Advice Direct Scotland said the nation can lead the world in tackling the issue
Scotland can lead the way in combating the “canary in the coalmine” of homelessness, according to a leading charity.
Advice Direct Scotland – which is spearheading a new £4 million homelessness prevention scheme – said the nation can lead the world in tackling the issue.
The charity is managing a new Scottish Government fund which will support pilot projects across Scotland to transform lives by embedding homelessness prevention into everyday practice.
Andrew Bartlett, chief executive, said: “Homelessness is the canary in the coalmine for society.
“It is a sign that something needs to be done urgently if anyone is at risk of becoming homeless.
“So it is fantastic and highly rewarding that we are at the centre of this game changing project.
“A landmark piece of legislation, the Housing (Scotland) Bill, currently making its way through Holyrood, promises to transform how the country supports those at risk of losing their homes.
“At the heart of the bill is a powerful new principle: Ask and Act. Organisations must ask if people are at risk of becoming homeless and then act if there is a risk.
“These changes will increase the likelihood that people receive help before reaching the point of crisis.
“The most effective way to end homelessness is to prevent it from happening in the first place.
“When we invest in people before they fall, we build a society where everyone has a chance to truly stand tall.”
If passed, the bill will place legal duties on public bodies - from health boards and police to councils - to ask people about their housing situation and act if they’re at risk of homelessness.
The Scottish Government is backing this bold approach with a £4m Test and Learn Prevention Pilot Fund launched earlier this month by Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan.
The fund will support pilot projects across Scotland to trial the new duties in real-world settings, helping public services and charities embed prevention into everyday practice
The pilots, which go live in November, will explore how services can work together to identify people at risk early whether they’re leaving hospital, exiting prison or struggling with rent arrears and intervene before they hit crisis point.
The new duties are being hailed as a “world-first” by homelessness charity Crisis, which helped shape the legislation.
Maeve McGoldrick, head of policy at Crisis Scotland, said: “Far too many people in Scotland are being forced to experience the trauma and indignity of homelessness in circumstances where, with the right help, it could have been prevented. These new legal duties will help change that.”
Applications for the prevention fund open on 1 September 2025 and close on 17 October with successful projects launching just weeks later.
The pilots will run until the end of 2026 with findings expected to shape future regulations and guidance.
