Homelessness in Scotland: 2019 to 2020

Characteristics of the Homeless Population

Infographic Description

Based on the 31,333 homeless households in 2019/20:

• In 55% (17,301) of households the main applicant was male, 45% (14,032) were female.
• For the 51,365 people in these households, 19,550 were adult males, 16,100 adult females, 8,015 male children and 7,695 female children
• 33% of main applicants were aged 25-34 and 30% aged 35 to 49
• There is a higher proportion of female applicants in the younger age groups. 28% female vs 20% male under 25 and 39% female vs 47% male aged 35+
• Over time there has been an increase in those 25+ and a decrease in those 24 and under for both males and females.
• 66% are single person households, 69% of which are male. In contrast, 79% of single parent households are female.
• Single parent households account for 22% of the total.
• 28% are households with children.
• 86% were White, a decrease from 89% in 2002/03.
• Over the same period Scottish white ethnicity has seen a larger decrease with a drop from 84% to 75%. The proportion of 'Other' has increased from 1% to 6%.
• 51% were identified as having at least one support need – an increase from 49% last year and 32% in 2009/10.
• 27% identified a mental health problem, an increase from 25% last year and an additional 827 households.
• There is considerable variation between local authorities - 85% in South Ayrshire vs 19% in East Dunbartonshire with at least one support need. This may indicate differences in local reporting practices.
• 6% had a household member aged under 25 that was formerly looked after by a Local Authority in Scotland
• Proportions have largely remained the same in the past decade, although numbers have reduced in line with reductions in homeless households.

Data can be found in accompanying tables 18, 20 and 23-28.