The Scottish Government provides guidance to local authorities on how they should carry out their duties towards homeless households, this is known as the Code of Guidance on Homelessness. Although this information is guidance rather than law, local authorities must take it into account when delivering their statutory homelessness services. 

An updated Code of Guidance on Homelessness was launched by the Government in May 2005. This document has been issued by in hard copy format but is also available on the Government web site.

In June 2009 the Scottish Government published an addition to the Code of Guidance on Homelessness that supplements Chapter 2 – Prevention of Homelessness. This guidance emphasises that the responsibility for preventing homelessness lies with a variety of teams across local authorities and not just council homelessness services. Other organisations and individuals who may benefit from this new guidance are housing associations, community planning partnerships and elected members. This guidance is intended to be read alongside the existing chapter in the Code of Guidance and includes a number of good practice examples. The main areas covered by the guidance include defining homelessness prevention, identifying homelessness risk factors, tenancy sustainment, advice and information provision, and working with groups at risk of homelessness.