Housing options (PREVENT1) statistics in Scotland: 2022-23

Data and Methodology

All tables and charts in this publication are available in electronic format at the supporting documents page.

These statistics are based on administrative data collected by local authorities while carrying out their Housing Options duties. The data is collected from local authorities and quality assured by the Scottish Government on a quarterly basis. Details about the data we collect, our quality assurance process, and how we engage with users to improve our statistics are outlined in our quality assurance statement.

The data specification for the Housing Options (PREVENT1) statistics is available on our data provider information page.

Updates to previous statistics

The data we use in this publication is collected from local authorities on a quarterly basis. As a result these figures are updated on an ongoing basis and may differ from those previously published. This may be a result of delays in some cases being reported to the Scottish Government due to IT issues, quality assurance processes and delayed entry of data – particularly at the end of the financial year.

Known issues with the data

South Lanarkshire has not been able to provide case level data for 2019-20, 2020-21 or 2021-22 due to technical issues.

For 2019-20 and 2020-21, South Lanarkshire provided aggregate level data to be incorporated into the tables accompanying this publication. No data at all was provided for 2021-22 and aggregate data for 2020-21 has therefore been used. As a result, we have not been able to carry out our usual level of quality assurance checks for South Lanarkshire’s data for these years.

The 2020-21 data contained a discrepancy of 260, which therefore persists for the 2021-22 figures. The number of approaches (973) differs from the number for ‘type of prevention activity’ (713) and we have been unable to confirm with South Lanarkshire which of these is the correct figure. Additionally, we cannot confirm whether the total activities (2,395) are related to the 973 or 713 figure. This uncertainty affects all tables within the publication.

During quality assurance for this publication, an error was identified in the submitted South Lanarkshire figure for outcome ‘Other (known)’ for 2019-20. This has therefore been revised from 717 to 41, reducing the Scotland totals of ‘All’ and ‘Other (known)’ in table 13 by 676. No other data tables are affected. In addition, an error was identified for table 8 data, resulting in the figures relating to 'General Housing advice/tenancy rights advice' and 'Help to move property' being revised (upwards) by 497 and 309 respectively; the 'All' figure is unaffected.

Argyll & Bute, Fife, Midlothian and North Lanarkshire have reported systems issues which has led to a number of cases not being appropriately closed. This has artificially increased the number of open cases in these local authorities.

Legislation

Local Authorities can use Housing Options as a means of delivering their duty under section 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

To note: the provision of Housing Options services is not a statutory duty.

Guidance to help Local Authority officers to record information is available on our data provider information page.