Statistics show the problem is increasing despite increased measures and tightened legislation

Homelessness is increasing as official figures showed a 2% rise in homeless applications from last year.

Scottish local authorities received 18,486 applications for homelessness assistance during the six months between 1 April 2018 and 30 September 2018.

Shelter, the country’s leading homelessness charity, responded to the statistics published by the Scottish Government by saying if the alarm bells weren’t already ringing in Holyrood they should be now.

Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “Homelessness in Scotland continues to increase – with even more children in homeless temporary accommodation than last year and people having to stay longer in temporary accommodation with their lives in limbo.

“And with hundreds of breaches of the unsuitable accommodation order and households being turned away from temporary accommodation they are entitled to thousands of times, it is clear there is a housing emergency in Scotland.”

There were 10,955 households in temporary accommodation, an increase of 56 households since last year.

Households spent an average of 175 days (just under six months) in temporary accommodation placements. Households with children tend to be in temporary accommodation for longer (209 days) compared to households without children (164 days).

Brown added: “We know homelessness can’t be solved overnight and we welcome the recent focus on homelessness from the Scottish Government.

“The upcoming budget should be seen as an opportunity for the Scottish Government to ensure councils are properly resourced to deal with this unacceptable rise in homelessness in Scotland.”

The Scottish Government has been contacted for a response.