Temporary accommodation standards framework

Introduction

The Scottish Government ran a consultation on improving temporary accommodation standards on improving temporary accommodation standards in 2019. The consultation covered proposed changes to three main areas:

• the Unsuitable Accommodation Order
• advisory standards for temporary accommodation
• the development of a temporary accommodation standards framework

In May 2020, the Unsuitable Accommodation Order was extended to all homeless households and new advisory standards for temporary accommodation were created and published in November 2019 in the interim Code on Guidance on Homelessness.

A short-term working group was established in October 2021 to develop a new standards framework, which will ensure that all temporary accommodation throughout Scotland is of a consistently high quality. To ensure compliance with existing and new standards in temporary accommodation, the working group members considered:

• how the advisory standards can be incorporated into a Temporary Accommodation Standards Framework (TASF)
• what the necessary processes required are to ensure the TASF is implemented by local authorities
• whether legislative changes are needed in order to implement the TASF
• what the necessary timescales are for the TASF implementation
• consider the support local authorities may require to overcome any barriers they face as they work towards full implementation of the TASF
• consider what the Scottish Government can do to help local authorities in their efforts to ensure compliance with the TASF
• consider how the TASF can be regulated (monitored, assessed, and reported), including who should take on the regulation role