Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group: final report and recommendations
This sub-group of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group was set up to consider how to reduce the number of households living in temporary accommodation and the length of time they spend there. This report makes 15 recommendations.
Footnotes
1. Scottish Government (2023), Homelessness in Scotland: update to 30 September 2022
2. 324 households in Dundee were in TA on 30th September 2022, 23% less than on the same date the year before (423 households).
3. These figures refer to households who took up temporary accommodation and whose case closed in 2021-22.
4. Scottish Government (2022) Homelessness in Scotland: 2021/22
5. Data on length of time in TA has only been collected since 2017-18, so a longer time series is not available.
6. NHS Lanarkshire, Rebecca Campbell (2019) A Health Needs Assessment of children experiencing homelessness
7. Shelter (2017) Research: Impact of homelessness on children - research with teachers
8. Additional analyses provided by the Scottish Government to the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group
9. A survey of Women's Aid groups carried out by Scottish Women's Aid in October 2022 found that 70% of respondents reported that there was no suitable single sex local authority TA for women (with or without) children in their area.
10. A paper submitted to the Task and Finish Group by Scottish Women's Aid
11. There is a lower proportion of households with 'White Scottish' and 'White Other British' main applicants in TA compared to the overall proportions making an application. There are higher proportions of all other ethnic groups in TA compared to overall applications.
12. For example, in 2021/2022 households where the main applicant was of African ethnicity spent on average 333 days in TA. This is compared to an average of 205 days for households where the main applicant was White Scottish.
13. Scottish Government (2022) Homelessness in Scotland: 2021/22
14. Scottish Government (2018) Ending homelessness and rough sleeping: action plan
15. There is also an additional Temporary Accommodation Standards Working Group.
16. Please see full remit of the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group and membership in Appendix 1
17. A full list of presentations and evidence heard by the group are listed in Appendix 2.
18. The Scottish Government is committed to deliver 110,000 affordable homes, at least 70% for social rent, by 2032. A 5-year interim target of 38,500 social homes delivered by 2026 (during this parliamentary term) would represent 50% of the Scottish Government's longer-term 10-year target. Scottish Government (2021), Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Draft Shared Policy Programme: Working together to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland
19. A further opportunity that the group wasn't able to explore is current work to refresh the Strategic Planning Guidance – the current draft version includes reference to the review of Housing Contribution Statements but does not include consideration of RRTPs, which could be added.
20. This structured reporting should be through each Local Authorities Annual Risk Assurance statement to the Scottish Housing Regulator by 31st October.
21. In Scotland the multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) brings together the Police, Scottish Prison Service (SPS), Health and the Local Authorities, in partnership as the Responsible Authorities, to assess and manage the risk posed for certain categories of offender. The purpose of MAPPA is public protection and the reduction of serious harm.
22. Appendix 5 contains more information on this.
23. Scottish Government (2022) Ending homelessness together: annual report 2022
24. Note: Recommendations 14 and 15 also link to financing of TA.
25. See appendix 5 and 6
26. Legal Services Agency (2021) Charges for temporary homeless accommodation in Scotland: law and reality
27. Change Team Briefing (2022) All In For Change
28. Scottish Government (2021) Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) Guidance
29. Hunter, J., Lindsay, T. and McMahon, J. (June 2014) Temporary Accommodation Modelling Review [produced for ALACHO and the Scottish Government, link unavailable]
30. Scottish Government (May 2018), Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group: Interim report
31. Scottish Government (June 2018), Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group: final recommendations report
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