Housing must be placed at Scotland's political and financial heart over the coming four years to ensure everyone has a home, as figures published recently highlight a significant rise in the number of people waiting for a house.

That is the message from Shelter Scotland - as the housing and homelessness charity hosts a major conference today (Thursday) on the future of Scotland's housing.

Director Archie Stoddart will make a plea during his opening speech that the next four years are 'make or break' in housing Scotland's people and delivering on Scotland's internationally acclaimed homelessness legislation.

The plea comes after figures published this week showed a 10 per cent rise in the number of people on waiting and transfer lists for social housing across Scotland. In 2005, 188,322 were on the housing register - but this rose to 206,538 in 2006 [1]. Couple this with over 8,000 households in temporary accommodation in March this year, and it gives a picture of real housing need across Scotland.

The Housing Scotland: Setting the Agenda 2007-2011 conference will examine housing priorities following the major change in political influence in Scotland as a result of the recent national and local elections.

Opening the conference, Archie Stoddart, director of Shelter Scotland, housing and homelessness charity, will say: 'The next four years is make or break time for our internationally acclaimed homelessness programme to become a reality.

'If we fall short, we do so within the gaze of progressive opinion well beyond these shores. If we falter we prove correct those cynics who think that Scotland cannot lead the world in anything that matters. But most importantly, if we stumble we fail those homeless and badly housed people who desperately need us to get this right.

'Without 30,000 homes over the next three years, we fail everyone in need of a home, including all those who are homeless, waiting for a house, or who cannot afford to buy their first home. We will fail Scotland's people.'

High profile speakers from the Chartered Institute of Housing, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, Homes for Scotland, the Scottish Association of Landlords, and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, will also lay out their priorities for the next term of Government.

This conference comes just a week after Shelter Scotland announced survey results which showed eight out of ten Scots think the Government must take action to address a shortage of affordable rented housing in Scotland [1].

The one-day conference on delivering the housing challenge takes place today (Thursday) at the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh, from 9.30am.

Notes to Editors

1. Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin, Housing Trends: quarter ending 31 December 2006; published May 22, 2007
2. TNS System Three from April 26 to May 3 conducted the survey. A total of 1,001 adults (aged 16 and over) were interviewed in 73 constituencies across Scotland. Full details are available from the media office.
3. Shelter Scotland, along with other housing organisations, are calling for 30,000 affordable rented homes for Scotland through this year's Comprehensive Spending Review. For more information visit the media room at www.shelter.org.uk/csr_media
4. Shelter believes everyone should have a home and helps 170,000 people a year fight for their rights, get back on their feet, and find and keep a home. We also tackle the root causes of Britain's housing crisis by campaigning for new laws, policies and solutions.
5. Spokespeople are available for interview, telephone the media office on 0844 515 2442. An ISDN line number is available for broadcast interviews.
6. For more information about Shelter visit www.shelter.org.uk