co-Chair Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, COSLA
• Aaliya Seyal, Legal Services Agency
• Alison Watson, Shelter Scotland
• Angela Keith, SOLACE
• Annabel Pidgeon, SFHA
• Duncan Easton, Change Lead
• John Mills, ALACHO
• Kate Polson, Rock Trust
• Lorraine McGrath, Simon Community
• Maggie Brunjes, Homeless Network Scotland
• Matthew Downie, Crisis UK
• Michelle Major, HNS
• Ruth Robin, Healthcare Improvement Scotland
• Shea Moran, Aff the Streets

Officials

• Janine Kellett, Head of Homelessness Unit, SG
• Kerry Shaw, Homelessness Team Leader, SG
• Angela McPhail, Team Leader, SG
• Karen Grieve, Team Leader Homelessness, SG
• Louise Thompson, Homelessness Policy Manager, SG
• Frank Martin, Housing Emergency Team, SG
• Yvonne Gavan, Housing Emergency Team, SG
• Abbie Darge, Housing Emergency Team, SG
• Sara White, Statistician, SG
• Anna McKinnon, Statistician, SG
• Mike Callaghan, COSLA
• Emily Hornsey, Private Secretary, SG

Apologies

• Pat Togher, Glasgow HSCP as Chief Officer representative. No substitute member attending

• Sally Thomas, SHFA. Annabel Pidgeon, Policy Lead, SFHA will attend in her place

Items and actions

Change team update

Michelle and Duncan from the Change Team shared the early findings from their peer to peer research programme in Aberdeenshire, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Perth and East Dunbartonshire. The person-led, one to one approach is generating rich information on people’s positive and negative experiences of homelessness services and identifying best practice. A more detailed presentation will be shared at the next HPSG meeting.

Housing emergency progress update

Frank Martin gave an overview of the action taken in response to the housing emergency. A place-based approach targeted at the five local authorities with sustained temporary accommodation pressures is identifying the different drivers and local need. The Housing to 2040 Board is tracking progress during the six months of phase 1. Phase 2 will focus on sharing identified best practice. Success has been noted where there has been joined up interventions, for example, a local initiative to incentivise downsizing and targeted funding for acquisitions has been successful in increasing the supply of family sized homes.

HPSG members agreed that there should be more communication about the achievements to date and that nuance was important for setting metrics to measure progress. For example, Alison Watson noted that an increase in numbers of households in temporary accommodation could be a positive if it means there have been fewer failures to accommodate. With three local authorities in systemic failure and more at risk of systemic failure, work needs to continue at pace with adequate funding. The contribution of the NHS to support local authority responses to the housing emergency was also raised.

John Mills stated that, from a local authority perspective, the joint approach with the Scottish Government was positive and in Fife, the backlog has been significantly reduced; only two B&Bs are in use; and the number of breaches of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order is decreasing.  However, wider buy in is needed from outside the housing sector.

Annabel Pidgeon agreed that there was good collaboration between social landlords and local authorities, including increased lets to homeless households, which are as high as 80% in some areas. There is also a successful match service and cross-council referral programmes to meet need. Improved work on voids and tenancy sustainment programmes is also having a positive impact.

Members suggested there was more opportunity in working with the voluntary sector to unlock resource and capacity, share learning, improve support services and to promote better understanding of the barriers people experience. There was general support for the targeted funding approach but also a request for an increase in funding overall.

Cllr Chalmers reflected that there is a coordinated response to the housing emergency with greater collaborated in a place based approach. Targeted funding does not have unanimous supported across COSLA, but at present, there is a clear need for more funding and flexibility within this.

Action: Frank to discuss NHS data, delayed discharge and adaptions with Ruth Robin.

Action: Frank to explore opportunities with the third sector to contribute to the housing emergency response.

Action: HPSG members to share any best practice with Frank and suggestions of potential indicators to inform whether the housing and homelessness system is returning to a more stable footing.

SG budget

Janine Kellett gave an overview of the resource allocation for homelessness in 2025-26 and provided an update on the prevention pilot funding. Members noted it was helpful to see this information presented in such a clear and accessible format. However, members said that multi-year funding would allow for better service planning.  

A grant manager for the prevention pilot programme is currently out to tender. The aim of the pilots is to understand how ask and act will work on the ground to inform the regulations and guidance for the Housing (Scotland) Bill. Kate Polson offered to share an update on the upstream homelessness prevention pilot being delivered in schools (currently halfway through a three year pilot programme) as the learning will be useful to inform other prevention initiatives.

Action: Kate to send the Minister a note on access to funding for pathways for young people and care leavers to inform discussions he is having with the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise.

Action: Upstream to be added to the agenda of a future HPSG meeting.

Homelessness data review

Anna MacKinnon presented an overview of the homelessness data review project currently underway. Members were very interested to see how the project has progressed and what the next steps are before reaching the implementation stage. There was some discussion on eligibility, and specifically how people with no recourse to public funds are recorded.  

Action: Anna agreed to circulate the presentation slides to HPSG members and to keep them updated as the review progresses.

Updates

• RRTP sub-group – John Mills stated that the group is focusing on the next stages for rapid rehousing, which includes a prevention-led approach and all households living in suitable temporary accommodation. Some local authority areas are working to a Housing Emergency Action Plan but will revert to their RRTP at the appropriate time

Action: Session on the future of RRTPs to be added to the next HPSG agenda.

• COSLA Special Interest Group (SIG) – Cllr Chalmers shared that the group is developing medium to long term actions to respond to housing challenges. There is consultation ongoing across local authorities and, once they are agreed, they will be shared with HPSG members

Action: COSLA SIG actions to be shared with HPSG once agreed.

• Housing Bill: Stage 2 – Janine Kellett provided an update on the committee scrutiny to date and the timeline for next steps. This includes further engagement and consultation on the removal of the test for intentionality

Action: Scottish Government officials to convene a meeting of  members to consider intentionality in more detail.

Any other business

Care leavers: Janine Kellett shared that we are keen, as part of our commitment to The Promise, to introduce improved governance and oversight of implementation of the recommendations in the care leavers pathway. One way to achieve this is via a sub-group of HPSG to oversee the delivery of recommendations. Members were content with this proposal.

Programme for Government (PfG): Janine Kellett stated that, this year, PfG will be published in May rather than September to allow a full year for progress to be made against the commitments prior to the election in May 2026.

National Insurance Contributions: This is a significant concern for the homelessness sector, particularly in the longer term. The Minister for Housing confirmed the Scottish Government continue to push the UK Government on this decision.