New MSPs to be confronted with scale of housing emergency thanks to innovative Shelter Scotland tool funded by IKEA

A new interactive digital tool launched by Shelter Scotland, funded by IKEA, will enable the public to provide a local snapshot of the housing emergency and its impact to newly elected MSPs.

It will allow residents to directly connect to their MSPs within the first 100 days and tell them exactly what the emergency looks like in their area, while giving MSPs the chance to tell their constituents what they plan to do in the next five years. Through interactive maps on the Shelter Scotland website, people can access local housing and homelessness data and share it with their MSPs via email.

Shelter Scotland says the platform is designed to ensure housing becomes a top priority for MSPs, while giving the public a way to make their voice heard.

Shelter Scotland Director, Alison Watson said:

“The first 100 days of a new parliament is a significant moment, and the public have the power to tell new MSPs they must prioritise the housing emergency.

“With 10,480 children trapped in temporary accommodation and social house building at a record low, politicians must make the choice to deliver the social homes Scotland desperately needs. It has been two years since a national housing emergency was declared yet we have record numbers of children without a place to call home and social house building has plummeted. This is the consequence of the political choice to keep social housing scarce, and we need new money and a new approach from politicians if they are serious about ending homelessness.

“With this innovative new tool in partnership with IKEA, people have a direct way to tell their MSP what the housing emergency looks like on their doorstep, while giving MSPs the knowledge and data they need to understand the true scale of the housing emergency in their area.”

Mostafa El Garaa, Acting CEO at IKEA UK and Ireland added:

“At IKEA, we believe that having a safe, secure home is the foundation for a better everyday life yet, for too many people across Scotland, that foundation simply doesn’t exist. Social housing plays a vital role in creating stability and opportunity.

“By making it easier for people to share their views and experiences, we hope to drive awareness, urgency and, ultimately, action to increase the supply of genuinely affordable homes and create lasting change."