Homelessness statistics, April to September 2023

An update on Homelessness Statistics covering 1 April to 30 September 2023 has been released today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician.

Over that period:

• There were 20,144 applications for homelessness assistance. This is an increase of 3% (658) compared with the same six-month period in 2022.
• There were 16,420 households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness; an increase of 4% (627) on the same six-month period in 2022.
• The number of open cases increased to 30,724 on 30 September 2023. This is 10% higher than the 28,019 on 30 September 2022, and the highest since data collection began in 2002.
• There were 15,625 households and 9,860 children in temporary accommodation on 30 September 2023. These are both increases of 8% compared with 14,452 households 9,125 children on 30 September 2022.
• There were 2,185 households homeless from a private rented tenancy, accounting for 13% of the total. This has decreased from 3,010 or 19% of the total in 2022. This is likely due to cost of living legislation introduced in October 2022 to protect renters. Prior to this, the numbers and proportions had been increasing since the lifting of emergency COVID-19 legislation in May 2021.
• There were 1,408 applications that reported a household member experiencing rough sleeping in the three months before the application was made, and 888 the night before. These are increases compared to the same period in 2022.
• There were 1,575 instances of households not being offered temporary accommodation. This is a substantial increase from 345 in 2022. The vast majority of these (1,355) were in Glasgow.
• The proportion of households who secured settled accommodation having been assessed as unintentionally homeless was 82%, compared to 84% in 2022.

Background

The full statistical publication is available on our website.

The Homelessness in Scotland: Update to 30 September 2023 publication provides an indication of trends for key aspects of homelessness including applications, assessments, use of temporary accommodation and outcomes in the period from 1 April 2023 to 30 September 2023.

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland is available.