Cyrenians said some of their work is at risk due to a lack of funding.
Frontline support services supporting Scotland’s homeless population are at risk, as a charity calls for investment in the third sector in a time of crisis.
Cyrenians say homelessness statistics, released on Wednesday, show the importance of charity services as a last resort for thousands of people across the country.
The newly-released homelessness statistics show a steady increase in the time spent in temporary accommodation - currently an average of 234 days - and the numbers of people presenting as homeless, totaling 41,301 in the year to September 2024.
Cyrenians – a charity that tackles the causes and consequences of homelessness – estimates that the true number is much higher, with current statistics not reflecting the number of people being denied support or accommodation due to lack of space in emergency accommodation.
For those people often the only option is services run by charities and not-for-profit organisations who provide advice and support to find somewhere to stay.
Whilst much of Cyrenians work is designed to be preventative, identifying and addressing risks before they become a reality, Cyrenians service director, Amy Hutton, oversees the teams who work with people already experiencing some of the most acute forms of rooflessness and housing instability.
As the crisis worsens, and the third sector faces significant financial challenges, she highlights the reality being faced by many people working to mitigate the fallout from the housing emergency.
She said the support Services which are the last resort for the thousands of people represented - and the hundreds not represented - in the latest homelessness statistics are at risk.
She said the worsening homelessness crisis shows the importance of investment in the third sector in a time of crisis.
She added: “The numbers we are seeing presenting at our services are some of the highest I’ve ever seen in my career, working to provide support to people in Scotland. But I’d estimate that the true number of people experiencing homelessness is significantly higher.
Many of the people my team work with – those being turned away by the housing services – aren’t reflected in those statistics. But they are being supported by the hundreds of charities and third sector organisations that work across Scotland.
“Each and every one of those team members works very hard to help our service users navigate the system that is under extreme pressure. They find or maintain accommodation for people that works for them or find places in supportive temporary accommodation. Whether they are recovering from a stint in hospital or fleeing an abusive partner, these people need quality homes – not just housing.
“In the current environment, we are finding it harder and harder to be able to provide this kind of last resort support. Social housing has become so scant that the amount of time spent in temporary housing is growing. Currently, in Edinburgh, the average amount of time is 546 days – almost twice the average. As that list grows, viable options for the most vulnerable in our society become harder and harder to find.
“On top of the pressures felt as a result of the housing emergency, the third sector is facing its own challenges, with the hike in National Insurance Contributions and increasingly competitive funding landscape putting many services at risk.
“The fallout from the lack of this kind of support would be harder to chart in the statistics, but what I – and my teams – know for sure, is that people cannot be left to navigate homelessness – or the risks of homelessness – on their own. This system is complex and the reality of years spent in temporary accommodation can be traumatising – especially for families with children.
“My hope is that these numbers inspire radical action – to build more social housing, but also to bolster the ecosystem of support for those facing homelessness. We owe it to the people who need our advice, but we also owe it to the thousands of people across Scotland working to help people whilst experiencing insecurity within their own livelihoods.”
Housing minister Paul McLennan told the Herald of the latest homelessness statistics: “The number of homeless people in Scotland and children in temporary accommodation is far too high.
"However, we are determined to reverse that trend and we are taking decisive action to ensure no one need experience the trauma of being homeless.
“The key to tackling homelessness is delivering more homes and we have a strong track record in doing so having supported the delivery of 135,000 affordable homes since 2007. That’s 47% more per head of population than England and 73% more than Wales.
“However, we can and will go further. The draft Scottish budget for next year includes a £200 million boost to the affordable housing programme, taking our total investment for 2025-26 to £768 million. We are working with partners to maximise that investment.
“We are also targeting funding in areas where housing capacity needs to be increased most. This includes £42 million to the five local authorities with the most sustained temporary accommodation pressures to increase supply through buying back properties and bringing long-term empty homes back into use. This is expected to deliver 1,000 more homes.
“The draft Budget will also provide record funding of more than £15 billion to councils in 2025-26 through the local government finance settlement. This funding supports the delivery of a range of services, including homelessness services, enabling local authorities to fulfil their statutory homelessness duties. An additional £4 million will also be made available to support local authorities and frontline services to pilot and scale up homelessness prevention best practice across Scotland.”
