Home is more than just a roof over our head: stable housing and mental health are deeply connected.
Tracey works as a teacher for children with special needs and lives with her 12-year-old granddaughter Maisie. Despite being on the social housing waiting list for 10 years, she is still stuck in expensive private rented accommodation.
Tracey told us:
'I just feel like I'm drowning. I just feel like I'm on a constant roller coaster. There's no light at the end of the tunnel. What happens if I get served notice here? I've got nowhere else to go, and that is what keeps me awake at night.'
– Tracey
The high cost of rent means Tracey struggles to save money or provide the life she wants for her family. Her situation has taken a toll on her mental health as she lives in a constant state of anxiety. Tracey's worries are shared by private renters across the country, due to a shortage of genuinely affordable social homes with rent tied to local incomes.
Home is more than just bricks and mortar. It's where our mental wellbeing flourishes and our personal story begins.
But for many people across Scotland, their story is still waiting for its happy ending. They're facing challenges like insecure housing, unfit living conditions, rising rents and the uncertainty of what tomorrow might bring.
Your donations can change how Tracey's story ends. Every day at Shelter Scotland, we see how the right support transforms lives. People who were once in Tracey's position have now secured social homes, offering the stability they need to thrive, not just survive. A place where they can put down roots and where the constant anxiety of private renting can finally be replaced with peace of mind.
