The Housing (Scotland) Bill, introduced to the Scottish Parliament in March 2024, includes significant new homelessness prevention measures. If passed by the Scottish Parliament, the new measures will result in a renewed focus on homelessness prevention in Scotland. Central to these measures are new duties on named public bodies involved in the provision of Health and Social Care, Housing, Justice and Public Safety, Social Security and Welfare and Local Government to ask individuals about their housing situation and to act to take steps to prevent homelessness if that need is identified. 

To support the implementation of these new duties, the Scottish Government has established the Test and Learn Prevention Pilot Fund, providing up to £4 million in funding. The Housing Secretary, Màiri McAllan recently stressed the importance of the new fund.

“We are determined to end homelessness – and the best way to do this is to prevent homelessness in the first place. This investment in prevention pilots will help us test and scale up innovative approaches to help people stay in their homes.”  Màiri McAllan

The fund is being administered by Advice Direct Scotland. It is designed to help the named bodies, alongside third sector organisations experienced in preventing homelessness, prepare for and test the practical application of the new prevention duties with a particular focus on how ‘Ask and Act’ can be effectively embedded in day-to-day practice. It will also help relevant bodies and others to scope out the groups most at risk of homelessness, identify resource requirements, and best practice approaches that may be scaled across their organisation. 

Key dates:

  • Fund opens: 1 September 2025
  • Applications Close: 17 October 2025
  • Decisions issued: 10 November 2025
  • Pilots go live: 17 November 2025
  • Fund closes: 31 December 2026

In some cases, Pilots may build on existing good practice and partnerships already adopted in Scotland to prevent homelessness, but the approach taken should be informed by the new ‘Ask and Act’ duties set out in the Housing (Scotland) Bill. 

Learning from the Pilots will crucially, help to provide clarity on the most effective approach to implementing the new duties and can inform the drafting of future regulations and guidance on the new duties. 

The new fund presents a unique opportunity to test and learn, to work together and to help shape Scotland’s determination to prevent homelessness.

Initial details on the fund are currently available at https://advice.scot/ask-and-act/  Full details, including the ‘Ask and Act’ application form, will be available from the 1st of September.