Homelessness in Scotland: 2020 to 2021

Main Points for 2020/21

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• Upon the introduction of covid-19 restrictions, the number of homelessness applications, those assessed as homeless and homelessness cases that closed declined.
• However, the number of households in temporary accommodation and open applications increased.
• There were 42,149 people in homeless households – 30,345 adults and 11,804 children.
• There was an increase in the proportion of households giving asked to leave and household disputes as their reason for making a homeless application. There was a decrease in the proportion of households giving loss of accommodation as the reason.
• There was also a decrease in the number of households making a homeless application whose previous property was a private tenancy.
• 2,437 households reported sleeping rough 3 months before and 1,471 the night before their application.
• 62% of households in temporary accommodation were in the social sector.
• 34% of households did not require temporary accommodation. 36% had one temporary accommodation placement, 18% had two, and 12% had three or more.
• Households requiring temporary accommodation spent 199 days on average in temporary accommodation, compared to 187 last year.
• The proportion of households securing settled accommodation fell to 80% in 2020/21, compared to 83% last year.
• The main applicant for 62% of homeless households was aged 25 to 49.
• 70% of homeless households contained a single person, while 25% contained children.
• The main applicant for 87% of homeless households was of white ethnicity.
• 51% of homeless households had at least one support need.