Homelessness crisis: 'I'm in temporary accommodation but in the council's eyes, I'm not here'

Robert has been living in a temporary home provided by Glasgow City Council for the last 18 months.

Despite having a roof over his head, he feels abandoned by the authorities and helpless.

And Robert is not alone on the frontline of Scotland’s housing emergency.

Scottish Government figures published on Tuesday showed the number of people who are homeless or living in temporary accommodation has surged to a more than ten-year high.

Some 40,685 homelessness applications were recorded across the country in 2023-24 – an increase of 1,377 (4%) compared to the year before and the highest since 2011-12.

Robert told STV News: “Realistically I’m in temporary accommodation but in the council’s eyes, I’m not here. Roof over your head? Shut up and get on with it.”

Small changes in Robert’s home would make a big difference to his quality of life. He is struggling with his mental health, has arthritis, and is waiting for a double knee operation.

“I’ve asked to have a support handle moved two feet closer to the shower as I really need it there for mobility reasons,” said Robert. “All I’ve been told is because the accommodation is temporary the council can’t move it.”

Upon arrival, Robert received a “welcome pack” including a towel, bedsheets and cutlery. He described the quality of the items as below standard and claims the cutlery fell apart after one wash in warm water.

“The welcome pack was a joke. What they really need is a welcome pack with personnel, face-to-face. They need to sit down and discuss what your needs are.”

He also described the quality of the fixtures and fittings in the home, such as the carpets, doors and furniture, as “filthy”.

Robert purchased new carpets and doorframes but claims he was told that he could not install them in the property.

“To be told, coming to live here, that you can’t tidy it up, can’t make it something better, because it’s temporary accommodation, that’s insult to injury,” he said.

The Scottish Government declared a housing emergency in May, with many council areas declaring a localised crisis.

Twelve Scottish council areas have declared a housing emergency.

Scotland’s housing regulator said earlier this month that eight councils across the country are at risk of systemic failure over the delivery of homelessness services due to the “unsuitable” use of hotels and B&Bs.

More than 100,000 households are considered to be in housing need. The strain on supply comes at a time when the need for social homes is on the rise.

Around 250,000 people are on a waiting list for a social home.

Furthermore, homeless applications have jumped by 53% since 2018 – compared to 10% nationally – and almost 200 households are currently in temporary accommodation, including hotels and B&Bs.

A spokeswoman for Glasgow Health and Care Partnership said: “We are in a housing crisis and unfortunately the demand for permanent accommodation far outstrips availability and supply. That means people – particularly larger families with children – are spending longer in temporary accommodation than anyone would wish.

“In our attempts to meet the ever-increasing demands for homelessness assistance, and to avoid people having to sleep rough, we are having to expand the use of bed and breakfast type accommodation which is not ideal for larger families.”

The council also said it was aware of Robert’s circumstances.

“We are fully aware of this gentleman’s situation. There is support in place and maintenance is carried out to his temporary accommodation as and when it’s required,” the spokeswoman said.