The 2012 target

The 2012 target is the Scottish government's groundbreaking promise to give everyone the right to a permanent home by 2012.

What is the 2012 target?

In 2003, the Scottish Parliament passed groundbreaking legislation stating that everyone who is homeless would have the right to a home by 2012.

This programme to tackle homelessness has received international acclaim and Scotland has been recognised as having the best homelessness legislation in western Europe.

Why is it so important?

In practice, the legislation will mean a change in the way homeless applications are dealt with. If you are homeless and you go to your local authority, you will be asked a series of questions to decide what help you will receive. At the moment, one of these questions is to decide if you are in 'priority need'. This means finding out if you are one of a prescribed list of people who will be entitled to permanent accommodation. Generally, families with children are in 'priority need', while single people may not be.

The promise that politicians have made - that everyone who is homeless would have the right to a home by 2012 - means that people who apply as homeless will no longer be categorised as 'priority need' or not. Instead, people will be assessed on the basis of their individual housing needs and all people who are considered to be unintentionally homeless will be entitled to permanent accommodation.

What needs to be done to meet the target?

For this commitment to make a real difference to the lives of homeless people in Scotland, it must be accompanied by a significant increase in funding to build new homes and improved measures to prevent homelessness in the first place. Only then will everyone have not only the right to a home but also the chance of having a home.

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