Supported Housing Task and Finish Group Summary Report
This sub-group of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group was set up to consider the future role of supported housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This is a summary of the main report.
2. The backdrop
2.1 This report enters an exceptionally challenging environment. The relative optimism of the period that set in motion this work has been displaced by post-covid social and economic impact, a national housing emergency, cost-of-living crisis and major pressure on public finances. This has impacted in profound ways, including rising homelessness and the largest number of households in temporary accommodation on record in Scotland.
2.2 Control over where we live is a key factor in our personal wellbeing and living our life the way we want to. This basic tenet to a decent life is compromised by housing shortages and especially so in temporary or shared forms of accommodation.
2.3 Consequently, it is important that housing emergency planning at national and local level prioritises work that focuses on reducing temporary accommodation and on the better targeting of shared and supported forms of housing.