Commenting on Homelessness in Scotland 2025-26, which shows live homelessness cases are at a record high, the number of children in temporary accommodation is at a record high, and the number of people sleeping rough has doubled in five years, Scottish Labour Housing spokesperson Mark Griffin said “These shameful figures demand urgent action from all of us across the Scottish Parliament.

“Once again a record number of children in Scotland are stuck in temporary accommodation without the safe, secure home they deserve.

“Thousands of Scots are being failed in a time of crisis and communities are being put under huge pressure.

“Scottish Labour will continue to press the SNP to deliver the action needed to tackle this crisis – from delivering fair funding for local government to building the homes Scotland needs.”

Notes

Homelessness in Scotland: 2025-26

• 41,443 homelessness applications in 2025-26. This compares to 41,246 in 2024-25.
• 34,964 open homelessness cases at 31 March 2026; an increase of 10% compared to 2025 (31,873).
• 19,004 households in temporary accommodation at 31 March 2026; an increase of 10% compared to 2025 (17,240).
• The number of households assessed as homeless was the highest since 2011-12, with the number of households in temporary accommodation and number of live applications both reaching the highest in the time series (back to 2002 and 2003, respectively).
• 10,715 children in temporary accommodation at 31 March 2026; an increase of 5% compared to 2025 (10,180). This is the highest in the time series.
• The number of households reporting rough sleeping the night before application has increased from 2,464 to 2,949. The number of people sleeping rough the night before was 1,307 in 2021-22.