Homelessness data review: local authority consultation analysis

Introduction

Statistics on homelessness in Scotland are collected by the Scottish Government from local authorities who have a statutory duty to support people that present as homeless or at risk of homelessness. Data is collected every quarter and the collections are as follows:

• HL1 – case level homelessness applications, assessments, and outcomes
• HL2 – snapshot aggregate data on temporary accommodation
• HL3 – placement level temporary accommodation
• PREVENT1 – Housing Options approaches (non-statutory duty currently)

During the Homelessness Statistics User Group (HSUG) meeting on the 24 February 2020 the Scottish Government Homelessness Statistics team asked users whether the data collected meet user needs, if there are any gaps or data being collected which isn’t used and if there are ways to improve data quality and consistency.

An action from the meeting was to gain more in-depth views from all data providers around the issues raised, in recognition that not all local authorities had representatives at the meeting and that further consideration was required around the detail of responses. A consultation was therefore put out to local authority data providers to gather views.

The Scottish Government Homelessness Statistics team sought views from local authority data providers on a range of aspects relating to data collection, dissemination and reporting.