Response to recommendations to reduce temporary accommodation use.
Efforts to reduce the number of households living in temporary accommodation will be backed by at least £60 million to support a national acquisition plan to increase the supply of social and affordable housing.
The funding will support councils and registered social landlords to purchase properties including empty homes and private sector homes.
Other measures to reduce temporary accommodation will include working with social landlords to increase allocations to homeless households and providing national guidance for local authorities to support good practice around changing temporary accommodation into permanent affordable homes.
Bespoke plans to address specific issues will also be developed with the local authorities with the greatest temporary accommodation pressures.
Funding for the National Acquisition Plan of at least £60 million comes from the 2023-24 Affordable Housing Supply Programme, allowing local authorities to use their existing resource planning assumptions to rapidly acquire properties for use as high quality, affordable, permanent homes.
The Scottish Government has committed to delivering 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032, at least 70% of which will be for social rent and 10% in remote, rural and island communities.
On 30 March 2023, the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group provided Scottish Ministers with recommendations on reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation.
Co-Chairs of the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group: Alison Watson, Director, Shelter Scotland; and John Mills, Co-Chair of ALACHO (Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers) and Head of Housing, Fife Council.