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Scotland bans councils from placing homeless people in hotels for over a week post COVID-19
Under legislative changes introduced in response to the crisis, councils in Scotland will be banned from housing homeless people in hotels and B&Bs for more than seven days once coronavirus lockdown measures are lifted.
The Scottish government has announced an extension to the Unsuitable Accommodation Order, which currently prevents pregnant women or families with children from being placed in B&Bs and hotels for more than a week, to include all homeless households.
Plans to amend the Unsuitable Accommodation Order have been in place following a recommendation from Scotland’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group (HARSAG).
However, the government said these plans have been brought forward in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Scottish housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “There has been a remarkable cross-sector response during the COVID-19 crisis, with emergency accommodation and support quickly given to those that need it most.
“Extending the Unsuitable Accommodation Order, a HARSAG recommendation, will provide people with quality accommodation to support their move on from homelessness.
“It is vital we protect the progress made and ensure there is no backwards movement in local and national efforts to tackle homelessness in the aftermath of the pandemic.”
He added: “We know hotel and B&B accommodation is being used during the current public health emergency to ensure there is physical distancing and ability to self-isolate – vital to suppressing the spread of the virus – so the initial legislation will be time limited to ensure no local authority is in breach of the order while they are protecting people during the pandemic.”
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Under the new rules, it will not be a breach of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order for local authorities to use hotel and B&B accommodation to help individuals self-isolate until 30 September 2020.
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of charity Crisis and chair of HARSAG, said: “By fast-tracking this legislation the Scottish government is sending out a clear message that everyone should have somewhere safe and settled to call home.
“This new and progressive measure ensures that no one will stay in unsuitable temporary accommodation without access to basic facilities and support for months on end.
“By taking this step the Scottish government is clearly signalling that we should not go backwards after this lockdown ends.
“We have a real opportunity to eradicate homelessness across Scotland once and for all – we must now all play our part and support local authorities to make this happen.”
Sean Clerkin, campaigns co-ordinator at the Scottish Tenants Organisation, said: “The extension of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order is a very welcome step towards the ending of homelessness in Scotland.
“It represents a revolution in thinking by government that is pointed clearly in the near future to the eradication of rough sleeping and homelessness in Scotland and is a good example for other governments in the UK to follow.”
