SFHA warns housing emergency causing 'untold misery' amid rise in households denied temporary accommodation

SFHA has warned the housing emergency is causing 'untold misery' for families and children across the country, as statistics published today showed a sharp increase in households denied temporary accommodation.

According to the Scottish Government's latest statistics on homelessness, there were 10,710 instances of households not being offered temporary accommodation- far higher than 7,565 in 2024.

The number of children living in temporary accommodation has also marginally increased to 10,480 children as at 30 September 2025 compared to 10,360 in 2024.

SFHA Chief Executive, Richard Meade said: “The level of homelessness in modern day Scotland is simply unconscionable and is causing untold misery for thousands of families and children across the country. We aren’t seeing these numbers fall, in fact a substantially higher number of people are not even being offered temporary accommodation. This can’t go on.

“We cannot begin to tackle homelessness without a radical and credible plan to build far more secure, warm and affordable homes. Whilst the Scottish Government’s recent announcement of plans for a new housing agency shows a willingness to explore ways to build more homes, the reality is that ending the housing emergency is going to require significantly increased public funding- beyond what has already been announced.

“Every child deserves the stability of a secure, warm and affordable place to call home and it is unacceptable this isn’t a reality. It’s time for politicians across all of our parties to work together and commit to building the 15,693 social and affordable homes we need each year of the next parliament to meet housing need and reverse these devastating levels of homelessness.”