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

This statistics bulletin provides information on housing options services in Scotland in the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. It includes information on the number of approaches made, as well as details on the reasons for the approaches made, the activities undertaken, and the outcomes.


Household circumstances

The reasons for making a housing options approach and the property of the applicant are highly related. For example, the decreases in approaches from those in a private rented property and those owning and buying tie in with the decrease in reasons of 'termination of tenancy / mortgage' and 'other action by landlords'. Similarly, the increase in approaches from those staying with friends and family ties in with the rise in reasons of being 'asked to leave' and 'household disputes'.

Reason for approach
Bar chart showing the common reasons for making a housing options approach in 2019/20 & 2020/21
Approaches by property of applicant
Bar chart showing the five most common property types of current or last settled address for households making an approach for 2019/20 & 2020/21

Again, the trends in reasons and property are similar to those experienced for those assessed as homeless[2]. Notably, the earlier mentioned emergency coronavirus legislation to temporarily extend eviction notice periods, the temporary ban on home repossessions and mortgage payment deferrals have all contributed to the decrease in approaches from the private rented sector and those owning/buying[3].

Contact

Email: homelessness_statistics_inbox@gov.scot

Back to top