Programme for Government fails on housing say Shelter Scotland

The Programme for Government outlined by First Minister Humza Yousaf today fails to meet the challenge of ending Scotland’s housing emergency according to Shelter Scotland.

The housing and homelessness charity said the First Minister’s promise to use every lever available to end poverty appeared hollow while funding cuts continue to stall social housing delivery and leave local homelessness services on their knees.

Coming only a week after figures showed a record 45 children on average become homeless in Scotland every day, the Programme for Government reaffirmed a commitment to the same approach that has failed people experiencing homelessness. 

Director of Shelter Scotland, Alison Watson, said:

“Anyone in Scotland currently experiencing homelessness who listened to the First Minister today would have taken no comfort from his words.

“Last week figures showed record levels of homelessness, child homelessness in particular, and today the First Minister announced that his government will be adopting a business-as-usual approach – that is simply not acceptable.

“Once again, he repeated his commitment to fight poverty in Scotland – how hollow that sounds when his government has no new plans to tackle homelessness, when underfunded local services are crumbling, and funding for new social homes has been cut.

“Proposals for rent caps and new homelessness prevention duties will do absolutely nothing for those who already have nowhere to call home unless they go hand-in-hand with new funding and fresh political will.

“Rising to the challenge of fixing our broken and biased housing system requires a willingness to change course, and the First Minister showed none of that today.