Housing options (PREVENT1) statistics in Scotland: 2020 to 2021

Approaches for housing support

There were 36,514 approaches (from 34,124 unique households) in 2020/21. This was a decrease of 13% from 41,936 compared to 2019/20, and of 35% since 2015/16.

In contrast, the number of open cases has been increasing over time, reaching 21,075 as at 31^st March 2021, an increase of 4% from 20,235 as at 31^st March 2020.

These trends are similar to those experienced for homelessness applications over the last year^[1]. Local authorities reported a reduction in homelessness applications as a result of remain at home COVID-19 guidelines, emergency coronavirus legislation temporarily extending eviction notice periods, the temporary ban on home repossessions and mortgage payment deferrals. The increase in open housing options cases could be due to COVID-19 restrictions limiting the ability to undertake necessary action to enable case closure, similar to the inability of LAs to move homeless households in to settled accommodation resulting in the increase in open homelessness applications.

Conversely, North Lanarkshire has experienced a sharp increase in housing options approaches with 1,524 in 2020/21 compared to 458 in 2019/20 (233%). This was due to an increased focus on prevention activity both by the creation of a centralised team to handle housing options approaches and to align with Rapid Rehousing Transition work.

Glasgow accounts for the largest share of approaches at 24% of the total, followed by Edinburgh with 11%. The national rate of approaches is 7.5 per 1,000 population, which varies in mainland local authorities from 47.3 in Edinburgh to 0.4 in Highland. These highly varying rates are likely to be reflective of the fact that different local authorities use a different approach to providing their statutory duties.

94% of households made one approach; with only 1% making three or more.