You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Homelessness applications rose by almost 20% in Scotland last month, regulator data shows
The number of people who presented themselves to local authorities as homeless in Scotland increased by 18% in June, new data from the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) has shown.
A total of 2,923 households approached Scottish councils as homeless last month compared with 2,474 in May.
Last month also saw a 7% rise in the number of households living in temporary accommodation in Scotland, with 13,875 households living in temporary accommodation at the end of the month compared with 12,940 the month previous.
The data is part of a monthly dashboard released by the SHR to measure the impact coronavirus has had on the social housing sector.
READ MORE
For the first time the SHR has included data on the number of possession notices issued by social landlords, alongside the number of court actions initiated.
Social landlords collectively served 287 notices of possession proceedings last month, of which 174 were served by housing associations and 113 were served by councils.
Of the 287 notices, 245 were for rent arrears, 33 were for anti-social behaviour or criminal activity and nine were for other reasons.
At the start of the coronavirus lockdown, the Scottish government legislated that individuals with a Scottish secure tenancy must be given six months notice before court action, unless the household is being evicted on a small number of grounds such as anti-social behaviour.
The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations has said that no tenants will be evicted from housing association properties due to financial hardship caused by COVID-19.
Data from the Scottish regulator found that collective rent arrears for social landlords at the end of June stood at £160m. This is up 2% from the amount of arrears recorded at the end of last month and up 16% from the number recorded at the end of the 2018/19 financial year.
The data comes after the SHR announced it is consulting on temporary changes to its regulatory framework during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Social Housing Scottish Annual Conference
Social Housing Scottish Annual Conference takes place online on 15 September 2020.
Brought to you by our sister publication Social Housing, this unmissable event will provide a unique opportunity for learning, collaboration and idea-sharing to unite and support the sector during an unprecedented time.
Experts from across the sector including Ian Brennan, director of regulation at the Scottish Housing Regulator, Alison Watson, director at Shelter and Patrick Flynn, head of regeneration and housing services at Glasgow City Council will delve into crucial topics including priorities and strategies for registered providers in the wake of the pandemic, embedding financial resilience, addressing homelessness, tenant support, navigating risk and investing in both existing and new homes. Plus hear how funders and investors are responding to the economic and political uncertainty of the day.
Save £100 on your delegate pass when you book using discount code IH25.
For group discounts and booking enquiries contact Andrej.vanoudgaarden@insidehousing.co.uk
