Housing options (PREVENT1) statistics in Scotland: 2021 to 2022

Approaches for housing support

Housing options approaches increased in the year 2021/22 following a reduction in 2020/21 and open housing options cases continue to increase

Chart 1: Annual housing options approaches and open cases, 2014/15 to 2021/22 

There were 40,060 approaches (from 37,790 unique households) in 2021/22. This was an increase of 7% compared to 2020/21. Prior to the pandemic there had been a downward trend in the number of approaches. The latest figure is 37% lower than the start of the data collection in 2014/15.

Open cases have increased over time and are 13% higher than March 2021. This is the highest since the collection began in 2014/15.

The vast majority of households made one approach (95%), with only 1% making three or more.

These trends are similar to those experienced for homelessness applications where the number of applications increased in 2021/22 following a decrease in 2020/21, while the number of open homelessness cases continued to rise.

Many local authorities reported a reduction in approaches in 2020/21 due to remain at home COVID-19 guidelines, limitations in service provision during the pandemic and measures put in place to temporarily extend eviction notice period and ban home repossessions as well as mortgage payment deferrals.

As a result of the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and ceasing of temporary legislation, several local authorities saw a notable increase in housing options approaches in 2021/22. East Ayrshire and East Dunbartonshire experienced increases of 150 (from 60 to 210) and 100 (from 45 to 145) respectively. The latest year’s figures are much more in line with 2018/19 for these local authorities.

Conversely, Highland has experienced notable decreases over time with only 5 housing options approaches in 2021/22. Highland noted that this is due to focussing available resource on homelessness applications as opposed to Housing Options support.

Glasgow accounts for the largest share of unique household approaches at 26% (9,760), followed by Edinburgh at 10% (3,725).

The national rate of approaches is 827 households per 100,000 population aged 16 and over, which varies greatly between local authorities. Of the mainland authorities, Glasgow has the highest rate of 1,823 households and East Dunbartonshire the lowest rate of 162, with the exception of Highland (with a rate of 3). The varying rates are likely reflective of local authorities using different approaches to provide their statutory duties.