"We have the right legislation, but legislation alone is not enough."
As homelessness figures continue at crisis level, we're addressing recent calls to scrap progressive legislation and proposes alternatives to manage the escalating crisis and the ‘implementation gap’ blocking solutions.
According to Government data published today, 35,002 households were assessed as homeless last year (2025/26). This figure is a notable rise from 2021/22 (when 29,398 households were assessed as homeless).
In Scotland’s major cities, the picture is particularly bleak. Glasgow has the largest homeless population with 8,027 households applying for accommodation last year, whilst those presenting as homeless in Edinburgh can expect to wait an average of 517 days in temporary accommodation, with some anecdotal evidence of families waiting as long as five years for suitable housing.
Working nationally, many of Cyrenians experienced frontline workers have described the situation as “worse than it’s ever been before”, with support staff unable to find people temporary accommodation, even just for a night.
One support worker recently had to use Cyrenians funds to pay for a hotel, to help a vulnerable woman with nowhere to go over the weekend. She said:
“It was either that, or ask her to sleep on the streets. And I wasn’t going to do that.”
Recent calls from councillors and pressure groups have cited ‘liberal homelessness laws’ as the reason behind the increased need. But scrapping our local authorities' legal obligation to house anyone experiencing homelessness – designed to protect everyone – will not solve the problems unfolding in Scotland’s major cities.
Instead, we need to see investment in adequate social housing, supported accommodation, and services which allow homelessness to be addressed humanely, and ultimately prevented from happening again.
The good news is, the housing and homelessness sector knows where that money needs to be funnelled:
- Support services targeted at the demographics most at risk of homelessness (e.g. care experienced people, those leaving abusive relationships, prison leavers etc.).
- Supported accommodation for those who are most at risk, and need more than just a roof over their head.
- Enough – and the right kind – of affordable, social housing for happy, prosperous communities.
As the Housing Emergency shows no sign of abating, Cyrenians calls for stronger leadership from the Scottish Government and a greater commitment to addressing the root causes of homelessness. With affordable housing targets going unmet, targets which already barely meet the growing need, it is imperative that we look up stream and not just respond to crisis.
Kate Wallace, Chief Executive of Cyrenians, said:
“Scotland is experiencing a housing crisis – and has been for several years now. Today’s statistics tell us that the situation has not palpably improved since we declared a national Housing Emergency in Scotland in 2024.But that is due to cuts in services and a failure to address the issues at the root of entrenched poverty, targets for new houses as well as and a lack of social housing, not ‘liberal housing laws’.
These laws are designed to protect everyone. But that legislation needs financial backing. A council cannot fulfil their legal duty to house everyone at risk of homelessness, if there are not enough social homes. We cannot ask our public services to prevent homelessness, when they do not have adequate support services on hand to assist.
Scotland has the right legislation, but legislation alone is not enough. The UK Prime Minister – Andy Burnham – recently published a plan to end homelessness, with a financial backing designed to house all rough sleepers by Christmas. We need to see similar strength of commitment and investment in Scotland – and quickly.
The Scottish Government should be proud of the bill of rights. But the realisation of those rights, have an up-front cost and – until there is strong leadership and investment is made in the areas that need it most – things will continue to get worse."