UPDATE: Glasgow’s homelessness crisis deepens as over 9,044 people are reported homeless this New Year. Shocking new figures reveal that 3,329 children are currently living in temporary accommodation, highlighting a dire situation for Scotland’s largest city.
Officials from Glasgow City Council confirmed the alarming statistics, revealing that a household becomes homeless every 15 minutes across Scotland, according to estimates by charity Shelter. This urgent situation is exacerbated by rising poverty levels in cities like Edinburgh, Dundee, Stirling, and Aberdeen.
Michael O’Neill, deputy CEO at the Talbot Association, the largest provider of homeless accommodation in Glasgow, stated, “The beds are always full. When I first started working about 30 years ago, nobody needed to sleep rough in Glasgow.” He attributed the crisis to funding cuts and increased demand for services.
The human impact of this crisis is evident on the streets of Glasgow. Many individuals struggle with the harsh winter conditions, describing feelings of constant cold, hunger, and fear of illness. Glasgow-born Nadeem Lal, 44, shared his story, stating, “I know my choices have brought me here. My addiction problems stemmed from abuse in childhood.” Another homeless man voiced his preference for the streets over temporary accommodation, citing concerns about safety and criminal activity in these facilities.
According to Sean Clerkin, a housing campaigner, Glasgow is experiencing a “homelessness catastrophe.” He criticized the current system, emphasizing that the over £37 million spent on inadequate hotel accommodations could be redirected to build quality housing under local authority control.
Statistics from the previous year show that 53,720 people across Scotland, including over 15,000 children, were assessed as homeless, with a record 17,240 households living in temporary housing—a rise of 6 percent from the year prior. Glasgow has the highest overall homelessness rate in Scotland at 223 out of 10,000 households.
Scottish Labour housing spokesman Mark Griffin stated, “These heartbreaking figures lay bare the true human cost of the SNP’s housing emergency.” He expressed outrage over families spending Christmas without stable housing, labeling the situation a scandal.
Concerns are growing as Glasgow also faces an influx of asylum seekers. Data shows that as of November 19, 5,678 refugees with leave to remain are living in temporary accommodations. Critics, including Meghan Gallacher, the Tory shadow housing secretary, argue that policies from the SNP government have worsened the housing emergency, turning Glasgow into a “magnet for illegal migrants.”
A spokesperson from Glasgow City Council clarified, “People with no legal right to be in the country cannot access local authority support.” They acknowledged the extreme pressure on housing availability, leading to an increased reliance on temporary accommodations.
The number of homeless people in Glasgow living in stop-gap housing surged to over 8,000 last year, with this figure surpassing 9,000 for the first time last month. Reports indicate that nearly 2,500 people have been placed in emergency hotels, B&Bs, and hostels, many of which have faced criticism for being substandard.
As the crisis continues to unfold, there have been 3,081 breaches of the unsuitable accommodation order, reflecting the urgent need for reform to ensure that homeless individuals are not trapped in inadequate housing.
As Glasgow grapples with this escalating crisis, the community and advocacy groups call for immediate action to address the needs of the homeless population. The situation demands urgent attention as thousands face a bleak future without stable housing.
