More children were in temporary accommodation last year than at any point on record, according to new statistics.
Figures published by Scotland’s chief statistician show 7,252 children were in temporary housing between July and September 2019.
The number rose slightly from the previous quarter, when 7,027 were homeless; it had not surpassed 7,000 since the first and second quarters of 2008.
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Records have been kept on the statistics since the beginning of 2002 and have been on the rise since, with the first figure in Scotland showing 2,389 children in temporary accommodation - the lowest level recorded.
The figures for April to September 2019 show that, on average, households with children spent 212 days in temporary accommodation, against 167 for those without.
The figures come against the backdrop of declining homelessness applications in Scotland, with a year-on-year drop of 2 per cent between April and September 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, from 19,015 to 18,645.
Housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “One person being made homeless is one too many, particularly in households which include children.
“That is why we are working in partnership with local government, people with lived experience and frontline services to transform services to support those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.”
He added: “Scotland has some of the strongest rights in the world for anyone experiencing homelessness, including the right to help from their local authority to secure a stable home and emergency temporary accommodation.”
The April to September 2019 figures show that, despite the rise in the number of households in temporary accommodation, 81 per cent of households (10,070) which were assessed as being “unintentionally homeless” secured settled accommodation.
Mr Stewart was “pleased” by those figures but said “we must go further to achieve this for everyone”.
He added: “That is why the Scottish government has invested £32.5 million into Rapid Rehousing and Housing First to prioritise permanent, settled accommodation, as the first response to minimise the length of time people spend in temporary accommodation.
“We also changed the Unsuitable Accommodation Order in 2014 so that families with children and pregnant women are only able to stay in accommodation, such as B&Bs, for a maximum of seven days.
“In the first year of our £50 million Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan, we have progressed 39 out of 49 measures with plans to start the remaining 10 this year.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said the statistics were “shameful” as living in temporary accommodation can take “a huge toll” on mental and physical health, and “seriously disrupt children’s development”.
He said that Scotland needed “a social rent revolution” and added: “If the Scottish Conservatives cared then they would also be putting pressure on Boris Johnson to end the punishing social security policies which are putting people at greater risk of homelessness.”
