New figures reveal a shocking increase in homeless deaths

Housing charity Shelter Scotland has said that the significant increase in deaths among people who are homeless is a clear indication of a broken housing system. A lack of safe, secure and affordable social homes, as well as the legal right to one, are both major factors in the deaths of hundreds of people experiencing homelessness.

The latest statistics from the National Records of Scotland estimate 256 people died while experiencing homelessness in 2020(1). That’s an increase of 18.5% (40 people) on the previous year. Of those who died, 77% were male and 23% were female.

Shelter Scotland has called on the Scottish Government to ensure more social housing is built and to ensure that the human right to an affordable home is written into Scots law.

Our director Alison Watson said:

"This is a horrific illustration of the unacceptable circumstances in which many people find themselves in daily. People should not be dying while waiting for a permanent place to live and loved ones shouldn’t have to put up with these personal tragedies.

"It is extremely worrying that the number of people dying while waiting for a home has increased by almost a fifth (18.5%) since last year.

“People without a secure home struggle to access the support they require and with over half (59%) of deaths of people experiencing homelessness being drug related this shows the high level of need.

“Scotland has some of the strongest laws protecting people against homelessness in the world, but that system is constantly undermined by the shortage of permanent social housing. It is a shortage that leads to long stays in temporary accommodation, people trapped in hotels not homes, record numbers of children continuously homeless.

"The Scottish Government needs to ensure that its commitment to build 77,000 social homes over the next 10 years is achieved as quickly as possible to put an end to this. In addition, we need to strengthen housing rights so that the human right to a home is enshrined in Scots law, and importantly that this right is upheld. We need urgent action to end this housing emergency."