Table of contents
Fighting the housing emergency means fighting racism
Thanks to you, Shelter Scotland advisers were there to help refugees like Amira. She came to Scotland but faced homelessness with her seven-year-old son.
The statistics are clear
The Scottish Government’s latest homelessness stats reveal a deep-rooted injustice. Racism in the housing system is making it harder for some people to get the home they need.
We must talk about racism. Because one thing is clear – if you’re Black or a Person of Colour in Scotland today, you’re more likely to be at risk of homelessness and more likely to be without a safe, secure place to call home. You’re also more likely to be turned down for temporary accommodation and face a longer wait to move into permanent accommodation.
We can’t fight the housing emergency without also fighting racism
Shelter Scotland is committed to putting racial justice at the heart of everything we do. We’re taking action to understand how racism and discrimination can make it harder for People of Colour to access housing so we can break these barriers down. By working together, we can work to end racism in the housing sector – because everyone should have equal access to a safe, secure home.
There with Amira at every step
Amira came to Scotland as a refugee, only to face homelessness here with her seven-year-old son. Thanks to you, we’ve always been by their side.
Amira arrived in the UK looking for a safe place to live. But instead, she faced poor living conditions in her Home Office accommodation and racist abuse that left her feeling threatened and unwelcome. When she was finally granted refugee status, she had nowhere to go. Amira was homeless in a complex, confusing system.
For years, she had to move from one unsuitable temporary accommodation to another. The impact of the constant moves was devastating, particularly for her son, who is neurodivergent, and needed structure and routine.
Eventually, they stayed in an area long enough to build a support network and find a school that her son liked. But just as she was beginning to put down roots, she felt pressure from the council to accept a permanent offer of a tenancy in another area — away from her community and the life she was trying to build.
Amira faced an impossible choice. Accept unsuitable housing and face another upheaval or lose all council support and become homeless again. That’s when she came to us.
Seeking justice together
Amira said:
Shelter Scotland gave me assurance that they will be there for me every step of the way in my journey. They gave me information about my housing rights which I did not know about…They always explained things in simple language that I could understand.'
Working with Amira, we appealed against the council’s housing offer, arguing that the move would be damaging to Amira and her son’s health. We backed this up with evidence, including letters from her GP surgery, her family support worker and the head teacher at her son’s primary school.
The appeal was successful, and Amira was made an offer that was more suited to her needs. She finally had the foundation to rebuild her life with her son.
‘Ministers need to understand the needs of people – whether they are refugees, families, single people, children or those with special needs,’ Amira says today. ‘Access to housing should be a safety net for every person, regardless of who they are.’
'Shelter Scotland gave me assurance that they will be there for me every step of the way in my journey.’